Sunday With My Daddy

Psalm 122:1

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."

Yesterday, I spent the day driving my daddy around to all of the places he needed to go.

He was asked to preach Homecoming at a church he served for 12 years.

So we started the day there.

On the way there, he was still looking over his notes, preparing for his sermon while the boys played UNO.

Once there and throughout the day, he was heartily welcomed and loved.

And he loved being where he spent so much of his life belonging...

...in the pulpit.

My brother and his family were there.  Our kids enjoyed being together and roaming around the church.

My mother did not go with us but Mama would have loved hearing Wesley do what she's teaching him on this piano.  She spent so much time making great music at this piano. 

Their next door neighbor (who is not a member at this church) even came over to visit right as we were leaving. They were great neighbors.

We all had a great time - especially my daddy.  

And I did not cry - but I could not stop the memories that came when I sat down and first looked at this empty pulpit.

You see, when I first met my Rob, he wasn't a preacher yet.  He just wanted to be.  He started his candidacy process at this church.  This church is the church that officially sent him into the ministry - the church who officially sent him to the Board of Ordained Ministry.  And this church is the first place I ever heard him preach.  He worked for weeks on that sermon but spent the last 2 days before preaching it locked up and closed away from everybody, even having me bring his food to him in that room.
He was so nervous AND so excited - wanting it to be just right - for, as he told me then, this was the beginning of his dream - the beginning of being where he felt he belonged - in the pulpit.

As I said, I did not cry - but I sure did remember.

And, as I remembered, I just tried to have fun watching the one man left in my life fill that very same pulpit (the one he occupied for 12 years) and do so well what he does best - invite people to taste and enjoy the waters of salvation offered through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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And then last night was Charge Conference for the church we belong to now.

It was held jointly with other churches in another town.
And Daddy was, once again, "happy to go into the house of the Lord." 

Even for Charge Conference.

At the end of the day, I looked back in the car as we were driving into our shared driveway and my daddy was smiling.  I was bringing home one tired but very happy and fulfilled preacher who had gotten to spend his entire day in ministry.

I am blessed to be his daughter.