My father’s struggle with failing health ended last evening. He now stands in the presence of the Almighty King of the universe and His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I have included below the 23rd Psalm, which I read to him as he labored to breathe in his last hours. Please join me in praising God for the life of this man who I honor today; a man whose service to the Lord was always at the forefront of his mind. God could not have blessed me with a more wonderful father. His legacy lives on through his children and grandchildren. The essays that he wrote as a means of preserving family history and passing that legacy down to his family can be found at “Viking Footprints In The Snow.”
Psalm 23 (NKJV)
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Good bye, Father. Good bye, friend. I will see you at sunrise.
Copyright © 2012 by Susan E. Johnson
All rights reserved
Sorry for your loss, Susan. I don’t have any words really but I really enjoyed his blog and I’m a little envious that he is with Jesus right now. I will keep your family in my prayers.
Thank you, Paul. We feel the same way–a bit envious that he is with Jesus right now and we are not. I promised him before he died that I would continue putting his essays up on his blog until the very last one was published. I aim to keep my promise. Thank you for reading his words. He was a wonderful man and father.
Thanks, I’m sure I’ll enjoy reading them as well.
Dear Susan, I offer my deepest sympathies on the loss of your father. What a loving, moving tribute to a man whose life was in turn a tribute to his Savior. His vocation clearly utilized God-given gifts, and his written legacy will continue to impact others thanks to your commitment.
Death is bittersweet for us Christians . . . the separation “stings” . . . but we do not “grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.” (1Thessalonians 4:13). May the Lord give you peace and comfort in the knowledge that you’ll see your dad again.
Thank you so much, Linda. Your words are a great comfort. You have honored my father today.
I am sorry for your loss but it appears that your father lived a full life and certainly left a cherishing legacy. I often tell myself that I simply want to live in the Lord and die in the Lord and with knowing that to be true about ourselves and our loved ones (in this case your father) we can rest in comfort knowing that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. May the Lord bring you and your family much comfort during this time.
Thank you so much for your kind words. My father was one of those “larger than life” men who lived life to the fullest even though he experienced much heartache through out his 83 years. Knowing that our separation is only temporary and we will spend eternity together in the presence of the LORD has been a great comfort to our family.
Susan, as I read this and see all the great things your Dad did in his life the world lost a great and fun man. As I read Chuck’s text message last night that told us he had gone home, my 1st thought was that he got to see your mom again after all these years, What a great reunion
I am sure that my dad rejoiced to see my mother again! Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers. We have so appreciated your friendship.
I am so sorry for your loss. I rejoice with you in knowing he is now in the loving arms of our Savior. May His peace be ever present as you grieve the loss of your father and friend. Blessings as you embrace the promise that you will see him again…
May the God of all comfort strengthen and comfort your family and continue to give you peace. Thank you for sharing the draft of his obituary. What an awesome father! Bless God for the many years and long life. “I have fought a good fight, I have finished [my] course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing (II Tim. 4:7).” Your family is in my prayers. =))
We are grateful for your prayers. God has given us great peace and comfort during this time of loss. We are sustained by the knowledge that we will be reunited again for all of eternity. What a blessing to know that!
I’m sorry for your loss, Susan. Your Dad sounds like a wonderful guy. Thank you for honoring him in this way.
I bet he smiled and laughed a lot, didn’t he? We all know he is smiling now…
I lost my Dad many years ago when I was a mere teen. We happen to be celebrating him this weekend for his birthday. With both parents passed on, every time someone close who has honored the Lord moves on, I think again about the greatest Man who ever lived and what He made possible. He is the greatest of Champions and Warriors, and also the best heavenly Father one could ever have. I think about the trip your Dad just made (and I am so glad you decided to share his passing), and I am once again amazed by the love of the Lord that made the trip possible.
It’s really something when you think about it… One day we are here and the next moment we are there… There’s no real proof, as skeptics keep reminding us. But for those who truly know the Lord, He is much more real than this temporary illusory world. And His grace is also truly amazing.
Your Dad’s birthday is a special day in my life as well…
In the midst of your grief, I know there is great joy! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, R.J. My father had a great sense of humor. I am sure he is laughing and, if it is possible, also playing the piano. I, too, am grateful to our LORD for the gift of salvation that makes eternal life with Him possible. To know that we will live forever in the presence of Almighty God and His Son, Jesus Christ, is the source of great joy for every believer. We have that promise and we can “take it to the bank.” What a blessing!