I was a very nice brother! Before my brother had learned enough to know the difference, I (we!) always decided who got what by flipping a coin. I would say "heads I win, tails I win". My brother always waited and it was always the same...Sorry, but I won again!!! :)
My thoughts are a little different tonight. I'm sitting with my dad, listening to his oxygen machine sending rhythmic puffs into his lungs. The hospice people come and go every couple of hours. He's had a lot of visitors the last couple of days. He had his birthday yesterday, 89 years old! Wow!!! He and my mom have spent 66 years married together and these days that is really saying something.
Last night my parents pastor came over. They call him Gospel Sam. He's really a nice man. He came in to wish my Dad a happy birthday. While they talked, Sam told my dad how blessed my dad had been to have had such a great family...My dad responded with "it's been my privilege to have loved my family for all these years." He struggled to speak but that's my dad. He has always loved us! Sam sang a few songs with his guitar and I could just make out my dad singing along with Amazing Grace. Still brings tears to my eyes today.
He's known Christ for a long time and has served Him well. He's loved my mom and us kids and I think if if wasn't for mom and us (mainly mom)...I think he'd have already gone to be with Jesus. :)
Brings me back to my childhood...heads my dad wins, and tails my dad wins. Whether he lives or graduates on towards heaven he wins. If he stays, we have him a while longer but if he goes on...we'll see him soon! The joy of the Christian hope we have in Christ. It makes me smile even through my own sadness.
