Sunday, January 20, 2019
We had a Father who cared about his kids, more than most do these days. He however, cared about others plain and simple.
He was not perfect, oh no. But he cared for all his kids with a measure of wisdom, a tablespoon heaping with care, and a teaspoon of God's honey for us all.
You see he had been tossed all around as a youth, his Mom sending he and his sis to orphanages. And when finally collected as mid teens by her, He still grew up with enough self confidence to care for others. When frankly he hadn't a reason to provide care to anyone, nor himself.
That man when we were children, took us to movies (drive in theaters remember them?) and after each of those episodes would carry each one of us kiddos to our beds once home. And as he had been been bounced from home to home, he did each one of us upon our beds that He and Mom provided us.
It was always a 1, 2, 3 and a weeee he'd shout as he dropped us carefully on ours. We fell asleep on the beds he granted us in a freedom, joy and care he never knew as a child. But from the bottom of his heart, he granted us grace. He gave us a foundation to life, he never was allowed.
The measure of a man or woman is not what you make monetarily, it's the peace you have to find the wherewithal to give to others when you haven't been given much, or hardly anything. That's my quote and I'll stick to it. Due to him.
That was my Dad.
My Father found the Lord young, but forgot like many of us. And certainly wasn't particularly Christian when things were going so well for him in mid life. But things dramatically changed for him, when His legs were literally taken out from under him. And then a paraplegic in the early 1990s, he quit doing life his way and submitted to his higher power once again. And the preacher was reborn. Oh Pop was a preacher. Hahaha oh my yes. Heck he met my Mom in Bible college and preached for a bit once upon a time literally in churches!
You see my Dad was a preacher at heart. Always a lesson he'd impart, a careful word too. Not just to me and mine, but to a myriad of people who crossed his path. His essence was care, even if a bit rough at times for some. My Father wasn't shy in expressing himself, ever. But conscientious always. Oh he often thought of you, before you did yourself. That was his way and manner. Why he was a successful Banker for those decades working pre and post losing his legs. He understood people.
I am thankful I was able when 'HE' decided no more hospitals in late October of last year, and Hospice was his path, that He allowed me to stay with him the last couple months. We laughed, talked life and I recorded some of his stories. Watched football and we did Dad and Son things. I often would play my generational Christian music for him and he'd say meh, don't like that, don't like that, don't like that song Son. But this song He did. He actually about a week plus ago told me "I like this one Son".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNqo4Un2uZI
You know why? It was his Life. The song 'Through it All' by Bethel Worship. To hear this song is to know my Dad's life. He'd been through it all for sure.
Through it all, it was always well with him, his mind always sturdy. Wayward at times... like us all. But through it all, He never wavered at his end. Nope.
Norman Eugene Clatterbuck Jr, granted us all Grace along his long life. He gave when he had no reason to. He taught me (us) such valuable lessons. I wish all kids had Fathers who cared as he did.
I was so lucky. I miss him so tonight.
Stephen Paul Clatterbuck
