?Bye dad.? ?I love you!? ?We?ll see you soon.? I said softly as we settled him in the front seat of our car. My husband Matt was taking dad (my father-in-law) back to his home in Fresno.
They drove out of the driveway and down the road. I breathed a long sigh of relief. We had brought dad home for 3 days, back to where he?d lived for the past 8 years. Readjusting back to our home proved much more difficult than we had anticipated. Fresno was dad?s home now and he was happy there.
Matt slept each night on the couch beside his bed, because at 93 he sometimes gets confused when he wakes up in the night. Three weeks prior Dad had had surgery. The surgery was a difficult process and dad wasn?t gaining strength back very quickly. He looked feeble and frail. He was pale and often light headed.
Matt got little sleep as dad had severe pain in his hips and legs. Matt would massage his joints, re-situate him on his bed and place pillows under and beside him.
When morning came Matt went to work and I took over. Breakfast and bath were on my agenda for dad. Both were complete failures. Dad almost passed out three different times, his catheter began leaking, and holding him up proved much more daunting than I imagined. Soon I was in tears. My sister came to help and 3 hours later we were fixing breakfast. ?I?m in way over my head.? I cried to my sister. ?We can?t do this alone!?
Dad couldn?t be left alone at all. He required 24 hour, minute by minute care and attention. Family and friends came to help us, and others brought meals.
The next day Matt stayed with dad while I went to work. Before I left I came in to dad?s room. There was Matt lovingly sponge bathing dad, limb by limb. After he washed an area, he would gently massage lotion onto his dry skin. Step by step, time after time, Matt would repeat this process until dad was washed and dressed.
Being dad?s youngest; Matt was now in the role of lovingly fathering his own father. Sleeping next to his bed so he wouldn?t be afraid, massaging his aches and pains, bathing, dressing and feeding his dad were all necessary components to his care.
As I write this I?m filled with tremendous love and gratitude for Matt. I want him to know that every gentle act he does is recorded and seen by our heavenly Father who is incredibly proud of how he?s served his parents, his sons and me.
Matt has led by example. Actions are always heard much louder than words ever could be. The way he?s always loved me is teaching his sons the role of a good husband and faithful companion.
I?ve seen the countless baseball pitches he?s caught in the backyard, the wrestling matches he?s engaged in when it?s been 3 boys to one and all the times he?s played king of the mountain in the swimming pool. Reading stories to our sons, doing daily Bible reading and prayer with them have ingrained life long values in their hearts and minds forever.
I am eternally grateful for Matt. He is my forever love! I?m so very proud of the daddy he is and the man he?s become as he?s sought to seek the Lord each day. This Father?s Day I salute you Matt and all the other dads who have sacrificed so much in a multitude of ways. We appreciate you so very much!
Happy Father?s Day!
Andrea Sharp is the Founder of Apple of His Eye Ministries, and regularly speaks at women?s conferences and church retreats. Andrea has connected with hundreds of women, sharing her passion for the Lord while inspiring women to live peaceful, abundant lives. Visit http://www.appleofhiseyeministries.com/ or email Andrea at andrea@appleofhiseyeministries.com. Find me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/appleofhiseyeministries.
Source: http://www.womenfavor.com/home-and-family/fatherhood/my-forever-love-a-fathers-day-tribute.html
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