Fathers

 

Disclaimer: Obviously I am not an actual angel. However, I feel like God speaks to my heart and I would love to share it with you. Please enjoy.

 

 

My sister, brother and I were lucky to have been born into a family who loved God and taught us about Him. We have had eight pastors in our family, parents, several aunts and uncles, brother-in-law, nephew, cousins, etcetera, so Christianity has always been a strong presence in our lives.

In my teen years several things happened that really hurt me. I became very angry and decided I didn’t want to be a Christian anymore. For ten years I refused to be a Christian. It was the prayers of my family that brought me back. (never give up praying for the ones you love)

Every night my father would stay up all night, sitting at the kitchen table or in the recliner, reading the Bible and praying. He would fall asleep for half an hour or so, then wake up and read and pray again. This would go on all night, every night.

When we found out he was terminally ill I wrote a poem about him called Papa’s Light. I will be sharing that with you today.

Although I had become a Christian again I was very weak spiritually. I would go to church for a while, then I would start again. This cycle went on for years. I always believed my father would pray me into heaven.

About one month after my father died I was sitting at my kitchen table thinking about him. I felt God speak to me. He said, “Janice, the biggest barrier between you and hell is now gone. You can no longer ride on your father’s spiritual coat tail. It is time for you to do what you have heard about all you life but have never really. You need to make the decision for Christ.”

That thought hit me very hard and right then I told God I was making that decision. I promised I would never walk away again, and I never have. As soon as I made that commitment I immediately felt a change in me. It was God’s strength in me I was feeling.

Then I asked God, “what about all the people Dad would have talked to about you, but now he never can?’ Once again I felt God speak. He said, “that is your job now, Janice.”

Right then I knew my father had passed the mantel to me, and I have been talking to people about God ever since.

That is the biggest reason I am doing this blog.

Think about it.

 

Below you will find my poem, Papa’s Light. At the end of it I am placing a link to possibly the most beautiful video I have ever seen. It is called Father’s Loveletter. I hope you will enjoy them both.

Papa’s Light

 

When we were little infants held safe on Papa’s arm

We’d sleep the whole night through, without a fear of harm.

 

But, if we did wake up in the middle of the night,

We’d hear a gentle murmur and see a soft lamp light.

 

Somewhere within the house, down low on bended knee,

If you would stop and listen, you’d hear a father’s plea.

 

All throughout my childhood the midnight oil burned low.

It glowed into our bedroom, and it annoyed us so.

 

And still the light kept shining, as he’d stay up to pray.

He would plead, “Protect them, Lord, and help them not to stray.”

 

As I went through my teen years and I’d go out at night,

When I’d sneak home, first thing I’d see would be that blasted light.

 

I wished he’d go to bed at night, and sleep like most kid’s dad.

How little did I know just what a precious gem I had.

 

And still he kept the beacon lit when I had moved away.

Every night, down on his knees, he’d pray and pray and pray.

 

He spoke about his mother, and the praying she would do.

She spent her life down on her knees and prayed  her family through.

 

People wondered why he gazed for hours, at the stars.

They looked, but all that they would see was Jupiter and Mars.

 

Sometimes he’d see one lovely star that shimmered in the west,

And smile as he watched it’s light shine brighter than the rest.

 

The smile on his manly face, and the twinkle in his eye,

Told everyone that when he looked into the starlit sky

 

His wiser eyes saw something else when he would look up there.

But all we saw was planets, the moon, stars, clouds and air.

 

His eyes are closed now, he has gone to heaven with the Lord.

He will no longer need his lamp, so we’ll unplug the cord.

 

But every night throughout our lives we’ll watch the starlit sky.

There’ll be a smile upon our face, and a twinkle in our eye.

 

We’ll know what he was gazing at when he looked up at night.

And how he felt his mother’s prayers, as stars shone clear and bright.

 

One star will shine much brighter than the rest, from dusk till dawn.

We’ll watch and smile, and softly say, “Look, Papa’s light is on.”

 

                                                                   Janice Austin Bates

                                                                   Dedicated to our “Papa”

Father’s Loveletter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHBQQHSbavY

 

 

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