MAN OF HIS WORD
by Bob Carlisle
In the final days of summer, 1944,
with just a preacher and a witness
and a humble band of gold,
They set out to find the future,
not a penny to their name.
Still with all the unknown danger,
she knew her heart was safe, cause...
He was a rock
He was the one that she ran to
And when he said the word "forever",
She knew that it was true.
He wasn't a saint,
But he was saint enough for her.
He was a man, A man of his word.
The final days of summer, 1964,
found a family undivided, divided by the war.
Turning son against his elder,
debating wrong and right,
He was the image of his father,
though they would not see eye to eye, still..
He was a rock,
He was the one the boy ran to
Cause when he said the words "I love you",
He knew that it was true.
And even in the worst of storms,
There was an anchor in his world.
He was a man, a man of his word.
Clutching a strong belief in the Bible,
through all the sweetness of his life,
and the bitterness of war,
He knew what God had made him for...
In the final days of summer, 1994,
surrounded by his family,
and the presence of the Lord.
He'd set out to find his future,
the one he'd always known,
He didn't want to leave his family,
but he knew deep in his soul,
The Lord had called him home,cause...
He was the Rock,
He was the one the man ran to,
And when He said the word "forever",
He knew that it was true.
He isn't a saint,
He is the One the saints bow to.
Receiving a man, a man of his word..
He is the one that I run to.
Cause when He says the word "forever",
I know His word is true.
He isn't a saint,
He is the One the saints bow to,
Come to the Man, The Man of His word.
W hen I was:
Four years old: My daddy can do anything.
Five years old: My daddy knows a whole lot.
Six years old: My dad is smarter than your dad.
Eight years old: My dad doesn't know exactly everything.
Ten years old: In the olden days, when my dad grew up, things were sure different.
Twelve years old: Oh, well, naturally, Dad doesn't know anything about that. He is too old to remember his childhood.
Fourteen years old: Don't pay any attention to my dad. He is so old-fashioned.
Twenty-one years old: Him? My Lord, he's hopelessly out of date.
Twenty-five years old: Dad knows about it, but then he should, because he has been around so long.
Thirty years old: Maybe we should ask Dad what he thinks. After all, he's had a lot of experience.
Thirty-five years old: I'm not doing a single thing until I talk to Dad.
Forty years old: I wonder how Dad would have handled it. He was so wise.
Fifty years old: I'd give anything if Dad were here now so I could talk this over with him. Too bad I didn't appreciate how smart he was. I could have learned a lot from him.
AUTHOR Unknown
Dad's family circa 1939
My dad was a wonderful man, gentle and kind. He was born in Alabama, NY to a family of 12 children in 1921. They were a poor family, farmers, and general workers. The depression was a very real problem to them. That is alot of children to feed and clothe. My father was one of six brothers, five of which were in WWII overseas. It is a miracle that all five came back without serious injury. I hope Dad knows how proud and grateful I am to him for the sacrifices he made for me and the rest of the country.
Mom and Dad 1945
Dad and Mom married in 1941, just before he shipped out. They produced 3 children, Albert L. Hottois Jr., Patricia Beryl Hottois, and me, Phyllis Ruth Hottois Seager. It is with great pain and sadness that they divorced in 1963. My brother passed away in 1988 from stomach cancer, dad and mom were never quite the same after that. More on "Red" later. My sister and I are healthy and doing well for now. You see, out of the 12 children in dad's family, ten, including dad, have died of cancer.
Dad and me 1957 family picnic
Boulder Park, Indian Falls, NY
Dad and me, Easter 1962
My father was diagnosed in 1996 with colon cancer. While doing pre-op testing, they found he also had a primary cancer in his lungs also, and that it had metastisized to his liver. Dad lived almost exactly one year after diagnosis. He left us to join the Lord on Labor Day, Sept. 1, 1997 at 4:23PM. My sister and I were there with him, holding him, and giving him permission to go and join his son, brothers, sisters, and parents. I feel so priveleged to have been there with him and to have had him for a dad.
Never once did Dad say,"Why me?" Instead he said, "Why not me?" He felt he had been given a good life and that he could not expect any more than 75 years. His son and many of his siblings did not have that long. Dad has taught me how to live with adversity, and how to trust in the Lord, that whatever happens, it is for the best according to God's plan. We may not understand it, but we will one day, when all is revealed.
The song playing is The Old Rugged Cross, it was my dad's very favorite song. Here is to you Dad.
Dad and me on my Wedding Day 12/19/87
WHEN TOMORROW STARTS WITHOUT ME
When tomorrow starts without me, and I'm not there to see;
If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears
for me;
I wish so much you wouldn't cry the way you did today,
while thinking of the many things we didn't get to say.
I know how much you love me, as much as I love you,
and each time you think of me I know you'll miss me too;
But when tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand,
that an angel came and called my name and took me by the hand,
and said my place was ready in Heaven far above,
and that I'd have to leave behind all those I dearly
love.
But as I turned to walk away, a tear fell from my eye,
for all life, I'd always thought I didn't want to
die.
I had so much to live for and so much yet to do,
it seemed almost impossible that I was leaving you.
I thought of all the yesterdays, the good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared and all the fun we had.
If I could relive yesterday, I thought, just for a
while,
I'd say good-bye and kiss you and maybe see you smile.
But then I fully realized that this could never
be,
for emptiness and memories would take the place of me.
And when I thought of worldly things that I'd miss come
tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did, my heart was filled with
sorrow.
But when I walked through Heaven's gates, I felt so much at
home.
When God looked down and smiled at me, from His great golden
throne,
He said, "This is eternity and all I've promised
you."
Today for life on earth is past but here it starts
anew.
I promise no tomorrow's, but today will always
last,
and since each day's the same day, there's no longing for the
past.
But you have been so faithful, so trusting, and so true.
Though there were times you did some things you knew you shouldn't do.
But you have been forgiven and now at last you're free.
So won't you take my hand and share my life with me?
So when tomorrow starts without me, don't think we're far apart,
for every time you think of me, I'm right here in your heart.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
By: David M. Romano
THE ROSE BEYOND THE WALL
Near shady wall a rose once grew,
budded and blossemed in God's free light.
Watered and fed by morning dew, shedding it's
sweetness day and night.
As it grew and blossomed fair and tall,
Slowly rising to loftier height,
It came to a crevice in the wall,
Through which there shone, a beam of light.
Onward it crept with added strength,
With never a thought of fear or pride;
It followed the light through the crevice length,
and unfolded itself on the other side.
The light, the dew, the broadening view,
were found the same as they were before;
And it lost itself in beauties new,
Breathing its fragrance more and more.
Shall claim of death cause us to grieve
And make our courage faint or fall?
Nay, let us faith and hope receive;
The rose still grows beyond the wall.
Scattering fragrance far and wide,
Just as it did in days of yore.....
Just as it did on the other side....
Just as it will forevermore.
written by A. L. Frink
