Father's Love

"Of the Father's love begotten ere the world's began to be,
he is Alpha and Omega, he the Source, the Ending he,
of the things that are, that have been, and the future years shall see,
evermore and evermore!

The end of May we remembered Memorial Day.  It was a cold rainy day here in the Pacific NW.  Not like today where it is in the 80's and I'm looking for an air conditioned anything.  But on the Monday of May, the 27th, we picked up my mom and took her to where dad was buried at the Willamette National Cemetery.  I hadn't been to visit dad's grave in years but it was Dan's idea to go and he went on-line and found where it was.  It had been raining so much that the ground was soggy and it felt like a bog walking to where dad had been buried.  It was an emotional moment for me and I had to check the almost tears that would come to the surface.  Lydia knew this and was watching and caring for her mama.  She never met my dad, her grandpa, but was wanting to go and see where he was last laid.  Dad has been gone for almost 25 years but I still miss him.   To me, he was the perfect dad.  Always there when you needed or wanted him.  He was caring and kind, full of compassion and forbearance.  He loved the Savior and his Bible was so worn-torn and marked up that you knew this was the book he read the most.  There are four of us siblings in the Amundson family of George.  All of us loved our dad and have fond memories of him, personal memories that we keep in the treasure chest of our hearts.  So, on Memorial Day, it wasn't just that my dad was a veteran (which even there are many stories) but I remember the dad that he was to me.  Dan read out of 1 Corinthians 15 about the resurrection and it is my hope that I will again see my dad in glory.

As always, this also brings remembrance of another Father who is infinitely more loving and caring.  My earthly dad, George, was a reflection, in a small way, of the heavenly Father who has held me in the palm of His hand since I was young.  I remember pivotal points in my life as, looking back, the heavenly King was calling and placing His hand upon me.  I remember Sunday school in the Lutheran church learning about God and his people.  This related to me in ways that I didn't understand at the moment but, in hind-sight, was another moment the Lord was calling me.  Bit by bit, from early childhood, crafting opportunities to make Himself known.  It was not instantaneous but a slow progression that, ultimately made me alive to His glorious grace.

"You make know to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."     ~ Psalm 16:11

I am struck, once again, with the overwhelmingly love of the Father that He would look down on this humanity and choose to love.   There is nothing worthy of His love and yet He does it.  Of anything on this earth I cannot get beyond this fact:  The Father, God, has chosen to place His love on the beloveds of this earth.  This means that all my longings, loves and hopes are found in Him.   At the end of the age, when my life is spent, there He will be with arms open wide to receive even me.  I have a hard time comprehending it and yet, this is what my heart longs for.