My Mom and Dad are visiting this week. It has been a harim scarim week, as we have been to the Emergency room twice, once for my Mom throwing her back out, and again for my dad who has pneumonia which has recurred. Complicating my father's problem is a heart condition. Anyway, while I was thinking about it, I thought I'd tell you all a little about my Dad. I was raised in a Christian home. My mother and father always shared the love of Jesus with me. My father was the first one who witnessed to me. While growing up my dad was both a deacon and the church treasurer. I always told him that someday he would be a pastor. He would always laugh and say "that will never happen". We moved to a central California town and Dad started a business. I enjoyed living in the small town where Dad started his business. I went to high school there, and eventually met my husband to be, Joe. Dad enjoyed running Taylor Rental Center, but as happens with so many small businesses the business eventually folded. While dad struggled to keep his business afloat, he started seeking God through his word. It was then that Dad felt that he needed to pursue ministry. He committed to God to full time Christian service. He negotiated with the franchise company and arrange to return all the inventory to them. He paid his debts, returned his inventory, and left the little town where he made his greatest discovery. Dad found out that the only business he wahted to be about was his Heavenly Father's.

At that point Dad moved to Southern California to finish his college degree. I was so proud of him when he finished that degree which he had always wanted to finish. However, this was only a step in a plan that God had working. Soon Dad also went to Golden Gate Theological Seminary, where he received his Masters. In the mean time he ministered in his first churches, first as a minister of Education, and then as a pastor.

However, all of this was only preparation for where God was going to send him next. I was raised until I was fourteen in the silicone Valley in California. The church that we went to, was also the church that I accepted Christ in. When My Dad made the decision to follow God in Ministry, he also felt burdened to move back to the Silicone Valley and reach people for Christ there. Dad felt a special burden for this large urban area. At one point years later the church that I was raised in until I was fourteen approached my father and called him to be their pastor. So my father became the Pastor of Park Victoria Baptist church, which is also the church I was saved in.

However, now my father is struggling to carry the burden of pastoring this large church. His body has been afflicted with illness and heart problems. I would ask all of you who know Jesus to please pray for him. The Lord is faithful and good. I know that he has had a plan for my father up until now. I know he has a plan for the future. Let all who have breath Praise the Lord!

Little Bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brightok.net), October 15, 2003

Answers

I don’t even know what to write about my Dad. He called me yesterday to tell me that he was in congestive heart failure. I know that God has a plan. I know I must yield to his plan, but it is hard to think of not having my father here on earth with me. I keep thinking of being a little girl riding on his shoulders. I thought he was the biggest and strongest man in the whole world. I find myself utterly speechless at the thought of him being as weak as he was last week at my house. Intellectually I know that this is only the beginning of this for him, and yet I find myself not wanting to believe it is true. I know that I could receive a call even tomorrow that he is gone, and yet that could have happened anytime before the congestive heart failure as well. Life is so fragile, just a wisp. We are all in the hands of God. However, there is an eternity to be gained. The moment I may miss my father here on earth, is an eternity gained with him in heaven. My Dad knows that he could wake up with Jesus. I know that he could wake up with Jesus. However, it is hard to think of life without him. It is pure selfishness I guess. I’ve known all my life that someday he and I would have to let go of life, but it is easier to pretend that is much farther away than it is. God loves me, and knows what is best for me. He knows what is best for my Dad too. I am so thankful to have been given a father like I have been given. I am so thankful to have had all the time I have had with him. I am so thankful that he told me about Jesus. How many little girls never had a daddy like mine. So many sad little girls with NO father to love them. Yet I have had my father and my Heavenly Father he showed me how to love. What a tremendous blessing! Even as I write this I know that he could live for years. I also know he could be taken in a moment. I don’t know how things have changed and yet they have. Life sometimes seems like an uncontrollable roller Coaster, and yet it is more like a train with a heavenly engineer guiding all His passengers to the safety of Home. The problem is, that on this train the passengers keep trying to grab the stick away from the engineer. Sometimes you just have to go along for the ride. It is so funny that I have never been able to sleep in a car or airplane, but I am able to go to sleep every night when the only driver is the Lord. Last week my Dad told he was proud of me. It meant a lot to me to hear it. I guess my biggest fear is that he was saying goodbye, and I am not ready for goodbye. I may never be ready for goodbye, but Hallelujah I sure will be ready for that last hello. That hello that will last an eternity. For now I’ll call him everyday, I’ll laugh with him, and love him, and when it is time to say goodbye, it won’t be goodbye, it will be ,“see you soon“, “Aloha“, “till we meet again“.....

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brightok.net), October 21, 2003.

Thank you so much for your prayers. They are working. Dad called today and said the Echocardiagram told them two things. One- In Dad's motorcycle accident 4 months ago he cracked two ribs. The additional damage to his heart could be from trauma from the accident. If so, then it is very possible that the heart could heal itself. Two- His ejection fraction is 24% rather than 13%. This is great news! Please keep praying for my Dad! Please pray that he will know what God wants him to do with regard to his ministry. Also pray that his health will improve within the will of God.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brightok.net), November 06, 2003.

Hey Sis! Certainly I'll add your precious dad to my prayer list -- which is prayed for every day! In the meantime--go to my website and check out the healing scriptures. I was diagnosed with colon cancer 2 years ago this Oct. 31th. God healed me of it plus skin cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. I stood on Isa. 53:4-5, I Peter 2:24 and 3 John 3-5. IT WORKS! Glory! I am now cancer free!

I am now a "sooped up" Southern Baptist who KNOWS that He still heals. http://oldhootgibson.tripod.com is my web addy. Old hoot. Matt.24:44

-- old hoot (oldhoot@shawneelink.net), October 15, 2003.

I will be praying too, Littlebit.

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), October 15, 2003.

Thank you both. Mom and Dad went home on Friday. Dad still isn't feeling very good. He has an appointment today with his own doctor to try to figure out what is going on. Hoot I printed out your post for him. He is a Southern Baptist who believes God still heals as well. God bless you!

Little Bit Farm

-- Little Bit Farm (littlebit@brighterok.net), October 20, 2003.

How is your father doing now, Littlebit?

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), October 28, 2003.

My Dad is feeling better, but we had some bad news today. Yesterday he took a Thallium Treadmill test. Unfortunately it showed that his ejection fraction has slipped from 31% to 13%. This is not good. However, the doctor said that it was a wait and see to see what the echocardiogram says as it is a much more accurate determiner of ejection fraction. The doctor doesn't think that dad could even stand at 13%. However, God is good. Dad is up and around, and so we trust the Lord. Keep praying! Keep praying for God's will to be done in his own time. Pray for healing within His will. Pray for me that God will help me deal with what is coming.

Little bit Farm

-- Little bit Farm (littlebit@itlnet.net), October 28, 2003.

I've been praying for you and your Dad and thinking about you a lot this week. It is difficult when our parents (and grandparents), that we love so much, begin to have health and/or problems with demtia. Has he made anymore progress since you wrote the above?

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), November 05, 2003.

Sorry for the above - I meant to write "dementia" and I have certainly not forgotten to include your Mom and my prayers!

-- Terry - NW Ohio (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), November 05, 2003.