Two years ago my father passed away from this earth and went where the pain of cancer would be no more – Heaven. I took the time to make an assessment of his life and the legacy he left behind. Within a few months, I realized the great things that I had been given by my father. I also quickly recognized how wonderful it was to not have any financial burdens from his death. He left just enough money to cover his funeral and that was it! What a gift to be able to move on to the most important part of death which is how to keep on living. I asked myself questions like, “how were we alike?”, “what did he really care about that I really care about?”, “what do I really know about my daddy?”. Before I tell you where I landed on some of these questions, let me say that this process was truly amazing. In some respects, I fought through sadness and anger to see the positive, but I made it through. The only lasting regret that I have is that I wish I had realized some of these things before his death and could have thanked him. I choose now to thank him with a life well lived which honors God and him. The answers to the questions provide some important guiding principles for how to embark upon more intentional living – through my father’s eyes. So to the answers. My daddy was a finisher. He cared deeply about finishing what he started and doing the task well. My daddy was a decision maker. He could gather data quickly by assessing people and situations and could communicate his decision with full detail on how he arrived there. My daddy cared deeply about people. He looked to encourage others in their walk with Christ as well as in daily living that would produce joy. He did his best to testify about things he had not done so well in life so as to help his family to not fall prey to some of his demons. Of course, my daddy had his faults that seemed bigger than his positive attributes. I can tell you now, however, that it would have been well worth it before his death to not define him by his faults. My daddy cared deeply about me and my 9 siblings and the legacy he left to us. The best of his legacy is being carried out right now as you read. A legacy based on caring about the ways of Christ and how we are to take care of each other in the good times and the bad times. Take your time to assess relationships and situations in your life and perhaps you will see how I arrived at knowing that I too am a finisher, a decision maker and an encourager all by looking “Through my Father’s Eyes.”
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