~REMEMBER ME~

~MY FATHER~

Around the age of 8

My father, William Edgar, was born in Conroe, Texas, in  early March of 1930.  He was the fourth of five children, the second son of three.  Like many children birthed during the great depression he did not have an easy life.  His family was extremely poor and his own father was, by my grandmother's account, a very hostile, angry man.  He died before my father celebrated his 16th birthday.

I believe the photo you see above is the only one in existence of my dad as a young boy.  The original is not much bigger than a postage stamp and when I enlarged it I was surprised to see tiny freckles across the bridge of his nose.  How this photo has survived for so many years I will never know.

To avoid being teased and taunted for not owning a pair of shoes, my father quit school in the eighth grade.  After a severe shoulder injury at the young age of fifteen ended his dream of becoming a boxer,  he lied about his age and went out to sea working on a small tugboat.  At seventeen he enlisted in the Navy.

My dad loved the ocean and for his entire life talked of it with profound longing and deep affection.

When just a young man he believed God was calling him into full time Ministry and began to make plans to become a Servant of the Word. He would go on to become the only child in his family to attend, and then graduate from, college.

~ NAVY CHAPEL SERVICE~

1955-1956

My father pastored several churches during my childhood and made only a meager living doing what he felt called to do.  He organized and conducted more religious services for shut-ins, nursing homes and convalescent centers than I can count and routinely ministered to the downtrodden in the skid-row missions of Los Angeles.  He did this because he loved sharing God's word.  He was never paid a single cent for his services.  My dad was a lover of great poetry, a huge fan of country and western music, and although he couldn't carry much of a tune, he loved more than anything listening to each of his four children sing.

~PASTOR OF THE WORD~

How I Remember My Dad

1976

It is important for me to tell you that I did not always understand or appreciate my father's ministry until I was well into adulthood.  With a firm, deep voice, he remained a strict, but loving, disciplinarian and I eventually grew to love and respect his unwavering faith in the Most High. I'm so grateful today he taught me about a healing, loving, merciful, forgiving Jesus.

Several years ago our family began to notice a steady decline in my father's mental health.  Once an avid thinker and writer, we began to see changes that eventually led to a diagnosis of Dementia.  Little by little the disease has chipped away at the father I've known and loved for many, many years. Seeing him in a weakened physical state and his brain in a fog of mental confusion is sometimes more than I can take. 

I miss our deep conversations.

I miss his advice and encouragement.

I miss his hand upon my shoulder...

and the stories of his youth.

I miss hearing his earnest prayers...

and his impassioned preaching.

I miss him telling me that everything would be alright...

and then

believing him.

~CHRISTMAS 2009~

"Remember Me"
(Mark Schultz)

Remember Me
In a Bible cracked and faded by the years.
Remember Me
In a sanctuary filled with silent prayer

And age to age
And heart to heart,
Bound by grace and peace.
Child of wonder,
Child of God,
I've remembered you,
Remember Me.

Remember Me
When the color of the sunset fills the sky
Remember Me
When you pray and tears of joy fall from your eyes.

And age to age
And heart to heart,
Bound by grace and peace.
Child of wonder
Child of God,
I've remembered you,
Remember Me

Remember Me
When the children leave their Sunday school with smiles
Remember Me
When they're old enough to teach,
Old enough to preach
Old enough to leave.

And age to age
And heart to heart
Bound by grace and peace
Child of wonder,
Child of God,
I've remembered you,
Remember Me.

Age to age
And heart to heart
Child of wonder
Child of God
Remember Me.

~*~

"I remember, Daddy.  Thank you.  Bless you.  Miss you.  I love you.

Happy Father's Day...Becky Sue"

(Listen to the lyrics above on the first song on my PlayList today)

Blessings to you as you remember the things your father did right....