Letters to My Sons (#1)

The letter below is not the first letter I have ever written to one (or both) of my sons, and, Lord willing, it will not be the last. But, it is one of the most recent. I sent it to my older son, James, just days after the new year (2010) began. At the time he was planning to come to Oregon for a visit in early February, so we could celebrate his 26th birthday together. (For an introduction to this series of posts titled "Letters to My Sons", please see my blog entry on January 28, 2010). Now, for the letter . . .

Good Morning, Pal!

Mom and I (and Sadie & Lucy) are so looking forward to your visit. When I tell Sadie, "Jimmy is coming home," she looks up at me and then looks at the front door - sometimes she runs over to it - and starts whining and barking as if she expects you to walk through the door at any time.

I think you mentioned something to mom when you talked to her on the phone about some reading you are doing - including in your Bible as well. Jim, what I want to say to you right now is from my heart - not just as your father, or as a pastor (and your former pastor for nearly twenty years) - but more as a fellow pilgrim. As a man who has had his own share of struggles of all kinds throughout his sixty years of life. (Okay, I know I am ONLY 59, but technically, I am IN my 60th year!).

Largely due to thirty-eight years of full-time ministry, I probably own about a couple thousand books right now. (I'm tired of moving them). Somebody may want them when I go home to be with Jesus. I don't know. But what I do know is that I would prefer to be remembered as a man of one Book . . . my Bible. (Although I have worn out about a couple of dozen of them in my lifetime, and still have all of them on my bookshelves . . . well, in a box right now).

I think I have always treasured God's Word, from the time I was a young kid and got my first "leather-covered" Bible. (Yes, I still have that one, too - but it is really falling apart). But more recently, the Word has become more precious to me than ever before. Mom and I love to read it together in the mornings - still reading one chapter from Proverbs every day, some selections from the Psalms, and right now we are roaming through Romans. Jim, there is hardly ever a time when I read God's Word that my eyes don't well up with tears so much that I can barely see the page anymore. Admittedly, often times it is because I think of you (and TJ) so much when I am reading. I wish you both could be reading those very same words with us at the very same time. Today it was Proverbs 4. I could barely make it through the chapter. It made me think of a lot of the monthly lunch times we used to enjoy (at least, I did), and some of the conversations we would have.

Anyway, as a fellow pilgrim, I just want to encourage you to immerse yourself in the only Book that is living and active - and will endure forever. And, of course, I do so not only as a fellow pilgrim, but also as your dad. I always knew my parenting role would "morph" a bit as my little boys would become fine young men. But I never realized how much more I would think of you and pray for you now that both of you are adults - and just how much you would always be on my heart.

Jim, I want you to know how much I love you.

Have a wonderful day, son.

DAD
Proverbs 4