A Conversation I Never Had....

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, 
and attend to know understanding.

Proverbs 4:1 KJV

Me and Daddy, 1980

I called my mother tonight. She and the rest of my family live in Texas. I haven't been back for a visit since August, 2008 and much has changed since then. My father now lives in a nursing home, while my mother and her sister live together in a seniors' apartment complex type of place....you know, no kids allowed. The last two years have been difficult for both my parents. After 62 years of marriage, my mom is having to live without my dad. And my dad, requiring pretty much constant care, has to stay in the nursing home often asking her if he can come home yet.

The last time I saw my dad was at their 60th wedding anniversary. I have a picture of the two of us as he gave me a Bible that my mother's parents had given him in 1944. Often, he would get a little confused in his mind and his stories, but he was very lucid that day and we had a wonderful visit. Since then, his health has had its ups and downs. He had a stroke last Thanksgiving, which is why he is in a nursing home now. Every now and then, I'll ask my mother  if he remembers me, and she assures me that he does...but sometimes, I wonder.

Tonight she told me about a conversation Daddy and I ..... never had. 

Mother visits Daddy every day. One day last week when she got there, he told her he had just been on the phone and had the best conversation with 'Lena Jean...that's me! He was so excited because I was writing about Jonah and I had called to ask Daddy some questions about him. We apparently spent quite some time on the phone together discussing Jonah and he was so happy to hear from me and tell me everything he knew about him. He said it was a wonderful visit......

Daddy doesn't have a phone in his room. He doesn't have access to a phone at all. But he  had apparently spent the morning talking with me and  discussing God's Word. I so wish I could have been there for that conversation. I'm sure I would have learned a lot from him. And at least for that one day, he remembered me.

Daddy, Father's Day 2010

Happy Thanksgiving, Daddy! I love  you very much....

Now, I think I'll go read Jonah again.....I may have some questions for my Dad.