The Crown of Old Men

 Good Morning All… and for you folks in the Colonies (America), Happy Father’s Day!

We don’t celebrate Father’s Day here in Australia until it’s spring, which is September. I think it has something to do with guys wanting power tools when the weather gets warm.

Yes, it’s early winter here, and we’re definitely putting the layers on.  Yesterday I actually considered putting on a JACKET!

I did have a wonderful birthday, thank you for all those wishes.  Tony suggested that we sneak off for a night into the nearby hinterland… We’re retired, after all, so we can exercise our autonomy.  

It almost ended badly.  We arrived all flushed with excitement and anticipation at the B&B only to be told they’d never heard of us and we should go away as they were fully booked.  I claimed the high moral ground and proudly produced the verification………to be told it was for June 13, 2026!!  I’ll be calling the booking agent tomorrow….

We were torn between sneaking back home, but since there was no one missing us, where’s the fun in that?  Tony was more motivated, since he had arranged for Nathan to come to the house while we were away and re-vamp my computer stuff. I assured him that everything in the area was fully booked, but when he stuck his lip out, I caved and said, “Okay, let’s drive around and see.”

We ‘rocked up’ (as they say here), to an old but grand hotel out on the cliff face with a great view of the Gold Coast off in the distance.  Tony ran inside and came swaggering back sporting two keys to the BRIDAL SUITE!

Be still my foolish heart.

It was the only room they had left, and since no honeymooners had shown up, we got it at the base rate, including a roaring fire and hot breakfast! All I can say is LIFE IS GOOD,

But on a more ‘on topic’ thought, I would like to tell you about my FATHER.  Many of you know Tony’s Dad, “Uncle Buddy” to so many, but few of you knew mine.  Ironically, Tony’s mom and dad were friends with MY mom and dad long before Tony and I liked each other………..and yet they couldn’t have been more opposites.

My Dad, or Daddy as my sister and I always called him, was a shy, intelligent scientist.  He seldom spoke, could control me completely with a raised eyebrow, and frankly, truth be known, I was often intimidated because of his silence. But I always knew he loved me dearly.

He had grown up in the depression, his own father dying of the flu when Daddy just 14.  With three younger brothers and a mother who had no education in terms of getting a job (I don’t think there was insurance back then either), Daddy had to grow up fast.

In a tribute to my grandmother, all four boys grew up to be fine, productive men. But they were tough, as were most of the population, all serving in some capacity during WWII.

Daddy and Mother did their best by us, we had enough to eat,  a roof over our heads, and were happy for the most part.  Then my mother died of Cancer after a debilitating battle of several years, when I was just 14.  Daddy soldiered on, doing the best he could.  

Finally, his heart began to fail.  He went to the doctor and the doctor said, “Call your wife  (Daddy had re-married by then) and have her come and get you, your heart is too blocked and you could die at any moment.”  

So, being Daddy, he drove himself home (in a rough manual shift Jeep) for an hour, then got the push mower out and mowed the lawn! Did I mention they lived west of Denver at 8000 feet altitude?

Yup.  That was my Daddy.  Months went by and he finallyhad to give in and go back to the doctor.  I’m sure he had a name, but Daddy always called him “Dr Quack”. After a few “I told you so”s, he was immediately admitted for quadruple bypass surgery!

Everything went find…… until it didn’t.  Later, Daddy would tell this story;

“I was laying there, feeling very unwell, and all I could see was the face of Dr Quack.  He was shouting to someone, , ‘Come on Boys! We’re losing him. We’ve got work to do!’

Daddy said to himself, “Well, I guess this is it. I’m dead.”

It was at that moment, out of the darkness, he heard a voice that was clear as a bell. The voice said, “Bob Smith!  You are weak.  I am strong!!!”

Several hours later he awoke a new man. As long as I knew him, he had always been a faithful Christian. But “Bob Smith 2.0” was a new version I had never seen. You’ve heard of being “On fire for the Lord” … He was a can of gasoline. From that day, there was never a challenge so big that he could not “Pray through it”. As the years passed, he did eventually slow down a bit … some might call it dementia … but until the Lord called him home, he was “touched” by the Holy Spirit. 

What a wonderful gift he gave my sister and me.  He lived 20+ more years, and SHOWED us his love, laughed a lot more, and shared about his faith with people far and wide.  At 78 he died peacefully in his sleep.

Wow

There are so many verses in the Bible about Father, starting with our Father God, as well as our earthly Father.  I’d love to hear about yours.  

Till next week, Marsha

“Children’s children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children is their fathers.” (Proverbs 17:6)