A Man I Deeply Respect
- Jerry Witham
- Jun 11, 2008
- Media Links
- Subscribe
Remembering a Man I Deeply Respect
June 11, 2008
One month ago from today my father-in-law (Papal) went to glory. On May 11 this world lost a great man. What was our lost was Heaven's gain. It has been new territory for me personally. I have never lost someone that close to me. When I was an infant and toddler my grandparents passed away, but I was too young to understand. His passing has caused me to reflect much on his life and what he meant to me.
Grace. My first thought leads me to grace. Grace is God's undeserved favor toward those who trust in His Son, Jesus. God gave us Jesus as a sin offering (the greatest gift ever given), so that we, sinners full of guilt and shame, could have a relationship with Him. This is the most beautiful and greatest picture of grace that we can know and that will ever be known. God has called us as His children to display such grace to others. Papal showed me such grace. He showed me this in letting me marry his daughter, my wife now for over eight years. I will never forget the day back in December of 1999 when I asked for permission to marry Annette. I had a deep respect for Papal and was very nervous about approaching him with such a high request. I was unworthy for such a gift. I will never forget both him and my mother-in-law crying and telling me to take care of Annette. It was such a sweet moment for me with both of them, but especially Papal. In that moment he gave me permission to marry Annette with such undeserving grace.
Strength. One of the things that I would look at often when I was with Papal was his arms and hands. He never noticed me doing this, but I would always take note of them. When I would gaze on them I would think of how this man had truly lived. His hands and arms showed life. He lived well. He was born on June 25, 1930 right here in the Dallas area. He grew up in some tough times including the Great Depression. He helped his family farm land in this area. He learned to work very hard and it stuck with him his entire life. He worked for the same company for nearly 50 years. He ran a lumber yard in this area called, Carpenter's Corner. I will never forget the many stories he told me about those days. I will especially never forget the time he shared about someone breaking into the lumber yard. He went down there in the early morning and took care of it himself. He came upon the trespasser and acted like he had a gun holding him up until the police got there. Nothing seemed to cause him fear. He also knew how to fix almost anything. In fact, Annette and I would call on him often to help us, whether it was the air conditioner, a problem with the sink or especially one of the cars. He had many battles with illness through out his life as well. He experienced heart attacks, cancer, a broken hip, kidney disease and his life long battle with diabetes. He battled hard through all these and even to the very end until Jesus called him home.
Selfless. In 1978 my wife's mother was killed. It was a horrible thing that left her two daughters with out a mother and a father as well. Following Papal's funeral I learned from someone in the family about that day and they explained to me how Papal said, it is my responsibility to take care of those girls. Him and my mother-in-law adopted Annette (3 years old) and Tammy (8 years old). This was the pinnacle of Papal's selflessness, but he lived this way his entire life. He was giving and caring. He never wanted you to be without. He always wanted the best for his daughters, son-in-laws, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He loved them all so much and especially his wife. They would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this October. I also saw his selfless and caring heart toward the end of his life. I got the joy of staying with him one night that he was in a rehabilitation center. We talked that night about many things, but one thing he wanted to make sure we talked about was his older brother. His older brother is in his 80's. He wanted to make sure that he was saved and he wanted me to go by and talk to him. So, I did and his brother said he was saved. Papal was at such peace knowing that. He was selfless until the end.
Forgiven and Home. I will never forget how Papal came to faith in Jesus. He loved baseball. In fact, during baseball season the Texas Rangers would be on the television all the time. Of course, their losing was always a point of frustration for him. He would be happy with the way they are playing now. When he was younger he loved to play baseball. One day a friend of his asked him to play on their team. It was a church team. So, Papal agreed to play. Then one day his friend asked him to go to a revival service one night. Papal went and when he did God called him unto Himself, saving Him. He reflected on this moment much in his final days. Papal was forgiven and now is home.
At Papal's funeral I shared from John 14.1-6. Jesus was preparing the disciples for His own funeral. It would not be long until Jesus would make His way to the cross and die. The disciples are sad and feel that they are being deserted. They are afraid of being left alone and without Jesus. He was preparing His followers for His departure (His death, His resurrection and His ascension). He would go to Heaven and sit at the right hand of God where He is exalted above every name today. Jesus gives them the cure for their troubled heart. It is to believe in God. The turbulent waves of the troubled heart can be made calm through belief in the Father and the Son according to Jesus' words. Jesus then shared with them why He must go. He must go through the cross, the resurrection and the ascension so that they can have a home in heaven one day. In fact, he tells them he is going to prepare a place for them. Some translations even call it a mansion. He must leave so that God's wrath is satisfied (Isaiah 53.4). He must leave so that sins are paid for (Ephesians 1.7). He must leave so that death can be swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15.54-55). He must leave so that the Holy Spirit will come to those who believe (John 16.7). The disciples can have comfort now and for eternity based on why Jesus must go. Papal was comforted in his final days and will be comforted now and forevermore because of Jesus' going and preparing. Though I still find myself sad because of Papal not being here my sadness is replaced with joy knowing that he is experiencing fullness of joy and pleasures unlike any other from now on in glory (Psalm 16.11). He is truly missed by Annette, Noah, Grace, Pierce and I and all who knew him.
