My Dad almost always knew the right thing to do in any given situation. My Mom knew when she married my Dad that he was truly “Mr. Right”. However, she didn’t realize his first name was “Always”.
This year, as I remember my Dad on yet another Father’s Day without him, I recall many experiences I had with him which solidified Dad’s “being right batting average”. Since his hands were not as steady in his last few years of life, I often became his hands, like the day the surface light under the microwave needed to be replaced.
I’ll spare you the details of how rare this bulb was and how only one supply store three towns over even stocked the bulb, which, given its price, must have contained a gold filament or something. However, the challenge of finding a store that carried the bulb paled in comparison to removing the burned-out bulb and replacing it by using the smallest screws and a Phillips-head screwdriver (thank you, Henry Phillips). Did I mention this light was above the stove? Well, it was, and the chances of dropping the screws into the great abyss of the stove were as high as my Dad’s “being right” percentage!
Oh, and did I mention that even seeing the surface light compartment required the ability to spin my head like R2D2? Well, many were the instructions my Dad gave throughout the process— “Lay a towel over the burners in case the screws fall!”“Hold the screwdriver straight!” “Turn your head upside down so you can see what you’re doing!” And the last instruction, when the mission was completed, “See! Listen to your Dad!”
Speaking of bulbs, there was a time I planted a few lilac bulbs for my Dad. Again, I became his hands and felt pretty confident in my bulb-planting abilities and in my special bulb-planting shovel with clearly indicated depth markings. Regardless, my dad showed up at the “work site” and supervised the planting. “After all,” he said, “if you’re going to do this, you need to do it the right way.” Sure enough, the instructions came: “Plant the bulbs here!” “Dig deeper!” “Pat the dirt firmly!” And once again, the mission was completed. And once again, my dad said, “See! Listen to your Dad!”
I’m thankful my Mom married Mr. Always Right, and I’m grateful God gave me such a wise earthly father! His guidance and instruction always led me in the right direction!
Dad, even though I can no longer celebrate you here on Father’s Day, I cherish the memories I have with you and the almost perfect record you had of sharing fatherly wisdom.
“Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.” – Proverbs 4:1 (NIV)