Technology Blessings

This coming April will be 20 years ago that my dad passed away.  It just does not seem possible some days.  There are moments when it feels like it happened yesterday and then there are those times when it feels like it has been every bit of those 20 years. 

 

One of the things that has bothered me the most about losing my dad is knowing that my kids have grown up not really knowing him or remembering him.  And, that my grandkids will never know him until we all get to heaven.  There are times when that knowledge really, really bothers me. 

 

As for me, there are times when all I have wanted was to just hear his voice again.  Then, thanks to technology - it happened! 

 

A couple weeks ago, my husband and I made a quick trip to Arkansas to visit a CYM church.  On our way, my mom sent me a text and said that someone had posted a video of my dad.  And wouldn't you know it???  I was in a place with NO reception or access to the internet on my phone.  Because, when you are in the middle of NO WHERE in Arkansas, cell phones don't really work! 

 

That evening when we got settled in at the hotel, I pulled up the video on YouTube.  And, there he was - preaching the message at the funeral of a pastor in Georgia.  My heart literally skipped a beat as I sat there and watched my Daddy preach.  Several things stuck out to me while I listened.  One is that all three of my brothers sound just like my dad!  Two, my husband has many of his mannerisms while preaching.  Now THAT was uncanny!  I mean - they are not even related but yet act so much alike. 

 

Then, I just sat back and closed my eyes and listened to what he was actually saying.  I think one of my Dad's favorite topics to preach about was the verse that says "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land" found in Ezekiel 22.  He firmly believe and preached often that God was looking for men, women, boys and girls to stand up for Him. 

 

So - I am so thankful for the following:

1) technology used to be a blessing

2) that I could hear my Dad's voice again

3) KNOWING without ONE doubt that my husband is carrying on the tradition of preaching and living like Christ for our kids and grandkids

4) being reminded that even I can stand up for God right where I am.