Sunday, February 6, 2011

They're teaching angels how to love

Mom in the middle 



In the beginning, there was Slippery When Wet.  Before the descendant of Michelle, there was a band.  And it was good.  After an age, Slippery When Wet begot McNasty.  The union of its bassist and lead singer begot the love child-me.

Ironically, in the band 'Slippery', but not pictured, was my pastor Mike Butera.  It was the teachings of the very man that has brought my thoughts to mom and dad.  Michelle Ank and Bob Watts.

The message was good.  The message was simple.  This message, to me, was gut wrenching.  We were told that we have a heavenly Father who cares for us.  And that, in a way no Earthly father could.  Mike used some examples of bad fathers or absentee fathers or departed fathers to contrast with the eternal Father.  While true, that no Earthly figure could reasonably compare to God, my thoughts lingered on my departed dad.  At each turn, when he taught that our heavenly Father loved us more than His earthly counterpart, I could only hope that He could love me as well as my real dad.  And could He make me smile like my real dad?  While I know that life without my King would be more devastating than life without Tor, it seems hard to imagine.  He will never leave me. Tor man is gone.  And I am still devastated.  God is not meant to be a substitute for parents.  And rightly so, for there is no substitute.  Only a void where sunshine once dwelt.

My dad said simply, that my mom "had the face of an angel".  And then some, dad.  And then some.  There are platitudes, like "not a day goes by...", but for me, I don't exist for a moment without mom and dad's imprint on my soul.  I miss you both.  While you smile from above, I look forward to the day I see you again and every tear is wiped from my eyes.

4 comments:

David Fernandes Jr. said...

I miss your folks too. Good peeps.

Cwatts said...

Ya. They would be proud of you. Can you hear Tor? Delta effing Juliet! What the eff is going on? Got your nose in the toot?

that's life! said...

Sweet post.

For some free association reason, this reminds me of a line or two from Michener's Hawaii where the preacher fears for his wife's life and confesses that he loves her more than God.

After the crisis passes, he recants and tells her to forget it (duh); he's gonna spend the rest of his life asking God's forgiveness (ow).

Guess no one told him it wasn't a contest?

Anyway, great post, CW.

Cwatts said...

Sounds about right. I don't have any shame in feeling the way I do about my parents. After all, they were a gift too right? Not an idol, but for sure a gift.