January, 2015

An interfaith prayer gathering for a departed Arlington neighbor

“God got a gift for Christmas and it was my Daddy…”

These were the words my 7 year old neighbor told his family and there was not a dry eye at the gathering to mourn the departure of his father.  This and many other stories of that family’s unshakable faith were shared with me when several ladies — grandmother, sisters, aunts — stop by to thank me for taking care of their little boy the night when his daddy’s soul winged its flight from this mortal world.

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
~ Christianity, Holy Bible, John 14:1-3

Back to the Father

Psalm 56:13

As the ladies embraced me I started singing the song “Back to the Father” which Van Gilmer taught me:

“I’m going back to the father, thank Him for my journey, live in a mansion, Feast on milk and honey, shout troubles over, join the heavenly choir, rest from my labor, give God the glory, I’m going back to the father.”