Epic Fathers Serving the Lord
Kay Horner June 5, 2016 Blog
"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).
Epic poems narrate the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures. For some of us, our father would merit such a tribute though one may never be written for the masses to read or view on the big silver screen like Robin Hood or Superman.
My father grew up in a small community in Mississippi known as Busy Corner—"Population 27″ according to the sign on the old, vacant corner store. Family life for Daddy, included 12 siblings on a small farm where everyone understood the meaning of hard work. School attendance for him was sporadic, depending on weather conditions. Rainy days were school days. Sunny days were work days. Although he had a sharp mind, he grew discouraged and never had the privilege of wearing a cap and gown or holding a diploma in his calloused hands.Yet that wasn't the end of his story.
My epic father served in our nation's military forces near the end of World War II and afterward married before moving to the "big city" of Memphis, Tennessee. Joining the work force first as a city bus driver and later with a meat processing company, he retired after 27 years of faithful service but was hired immediately by another major corporation. When the time came for his second retirement, the plant managers didn't want him to leave because they claimed the college grads couldn't make the machinery run as smoothly as he did. What was his secret? A determination to serve well, a practical "know how" combined with years of experience, and the willingness to go the second mile to make a difference.
If I could use only one word to describe Daddy, it would be "servant." Whether in a family, church, work, or neighborhood setting, he was always serving others, and he did so with a willing heart. His goal was not for worldly acclaim or recognition but to honor his Lord and Savior. Serving was not a list of things he did, but rather who he was!
Visit preach2engage.com to learn more about joyfully serving the Lord in a world of competing priorities.
Tags: Family, Father, History, hope, Legacy, Parents, prayer, Serve
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