Oh, Dad, I truly miss you. You're gone from us somehow,
but it seems you're all around me and I feel you even now.
When I come back to visit Mom I still expect to see
you coming out to say "hello" with a smile and hug for me.

I walk the grounds of home and see the fruit trees there,
and remember how you loved to grow the apple, peach and pear.
You always saved some fruit for me to sample, what a treat!
You were really happy sharing things that we could eat.

I remember you loved to garden and worked faithfully each season.
Your love of seeing good things grow just seemed to be the reason.
And as the Lord provided bountiful blessings from the crops,
you shared the food with others, and the blessings never stopped.

I think about you cutting grass to keep the yard all tidy.
And you and Mother planted flowers to enjoy with everybody.
And then when you began to tire you took some time to rest
and fellowship beneath the trees with family, friend, or guest.

There was much for you to do and you worked faithfully each day.
But you never forgot to read God's Word or take some time to pray.
I can still see you coming to the house at setting sun
and resting in your favorite chair after work was done.

Remember, Dad, the special times the family gathered 'round,
like Christmas, or your birthday? Remember all those sounds?
It seemed we all would talk at once, the joy just overflowed.
We loved to sing "happy birthday to you" while all the candles glowed.

Dad, none of us can know if we'll have more birthdays here.
But it's great to know in Heaven we'll be with loved ones dear
who have gone on before us. And the ones we've left behind
will someday come to join us. Yes, we must keep in mind...

That in that land of peace and joy we'll celebrate the best
of holidays like birthdays, and Christmas, and the rest.
The reason for these blessings is John 3:16, God's Word.
It explains to us how we can be more blessed than ever heard.

Whosoever believes in Him, God's only begotten Son,
accepts God's love, will not perish, a crown of life has won.
We wish we had more time on earth to spend with those we love.
But what we experience here cannot compare with life above.

We're in "training" here, perfected there. It's all within God's plan
for us to know the fullness of His love when we shall stand
in His glorious presence with our loved ones forevermore.
No parting there....just joy and love await us on that shore.

Jo S. McCracken
Copyright © 1997, 1998
All rights reserved.
From my book, "Poems From The Heart".