The Wading Pool

Hey Pop,

I was thinking about you today, and about how you love to get letters and cards and such.  Well, I’m not much of a letter writing guy, but I do blog (occasionally), so I thought I’d do this.  I really hope I can show it to you one day soon.  I just wanted you to know some things. 

I’m really proud of you.  I want you to know that.  I’ve often overheard you speak of how proud you are of your kids, well let me tell you, your kids are pretty proud of you.  You have no idea how awesome it is to have person after person come and tell you how amazing your dad is, how you make them feel like they’re the most important person in the world when you talk to them.  I’m like, “Yeah…that’s MY dad!”

I want you to know that people love you.  Dad, I mean they REALLY love you.  Tonight, we got home from sitting at the hospital, and you got a card from your friends at the gym.  It is FULL of signatures and prayers and well wishes.  From the GYM dad.  So many visitors coming by just to let us know how much you mean to them, to let us know how much they love you and that they’re praying for you.  Even the Firemen that came to the house to help when all this started have called to check on you.  You’ve got a lot of friends Pop.  Have you ever met a stranger?  Nope…that’s my dad.

I want you to know that there are people praying for you all over the place.  And I mean all over the place, Pop.  From Pennsylvania, to my church in Apex, to Oklahoma, to your church, through text messages, emails and more, prayers are going up on your behalf.  Today alone, we prayed at the hospital at least 4 times as a group, not to mention all the prayers we made individually.  So for me, it’s a privilege to pray for MY dad.  I know you pray for me.

I gotta tell you a funny thing.  I brought my guitar to play for you yesterday.  Amanda says it wasn’t loud enough, but I didn’t want to bug everyone on the floor.  Anyway, when we were done, we were trying to get you to respond if you liked it.  We asked you to wiggle your toe.  You didn’t.  When I asked if you didn’t like it, you wiggled your toe.  Always the funny man…that’s my dad!

Today, you made my day.  I needed something from you, dad.  Something bigger than anything I’ve ever asked for.  Something bigger than anything you’ve ever given me.  I needed my dad to look at me.  I needed to see your eyes Pop (You opened them for Ted, but we’ll talk about that later.  🙂 I’d asked you to open them yesterday, but you didn’t.  I really needed this today Dad.  Really.

And Pop, like you alway have, you came through.  When you heard my voice and Amanda’s voice, you turned your head our way and opened your eyes.  That was the best gift you could have given me at that moment.  I will never forget it.

But now, I want more.  Just like a kid, ain’t it?  Give ’em a gift, and they want more.  But hey, just like when we used to go to Red Lobster as a kid, and you told me to order anything I wanted (probably a statement you regretted later), I want to go big.

Jesus said  “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”  His Father is my Father, so I’m swinging for the fences dad.  I want to see you talking Pop.  I want to have a conversation with my dad, and tell you how much I love you.  I want you to squeeze my hand when I ask.  I want you to come home with us.

It’s a lot, I know…but my God is a great big God.  And I know He loves me and you.  So I’m asking.

I love you Pop.  See you tomorrow…