Mid June belongs to my daddy. He gets a double whammy of celebrating because His birthday is June 14th which lands close to fathers day. With 4 kids and 14 grandkids, he is a big deal in our family. I’ve written about him before, but at 91 years young he has earned the press.
Happy Birthday
I called him before church this morning to wish him a happy birthday, and amazingly he answered. Hours later, I can’t wipe the smile off my face. Speaking to daddy during these strange covid times is hit or miss and mostly miss. It requires calling a landline and catching him during his short window of time when he is in his wheel chair awake and able to reach the phone. Think ONE in a million!
He Loves Me
Our conversation was brief, but I hung up knowing I was loved and realized that my Daddy instilled that… because he was loved. What security it gives a kid to have a loving earthly father. Even though I don’t take it for granted, I appreciate that for many, that wasn’t the case. Still, my daddy’s love wasn’t perfect. No daddy’s is. Except for One.
And that One, to pull it off sufficiently, sacrificed His only son to die for me. My Heavenly Fathers love is perfect, agape love. He chooses to love me in spite of me, no strings attached.
Love is powerful
Love is powerful. The truth is… love is a difficult thing to kill. I’d suggest it’s the only thing in our cosmos we can’t kill. We might question it, scream at it, bury it, try to silence it, and pretend to ignore it. We may even rally our dark thoughts attempting to drowned love’s impact because our shame tells us we don’t deserve it. But ultimately we’ll fail. Love gives birth to love. Love never fails.
Our country feels dark. Hate, anger and divineness is daily fare. It’s enough to cause us to question everything. Where is the love? If it’s out there, it appears to be failing. That is the question I’ve been wrestling with this week. Where is the love?
What the world needs
I can’t get the tune out of my head. Wouldn’t you agree that this 1965 song is just as relevant today?
“What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of
What the world needs now is love, sweet love,
No not just for some but for everyone.“
For me, when I do muster the courage to poke my head out from under the pillow, the enemy wields his weapon of doubt. Just look, he shouts, scary stuff is happening. You have nothing to offer. The task is overwhelming. With my attention diverted, doubt levels its final blow when it causes me to question God Himself. Lord, with all that is happening, are You indeed good? If so, do You care? Doubt makes God seem small and irrelevant. And just like that, I have given the darkness a foothold in my own heart. The way I see it, faith can coexist with some honest doubt but it can’t survive when we become too certain of the wrong things.
But wait, there’s more
My article was close to going to print when my daughter returned home from a peaceful protest over a famous New Mexican conquistador statue. Becca was visibly upset, angry and distraught over more division, senseless hate and in the end, danger. This morning I learn that the protest didn’t end well with one person in critical condition after being shot. yuck. Just yuck. In my own backyard.
This dangerous cultural war feels as if its picking up steam. I repeat… where is the love?
Darkness unleashed
I’m certain, the unleashed darkness grieves our Heavenly Father. But sadly, it doesn’t surprise Him. He knows that what happens on the outside is a reflection of what is on the inside.
I’m not naive. But this is a war for our allegiance. This isn’t about republican vs. democrat or liberal vs. conservative. It’s not about BLM vs. the police. It’s not about Trump vs. Biden. I believe it’s about light vs. dark, God vs. self. Ironically, it has always been a war for our allegiance. The difference is that it’s now being played out in full living color. I’ve read the last page of the book and spoiler alert…God wins.
I have felt paralyzed as I watch the nightly news that highlights a world I no longer recognize. If I’m honest, the last thing that I’m compelled to focus on is love. But… really… love is all I’ve got.
1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.
John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Shine the light
I think about my daddy. If my world is dark… his world is darker. He’s ravaged with Parkinsons, confined to a small room, unable to be with his wife of 60+ years and dependent on help for virtually everything. In a way, all he has left to offer is God’s love. (Except for maybe some stale Utz pretzels that he has stashed in his drawer). Because of the years He has spent with the Lord, without effort God’s love seems to eek out of his pores.
My daddy knows that in the darkness, even a little light will shine.
John 1:5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
In honor of my Daddy, come out from the shadows. Love never fails. The reason love can’t fail is because it can’t happen apart from its source. God is love. Even so, you can’t impart what you don’t possess.
That is the crazy miracle that is love. The more you pour out… the more you have to pour. I don’t understand it. I just know it’s true.
I will end with another catchy tune…
“This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine…”
For His Glory, Debbie Hucke
Happy Father’s Day to your very dear Daddy! How blessed you are that you can hear his voice.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Toni. Hope you are feeling His love these days.
I feel his love at all times-the good and the bad.
Thank you for blessing our lives, Debbie
Toni
Thank you Toni! I am blessed to be used.
