Daddy's Springtime Graduation

Today is Good Friday, and my thoughts go to an experience our family had during the beautiful Manassas, VA springtime nine years ago.   

On March 29, 2003 at 1:30 in the afternoon, my sister-in-law Barb called to say Daddy was being taken to the hospital because his lips were purple and he was very weak.  I assumed he would be given oxygen and sent home with a supply to help his breathing.  He had been feeling very poorly and tired for some time, but no one knew how sick he really was.  I wonder if he even knew.

The doctor said dad was very ill and would be kept for a few days for observation.  He was put into a regular room, but the next morning in church Dave and I received word that he'd been moved to the critical care unit.  We left church and went immediately to the hospital.  I felt physically cold inside, and it began to dawn on me that he may never come back home, may never see our new home being built next to their back yard.

For ten days we all lived through the process of watching daddy slip away to Heaven.  I am grateful for the time we all had with him.  I found myself feeling wounded inside, wondering how I could again pray  with faith for anyone who was sick, and I wept because of that, too.  I thought of the words of Jesus to Peter, "I have prayed for you that your faith fail not..." 

I distinctly experienced the heart of Jesus when I heard Him speak into my heart that He cries with me.  God told us to "weep with those who weep", and I know He does  not command us to do something He wouldn't do.  Jesus wept at Lazarus' tomb.  I knew God did not make daddy sick or cause him to die.  Death is God's enemy too, the last enemy to be put under foot, Scripture says.  Jesus was a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.  I believe Jesus buried his earthly father too, because Joseph is not mentioned during Jesus' ministry or at His crucifixion: only His mother and half brothers.  As long as Satan is roaming to and fro throughout the earth seeking whom he may devour, death at some time, will be a reality in this life. 

My faith must not be based on my experiences, but on the Word of God.  I have grown more and more in the knowledge of God, asking for and receiving the truth.  I continue to pray with faith for people's needs, believing the Word of God that it is always God's will to heal.  Jesus proved that in His earthly ministry: He went about doing good, and healing all who were oppressed of the devil.  Jesus gave us, His disciples, the power and command to "preach this message: The kingdom of heaven is near.  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons."  Matthew 10:7-8

Daddy never graduated from any great schools or received earthly honors.  But he graduated from this fallen earth to the safety of Heaven because Jesus was His Lord and Savior.   Sometimes when I get homesick for daddy, I ask Jesus to please tell daddy I love him.  As one song says, "It may be Friday night, but Sunday's on the way!"  I wrote a poem that April, and I publish it for the first time below.

Jesus Cried With Me

When daddy couldn't eat or drink

Or even make his eyes to blink,

We stroked his limbs, massaged his feet,

Sang songs that to him were so sweet.

And Jesus cried with me.

We swabbed his mouth and kissed his head,

We children stayed around his bed.

Helped daddy hug our mama's neck

As mamma kissed her love, and wept.

And Jesus cried with me.

In tears we bathed his heated brow

Until he needed it no more.

When breath grew shallow, heartbeat faint,

God was there and saw His saint.

And Jesus cried with me.

Remembered words, remembered deeds,

When daddy tended to our needs --

We told him "thanks" for all he'd done,

Then released him to go home.

And Jesus cries with me.

By Elaine Beachy

April 24, 2003

Copyright © 2012 Elaine Beachy