SAD DAY.....Miss you Dad!

2 Corinthians 12

⁹But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.


Today is a sad day in my family. Here is my mom's post on Facebook:


January 23, 2001 The saddest day in my life!!!! The day I lost the love of my life, you lost a father, grandfather, great friend, your pastor. Yes, we lost Jack on this day and he will never be forgotten. I do thank God for my family who surrounded him the night he passed away and have surrounded me ever since then. I thank God for the life he has given me, the gift of helping those who are in need. But what a price to pay for that gift! May God be with all of us today as we remember. We know he is looking 
down on us at all times. Rest in peace Jack. Love you Ellen

My Brother Jack also wrote a wonderful Poem for today: (He's a pretty talented guy!)

Time Heals Everything (Jack Rhoades, Jr.)

Time heals everything,
Or so they say.
But whoever said that
Never loved this way.

How can time heal
And how can it cure
The pain of a loss
Still present and pure?

Yes, time does pass
And lives go on,
But the emptiness is there,
Knowing what’s gone.

Days turn to weeks,
And weeks turn to years
Yet, the loneliness persists,
And even the tears.

To think you’ve moved on
And the grief’s in the past,
Is simply not true,
It will ever last.

Time doesn’t heal
A loss like this,
When it’s your dad you need
And your dad you miss.


Today is the anniversary of my Father on Earth joining my Father in Heaven. My Dad was a great man. He worked hard for us. Supporting 6 kids has never been easy. Late in his life he heard and answered the call to go into full time ministry as a Methodist Pastor. He was always open to God and his calling. He was so wise. I have shared before the great times we had with our weekly Cracker Barrell breakfasts. I treasure those times. I also treasure how he loved my kids. He was such a fantastic Grandpa. My kids adored him. This Godly man was the true leader of our home in every way. He was our spiritual leader and so much more.


When you lose someone like we lost Dad, you are at your weakest moment in your life. The loss weighs heavy then and it weighs heavy now. As you can tell from my Mom's post, she has continued to be "weak" in this loss. But, my Mom is the perfect example how God can take our weakness and make them our strengths. Mom has taken her weakness and turned it for God's glory. She has been there for so many people. She can truly say she knows where they are coming from. She is a Chaplain and has been a great leader in grief recovery. God has used her through this weakness and made her strong! 


Praise God he is our strength and our shield, an ever present help in times of loss. Praise God!