Matthew 25:21
"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your master's happiness!'"
This past Memorial Day weekend, granddaughter, Virginia Rose, and I return to Oxford for another visit with my mother. My brother, Bill, informs me a week earlier that the American flags we placed a while back at our father's grave site have disappeared. So I resolve to purchase new ones, so that Virginia and I can decorate the headstone in honor of Dad's service to this country many years ago.
While not old enough to enlist in WWII, the moment Dad turns 18, he eagerly signs up for the U. S. Army, and serves several tours of duty in post-war Germany. It is the godsend of the G. I. Bill that affords Dad the opportunity for a college education, something he never dared dream about.
Dad earns a bachelor's degree and a Ph.D. in botany, teaches at Emory University for thirty years, is appointed as the Dean of Emory's Oxford College in 1988, where he remains until retiring in 1990. But with such a stellar career, Dad always asserts that his service to our great country is responsible, in large part, for every success in his life. And he taught us all to stand up proudly for the land of the free and the home of the brave.
Well done, Dad! Thank you for your good and faithful service to so many during your lifetime. We love you, and we will always remember.
Amen!
You have a great family to be proud of, Martha. I salute you.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Thanks so much, Victor. Yes, I can't help but be proud of my Dad.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Wonderful...and thank you to your father for his service to our country.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Pamela. He was an amazing man, and I miss him every day.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Very sweet. And what a perfect Bible verse to associate with your Dad's story.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Galen. Yes, I agree with you about the Bible verse - fit my Dad to a "T."
DeleteLove and blessings!
How beautiful! I'm so glad you decided to get more flags and make Virginia a part of the memorial of your father. What a wonderful legacy has.
ReplyDeleteThank God for faithful servants like him.
Thank you, Beckie. Yes, it was wonderful to have Virginia participate in this - even though she was only three when her Great-Grandpa passed, she still remembers him, and keeps a photo of him in her purse. How sweet is that?
DeleteLove and blessings!
You are teaching your grand the importance of our country. Well Done! AND making memories in the process!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Yes, Lulu, I definitely want Virginia and all my grand-girls to understand what a great, incomparable country we live in, and to respect those who served and have gone before us.
DeleteLove and blessings!
This, an important legacy to pass on to the next generation, friend. Beautiful and poignant ...
ReplyDeleteYes, an all-important legacy, Linda. I want Virginia to grow up proud of her country, and proud of her Great-Grandpa.
DeleteLove and blessings!
This is a wonderful tribute to a man that this world sorely misses. Your dad and mine, men like them, are my heroes.
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing it is to have had a man after God's own heart to call "daddy".
Thanks for sharing this. It reminds me of the blessings we have in common.
Yes, Floyd, both of us were so truly blessed to have had fathers like we did. Most fortunate children! Dad was always my hero, and made it so easy to call God, the Father, "Abba." May we both continue these legacies of love and nurturing going forward.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, this is a wonderful tribute to your dad. He was a positive influence on you and many others through his life. He truly made a difference!
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!
Kim, Dad really did make such a difference in so many lives. At his memorial service, I was so moved to see how many former graduate students, Emory professors, and Oxford students show up to pay their respects. He lived by the Golden Rule, and passed that on to me. I am one thankful daughter.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Oh Martha this touched a tender place in my heart...very touching and inspiring...I loved reading this post...it brought tears of love and endearment...thank you for writing this post! Wonderful story!
ReplyDeleteI'm so gratified to know, Marla, that this post touched your heart. I have to admit, I shed a few tears while writing it - I'll never stop missing my Dad.
DeleteLove and blessings!
ReplyDeleteMy condolences, Martha Jane. I lost my Dad three years ago. It is always just a moment ago.
"My brother, Bill, informs me a week earlier that the American flags we placed a while back at our father's grave site have disappeared."
I wonderif they have a policy against it or if the caretakers took them out for some other reason? Or...would someone have taken them?
They possibly could have been "borrowed" for use at another gravestone, but I can't imagine how someone could even do that. However, if they were looking faded or worn, the caretaker may have made the decision to remove them, which would have been a good call.
DeleteSo sorry you lost your Dad, too . . . They are always in our hearts.
Love and blessings!
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ReplyDeleteI repeat tasha: take your garbage somewhere else.
DeleteWell done indeed! I salute all men and women who served our country.
ReplyDeleteYes, Bill, I think we all do! I'm removing Tasha's comments - just need to see how to mark as Spam.
DeleteLove and blessings!