It seems that song was written, especially for me.
My Dad was a rather slightly built
man.
Even though he was, he had huge muscular hands.
You see, he had to use his
hands in
his trade for 46 years. He didn't have
a desk job. He didn't just stop with
his
daily job. I never knew him to miss
a days work. He just never sit still. If
he wasn't tearing down a house for
someone, he was
doing plumbing, or wiring. I never ever knew a man
of so many
trades and talents. He was always
learning. I don't know a thing he couldn't do.
He did any, and every kind of work.
He
didn't have a lazy bone in his body.
He took the time to do for others.
Not only was he a very hard worker, but
he was as soft hearted as anyone could be.
He would sit and cry unashamedly in church, over
our God. He would cry at the
touch of a
baby. Knowing he was never ashamed to show his
emotions, made me
love him all the more. He
took the time to care.
Along with his hard work, he was also a substitute
minister in our town. When a
minister had to go
out of town, he was called on to preach.
If he wasn't doing that,
he was playing the
organ or piano in his church. Sunday was his
day of rest, as God
planned. He took
the time.
All the neighborhood kids loved him as well. He
always took the time to stop his
work, to
fix their bikes, or whatever. He saved many kittens
from trees, things that
other Dad's wouldn't do.
In the winter, he gathered the neighborhood kids and
took
all of us ice-skating. In the summer,
it was swimming. No matter how busy he was,
he
took the time.
Yes, I remember holding those big muscular hands, many
times. In the evening, when
I was a little
girl I remember so well, going to visit my grandparents
two blocks
away, in the evening. It would be winter
and huge wet snowflakes were falling. We would see
trillions of diamonds laying on top of the newly
fallen snow, and our eyelashes. He would stop
in
amazement, to point them out to me, falling
under the street lights. He made it seem so
special to me. It was a snowman making kind
of snow. I can still remember as we
watched,
feeling my little hand enveloped in his huge hand,
and feeling so much peace, and pride. He never
knew
back then, or maybe he did.
He took the time.
I saw those hands clasped in prayer, so many
times. He never had an enemy. If
someone did
despitefully use him, he would just smile at them.
He never held a grudge.
If this world had
a lot more of my Daddy's, it would be
closer to perfect. I am sure
many thought it
was an act on his part, but I lived
with him and I knew. I only
remember one
spanking I got from him. I don't remember why, but
I know it had to
have been well deserved.
My Mom was the one at home most of the
time, and she
NEVER said "Wait till your Dad
gets home." She spanked me herself. I have to
admit they were ALL deserved. I loved her as
much as anyone ever loved a Mother.
She was
just training me in the way I should go.
Beside that, she made me go get my
own
switch off a tree, to use on me. I
learned fast! I thank her today.
It was so sad to see Dad go from a
healthy strong man to such a weakened
condition when
he died. He was so frail, and had lost
so much weight. Even at that,
his hands remained
so strong. He was nothing but a frail wisp
of a man lying there
but his hands were
as strong looking as when he was young. God
took him, this time.
This is my first Fathers Day without him, and
I miss him very much. I know he is
with our Lord and it helps, but the pain
is still there. I just wish I could hold his
hand today.
I love you Dad.I promise I will see you again someday.All my love to you.
Your Daughter ~~ Mindy
