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I dedicate this Father's Day post to Dave's dad, Dick Libby.
"Jesus, please help our sad hearts to be happy hearts."
We were 4 days from heading to Illinois for a vacation visit when we got the news. Dave flew out the next morning and we met him a few days later. Our vacation had turned into a very different trip. There was so much to think about and plan but most importantly, much to remember and ponder. Dick was a good man who loved his family with all his heart and would do anything for them. He had a big heart and was one of the most generous people I have ever known. If he saw a need within his family, he would do his best to meet it. Dave could call him any time of day for even the simple things like a question about one of the cars or how to do this or that around the house.
Losing a loved one is never easy but when you have absolutely no warning or time to prepare your heart, it leaves one with a range of emotions. We have cried (a lot...), we have remembered, we have comforted one another, we have asked "why?" many times but we have also called on Jesus to be with us during this time. As a couple in your thirties, you not only think you have all the time in the world together but you also think that you have much more time before either one of you has to say good-bye to a parent. So we are walking this unfamiliar road together as a family. Some moments are harder than others. I personally still shake my head in disbelief and hope that I will soon wake up from what feels like a terrible dream. Dave is holding up knowing that for some reason, this is part of God's plan but he still has difficult moments...it is the things that you don't expect to stir emotions that hit him the hardest.
Though our lot is difficult right now, it is times like these that I believe God uses to show Himself. I know He is always there but when tragedy strikes, you can't help but learn of His sovereignty and character even more so.
If you didn't have the chance to ever meet Dave's dad, I am sorry that you missed that opportunity. He was a great man and father. Dick Libby was a man who wanted the best. I don't mean "the best" through the world's eyes. As we talked about his life and as others talked to us about who they knew Dick to be, this idea of "the best" kept coming back to me.
For example, Dave's dad really liked cars. He was interested in them, could work on them, took care of regular maintenance on them and they always looked good inside and out. He wanted it to get the best gas mileage, be the most comfortable and be able to perform the tasks that he needed it to for as long as he needed it to. No, he didn't have every fancy car under the sun or the fastest cars on the planet. That isn't my point. My point is that he did his best to take care of what God gave him and he wanted what was best for those around him.
In fact, the weeks leading up to our visit, Dick had been car shopping. He did so with his family in mind. When he made his decision, he was so happy that it would be able to fit our whole family when he picked us up from the airport. This example is just a glimpse of Dick's character when it came to his family. He wanted the best for his family. It only saddens me that he never got the chance to share his excitement with Dave...
Dick was a hard worker and always did his best working the pipeline for over 40 years. Meeting the guys he worked with during the wake was an experience I didn't expect. Here they were, these big burly guys coming through the line with tears in their eyes talking about how much of a mentor Dick was to them and how much he will be missed. But he didn't work his best for the guys at work; he did it for his family. He was the provider for his family and he got up at 4 a.m. without complaint and worked hard each day to take care of them. He wanted the best for his wife and children.
When working on a project with Dave (and that was pretty much every time they saw each other!), he would make sure Dave had the best tools to work with and got the best deal on the supplies needed. Why? Because he wanted his son to have what he needed to do the best he could at the task at hand. He wanted the best for his family.
The most beautiful part of "the best" is that he has passed this legacy onto his son. Dave wants the best for his wife and children. He wants his family to have the best. That doesn't mean having the latest and greatest or the finest and shiniest. Having the best means walking in God's will through each season of life. Dave works hard for his family and he always wants the best for his children because he loves them so very much. And I know that because Dave's dad passed this legacy onto him, Dave will do his best to pass the same legacy onto our sons.
We have had to say good-bye and the grieving is hard. But there is comfort in knowing that Dave's dad has now been given THE BEST...heaven with Jesus.
We love you Dad and Grandpa and miss you very, very much. Until we see you on the other side of heaven (or "heben" as Jonas likes to say)...we will do our best to live out your legacy. Happy Father's Day as you spend it with the greatest Father of all...
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1 comment:
Beautiful post my friend. This post brought tears. We are continuing to pray for all of you.
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