My Dad

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as EAGLES they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. --- Isaiah 40:31

February 14, about 10:00 pm the man who I loved dearly and who was part of me passed away. He was a father, a friend, my buddy and my hero. To others he was a husband, a patriot, a brother, a friend and most importantly a brother in Christ. When he had his heart attack in the 1970's, it seemed he would miss most of his children's lives. His children at that time were 27, 25, 21, and 19. But as we all know so well, he saw us all grow up, get married and become successful in our daily lives and increase his legacy by 13 grandchildren.

As Dad walked the path before him filled with pain and sickness, he relied on Christ. I can't ever recall hearing him say "it isn't fair" or "why me" even when we were gathered at Baptist Hospital to be with him. Even when the pain racked his body and he visited deaths doorstep, he just bore the pain and focused on his assurance .. Eternal life with Christ Jesus and then he would look about for someone to help. To see Dad grow in the spirit has given me untold strength. As I recalled Dad's life during the early years of my life, it brought many smiles and thoughts of amazement. His transformation to a man of God, his love and service has spoken to me of God's love .. God's love changes everyone. But just as Jesus walked his path up Calvary's hill to serve, Dad walked his. He loved us, counseled us, prayed for us, guided us when we stumbled and encouraged us when we were down. Yes, he even pointed out our mistakes. Each church he was involved with he gave it his all. Whether as Sunday school teacher, Deacon, Men's Group leader or just a member of the congregation, he energetically served the Lord though many times his pain and sickness slowed him. For any Christian to be spoken of as "They Served" is a true calling. Unselfishly serving those around you is a great example of Christ's love. I can without doubt and in many cases from firsthand knowledge say "He served." On that night I, we, lost one of those rare friends who placed no bounds or price on his service to you in the name of Christ. I will forever miss walking in his shadow and trying to walk in his footsteps. We can't replace him but we can serve Jesus with the same love and determination Dad had. Find your path and serve Jesus, experience God's love and together we will see my Dad again. My Father will be greatly missed by all those he served and the lives he touched. And I will miss him .. I love you Dad and I am honored to be your son.

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Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages, below the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle does not escape the storm; it simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm. When the storms of life come upon us ... and all of us will experience them ... we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us; we can allow God's power to lift us above them. God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure, and disappointment into our lives. We can soar above the storm. Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down; it is how we handle them. ~ Author Unknown ~


Billy Joseph Davis, You served and we will sorely miss you.