I too am thankful for the loving dad I had. I’m glad you could speak to yours! As we contemplate with horror the darkness in our culture, seeing glimpses of God’s love are refreshment for me. His light still shines. I like what you said about God’s love growing when we give it away. We who belong to Jesus have a treasure of his love and light and we must allow it to shine. He doesn’t force us to do so. I have a choice. I can hug it to myself or let it shine. Even if it is a little light. Thanks for the reminder!
We need a bunch of love spilling all over. Others need to see there’s another way.
Yes!!
I remember your Daddy very well and his sweet nature. Thank you for sharing him with us. Also I’ve been singing ‘What the world needs now is love’, to myself since I read your blog !
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Well your welcome for the repeating song in your head! Good to hear from you Joan.
So happy you had that precious moment with your dad. It’s a keeper. With issue after issue bombarding us daily, hourly, what a relief to dwell on the issue of love. I finished reading and thought, “Yeah, God is love.” Then, wait, God is…IS…love. That powerful, sustaining truth gives me peace this day. It’s a keeper.
So thankful His love can’t be squelched. EVER. Hold on tight Dorma.
I just had to play the first song. I also liked that you pointed out that human love is not perfect. As I struggle with Noah, my love for him is mixed with anger. I cannot seem to motivate him. Motivation also comes from God as you pointed out in an earlier blog. All of what little energy I have with the drug I am on comes from Jesus. I can only pray that Noah will learn this.
Thank you,
gerrie
Hang in there Gerrie, Parenting/Grandparenting is not for the fainthearted. I agree, prayer is essential.
You bring tears to my eyes, Debbie. You are so gifted in expressing and explaining things going on now through God’s eyes. You are a true blessing and I appreciate being able to read your messages. They are precious and eye opening to me! Thank you, Sweet Lady. Mary
Good to hear from you. I don’t think anyone has ever called me a sweet lady. So thank you! But tears are an indication that your heart is soft and his light is in there!
thank you for sharing this moment with your dad. Mine has been gone for some time now, but I always remember his love for and faith in me…always, no conditions, even when I was not the “best” daughter. there are some moments when I am glad that both of my parents are gone…they would not recognize what is going on now. while they would turn to their faith, they would be so sad, so concerned, so confused.
and yes the song was in the midst of my youth, when there was turmoil and grief. But today’s technology overwhelms everything…it puts everything in your face, every moment, from every direction, with everyone’s different spin on the goodness or badness or rightness or wrongness of it all. There is so little room to breath and think and pray that you can handle even the smallest corner of one’s life. It MUST be love, but so intangible. it’s not something one can touch. It must be felt and cherished.
thank you for giving me such a moment of clarity. HE knows.
Thank you for chiming in. We’re a selective lot to have wonderful loving Dads. I think you’re right about not be able to breathe because it’s all IN OUR FACE. He does know…
Reading about your Dad was as if I were writing about my Dad. Endless love just like our Heavenly Father.
We’re a select group Emmy. I wonder how different our world would be if everyone had such a model. Good to hear from you. Debbie
Thank you for the sweet reminder of the war out there and in my own heart! I want to fix, to understand but it’s not where my attention needs to go! God will fix. God understands the struggle of us all and because of sin these are the consequences! My time will be spent to soaking in God’s love for me to allow me to love others.
My prayer will be that I and all believers love more, judge less and grow in Him to bring peace to a broken world! Happy Father’s Day to our Heavenly Father and to my earthly extremely loving father Angelo. I hear his voice and it always comforts me! I have been so blessed!♥️????????????
Amen Jackie. We are a select group to have wonderful loving Fathers. Sometimes, for us strong women, it can feel like love is passive or less somehow. But it’s a lie. Thank God for your father Angelo.
Absolutely Beautiful Debbie. Yes, Yes, Yes God’s Love is the answer and I/We all need to let it shine more brightly in our Homes, Communities, Country, and World. Thank you for helping me remember to keep singing both songs and others about True Love in response to the horrible cacophony sounds bombarding our ears and hearts today.
There is alot of noise that is for sure! Keep singing Glenda!
Thank you, Debbie – My daddy has been gone for many years. I miss his holding my hand and saying, “Love you, love you, love you.” Thank you for reminding us that love, not judgment, is the answer. God is love. Amen.
Amen indeed.
So happy you were able to talk with your daddy. What a special gift for both of you. We have so many precious memories with your folks and with ALL of the Roeshots. Greene Hills Retreats, trips to NYC, Sun. night Bible Study, special Mission Fund Raisers, singing around any piano, anywhere, trips together “anywhere,” and enough treasured memories to fill a book. Now there’s an idea!!! Blessings to you, your family, and especially to Rita and Larry, God’s special gifts to all who know them.
Oh Mrs Johnson… I got a little misty eyed as you recalled all those beautiful memories. Yes… plenty to fill a book!❤️