Father's Day 2015

I had dreaded it.  I planned to spend a quiet morning at Rob's grave site, avoiding the faces of all the fathers I esteem and the greetings of a Hallmark holiday, but my plans and my heart began to melt with the news my boys were coming home! 

I couldn't avoid church; this was Alex's day and I found myself wanting to make him the focus of Father's Day, not the sadness of a missing husband. We really enjoyed the opening day at Bayou City Fellowship's new campus, enveloped in excitement and a healthy dose of friendliness. We caught up with old friends, Starbucks in hand, of course.  I felt myself smiling throughout the sermon as I sat with my son, the spitting image of his father, and I traveled back to memories of sitting on an aisle as a family of five on Father's Day...sweet, healing thoughts.

Then, boom! God makes his stunning appearance!

At the end of the service, Curtis had all of the men rise for a "commission" of sorts. Each woman placed a hand on their man and we prayed for their influence in our needy world. Words can't describe how powerful it is to watch your son, an excellent father and follower of Christ, stand as a man!

God spoke very clearly to me as we asked Him to send these men out to live as relentless examples of Jesus, to not falter, but to finish strong. He reminded me in those extraordinary moments that I had watched a man for over four decades live that very prayer and now he gets to rest in his Father's arms. We inscribed on Rob's headstone with confidence 2 Timothy 4:7: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith! Now God inscribes it on his heart and tells him face to face, the desire of every child of God.

And Rob's legacy continues...

In the lives of his children

his grandchildren

and countless young men and women.

Friday, I received the most beautiful card ever, a Father's Day card, acknowledging the love of a daddy and reminding me that I am now mom/dad, grandmother/granddaddy all rolled into one! 

A defining moment for me, I felt a powerful understanding of my own commission and a renewed zeal to keep this cherished life fresh in the hearts of our family.

Rob, you are alive in our hearts; your life is forever seared on ours. We will never forget you and promise to carry on the love and wisdom you poured into others. We thank our God for the lessons He has taught us through you. You finished well as a husband, father, granddaddy and friend. We love you dearly!

On any given rush hour,  this little roadster could be seen maneuvering its way through the Katy Freeway evening traffic. The suit-clad driver was intent on getting to a dugout, soccer field or basketball court. He usually made it with only seconds to spare; on nights he was coaching one of his kids, he'd make a complete wardrobe change inside this tiny car and would emerge ready to  give his all after a loaded day of intense meetings.
There were very few nights Rob came home and slipped into his easy chair to enjoy an evening of television. If his child was playing sports, which was most of the time, he was present...never overbearing, always encouraging.  

Rob, you truly were one of the best "hands on" dads.

Thanks for sacrificing your own time to invest in the lives of our children.

This weekend we pause to celebrate you.

You will be greatly missed this Father's Day, but

we will lovingly remember you with all of our hearts.

 You were the best dad on the planet!

Every time I look into our children's eyes, I see you.

Thank you, Rob, for leaving me with such a wonderful gift.

We miss you!

Rob was not much of a shopper.

Last minute Christmas and birthday shopping looked more like another of his beloved sporting events...how fast could he race through the mall, finishing in record time?  Honestly, we both knew I was better suited for the task of gathering  gifts.

But as Rob's last days approached, he wanted to leave his children with something very meaningful and personal. With the help of a graphic artist, he designed this print. 

We placed them in floating frames, uncluttered, kind of like their dad and needless to say, each child was deeply moved by his gift. 

He hoped that on the lonely days, they would be reminded that their dad thought they could do anything in which they set their mind.  He believed they would be kind and gentle and that they would run a good race all the way to the finish line. 

I hope on their first Father's Day without the physical presence of their wonderful dad, they'll remember and believe he is still cheering them on.