After a 4-year battle with prostate cancer, my father-in-law, Larry's earthly life came to an end this past Thursday. The sense of loss I have at his death is overshadowed by the emotion I feel for my mother-in-law as she goes on without her husband of 50+ years and for my bride, Kim, as she was there this past week as her dad faded away.
Kim and I visited her parents this summer to minister however we could and perhaps say goodbye to her dad. We talked of his assurance of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone and prayed for him and my mother-in-law. We hugged and gave each other a holy kiss. That was the last time I would see my father-in-law. He is now home in the presence of his Lord, Jesus. Hallelujah!
As his earthly life was coming to an end, I started thinking of what I would say about him, how I could honor him. This is an attempt at that. Here are several reasons I loved my father-in-law:
• He thought the best of and believed greatly in his first daughter, my wife of 27+ years now.
• He accepted me from the beginning.
• He always supported me.
• We had some special times of fellowship from him visiting my men's small group to me flying to Florida to join him and others from his church for a weekend retreat in Leesburg to talking through scripture after a worship service at our home church.
• He had the guts to order fried chicken in a restaurant on the fishing pier in Key Largo -- on more than one occasion!
Larry is home with his Lord, Jesus. Hallelujah! I know he is rejoicing and worshipping and not looking back in the least. With my dad being gone for 14+ years now -- he is with his Lord, Jesus, too -- and now my father-in-law gone, I find myself looking back ... and being thankful for having these men in my life.
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