Thank you for letting me share with you about a man I deeply respect!
June 11, 2008
One month ago from today my father-in-law (Papal) went to glory. On May 11 this world lost a great man. What was our lost was Heaven's gain. It has been new territory for me personally. I have never lost someone that close to me. When I was an infant and toddler my grandparents passed away, but I was too young to understand. His passing has caused me to reflect much on his life and what he meant to me.
Grace. My first thought leads me to grace. Grace is God's undeserved favor toward those who trust in His Son, Jesus. God gave us Jesus as a sin offering (the greatest gift ever given), so that we, sinners full of guilt and shame, could have a relationship with Him. This is the most beautiful and greatest picture of grace that we can know and that will ever be known. God has called us as His children to display such grace to others. Papal showed me such grace. He showed me this in letting me marry his daughter, my wife now for over eight years. I will never forget the day back in December of 1999 when I asked for permission to marry Annette. I had a deep respect for Papal and was very nervous about approaching him with such a high request. I was unworthy for such a gift. I will never forget both him and my mother-in-law crying and telling me to take care of Annette. It was such a sweet moment for me with both of them, but especially Papal. In that moment he gave me permission to marry Annette with such undeserving grace.
Strength. One of the things that I would look at often when I was with Papal was his arms and hands. He never noticed me doing this, but I would always take note of them. When I would gaze on them I would think of how this man had truly lived. His hands and arms showed life. He lived well. He was born on June 25, 1930 right here in the Dallas area. He grew up in some tough times including the Great Depression. He helped his family farm land in this area. He learned to work very hard and it stuck with him his entire life. He worked for the same company for nearly 50 years. He ran a lumber yard in this area called, Carpenter's Corner. I will never forget the many stories he told me about those days. I will especially never forget the time he shared about someone breaking into the lumber yard. He went down there in the early morning and took care of it himself. He came upon the trespasser and acted like he had a gun holding him up until the police got there. Nothing seemed to cause him fear. He also knew how to fix almost anything. In fact, Annette and I would call on him often to help us, whether it was the air conditioner, a problem with the sink or especially one of the cars. He had many battles with illness through out his life as well. He experienced heart attacks, cancer, a broken hip, kidney disease and his life long battle with diabetes. He battled hard through all these and even to the very end until Jesus called him home.
Selfless. In 1978 my wife's mother was killed. It was a horrible thing that left her two daughters with out a mother and a father as well. Following Papal's funeral I learned from someone in the family about that day and they explained to me how Papal said, it is my responsibility to take care of those girls. Him and my mother-in-law adopted Annette (3 years old) and Tammy (8 years old). This was the pinnacle of Papal's selflessness, but he lived this way his entire life. He was giving and caring. He never wanted you to be without. He always wanted the best for his daughters, son-in-laws, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He loved them all so much and especially his wife. They would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this October. I also saw his selfless and caring heart toward the end of his life. I got the joy of staying with him one night that he was in a rehabilitation center. We talked that night about many things, but one thing he wanted to make sure we talked about was his older brother. His older brother is in his 80's. He wanted to make sure that he was saved and he wanted me to go by and talk to him. So, I did and his brother said he was saved. Papal was at such peace knowing that. He was selfless until the end.
Forgiven and Home. I will never forget how Papal came to faith in Jesus. He loved baseball. In fact, during baseball season the Texas Rangers would be on the television all the time. Of course, their losing was always a point of frustration for him. He would be happy with the way they are playing now. When he was younger he loved to play baseball. One day a friend of his asked him to play on their team. It was a church team. So, Papal agreed to play. Then one day his friend asked him to go to a revival service one night. Papal went and when he did God called him unto Himself, saving Him. He reflected on this moment much in his final days. Papal was forgiven and now is home.
At Papal's funeral I shared from John 14.1-6. Jesus was preparing the disciples for His own funeral. It would not be long until Jesus would make His way to the cross and die. The disciples are sad and feel that they are being deserted. They are afraid of being left alone and without Jesus. He was preparing His followers for His departure (His death, His resurrection and His ascension). He would go to Heaven and sit at the right hand of God where He is exalted above every name today. Jesus gives them the cure for their troubled heart. It is to believe in God. The turbulent waves of the troubled heart can be made calm through belief in the Father and the Son according to Jesus' words. Jesus then shared with them why He must go. He must go through the cross, the resurrection and the ascension so that they can have a home in heaven one day. In fact, he tells them he is going to prepare a place for them. Some translations even call it a mansion. He must leave so that God's wrath is satisfied (Isaiah 53.4). He must leave so that sins are paid for (Ephesians 1.7). He must leave so that death can be swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15.54-55). He must leave so that the Holy Spirit will come to those who believe (John 16.7). The disciples can have comfort now and for eternity based on why Jesus must go. Papal was comforted in his final days and will be comforted now and forevermore because of Jesus' going and preparing. Though I still find myself sad because of Papal not being here my sadness is replaced with joy knowing that he is experiencing fullness of joy and pleasures unlike any other from now on in glory (Psalm 16.11). He is truly missed by Annette, Noah, Grace, Pierce and I and all who knew him.
Thank you for letting me share with you about a man I deeply respect!
