Father’s Day Special: Remembering Dad

Remembering my dad. That is the topic we'll discuss today right here on the Christian Worldview radio program, where the mission is to sharpen the biblical worldview of Christians and to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. I'm David Wheaton, the host. The Christian Worldview is a non-profit, listener-supported radio ministry. We're able to reach believers and non-believers with that mission through the radio station, website, or podcast platform on which you are listening today because of the support of listeners like you.

So thank you for your prayer, encouragement, and support. You can connect with us by visiting our website, thechristianworldview.org, calling our toll-free number, 1-888-646-2233, or by writing to Box 401, Excelsior, Minnesota, 55331. If you have been a regular listener to The Christian Worldview over the years, you likely have heard the annual interview with my parents this time of year.

They aren't well known with ministry platforms as speakers, authors, or social media influencers, but rather they resonate with those who harken back to an era when Christians lived and spoke with clarity and conviction about all matters of life and godliness. As some of you know, my dad died suddenly on February 1st at age 91. Based on God's promise to those who trust in Him, my dad's soul went into the presence of the Lord while his physical body awaits Christ's return and resurrection to an imperishable body fit for eternity. Scripture says, For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable body will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal body will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

That's from 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 53 through 57. In light of this truth, we did a program earlier this year titled How to Be Sure of Eternity in Heaven, where we discussed in light of my dad's heaven going God's promises to the believer for eternal life after physical death. And now on Father's Day weekend, we will move from the theological to the personal as to the ways in which God sanctified and used my dad to lead our family and impact others. My mom, brothers Mark and John, and sister Marnie will join us today to discuss some of the qualities that the Lord formed in my dad that made him a godly husband and father he was. We hope there are aspects for you to apply in your own life and family.

The interviews were conducted separately, so listen for common perspectives that made my dad the blessing he was to us and others. Let's hear first from my mom, who's 89 years old. Well, mom, I think we could only categorize this year as a year of trial for you and our family. Back in February, dad just suddenly and unexpectedly went to be with the Lord. Shortly after that, I think about six or seven weeks later, you took a hard fall, broke your shoulder.

Next month, you have an upcoming knee replacement surgery. And so you've had a lot of physical and emotional trials this year. The greatest, the greatest though is beyond anything physical is the death of a husband after a very long marriage. You and dad have been coming on this program to do a Mother's Day or Father's Day program with the both of you for many, many years. And so this year is different, very different and hard to do in many ways.

And this trial is the hardest trial of your life. Losing your husband of nearly 69 years, you would have celebrated your 69th wedding anniversary this month. You knew each other from the time you were 17 and 15. So you're sweethearts for 74 years. And so there are those listening today who have had those kind of long marriages. Others are earlier in their marriage or earlier in their life.

We know the Bible says that death is inevitable. Let me just ask you the hardest question first today. What has this been like to lose dad mentally and emotionally in any other way? It's been very hard, David. I met dad when I was 15 and he was 17. And I came home and told my mother I had just met the most wonderful boy. And he was a wonderful man, a wonderful husband, a wonderful father. And so I am despondent. I am despondent. I can't say I'm not, but I just thank God for the many years we had married together and having the family we had. We were married when I was 20 and he was 22. And so I feel very alone without him here. We talked all the time. We were totally different in our temperaments, but we balanced each other.

We are of the same mind. But I have to say that if I didn't have Christ as my savior and Lord, if I didn't have the Bible, I don't know how people get through it. I just don't.

I couldn't go through it. But one of the verses that really has helped me is James 1 to cut it all joy. When you fall into various trials, knowing the trying of your faith works patience, but let patience have her perfect work.

What does that mean? That means we need to suffer. We need to go through trials. It's good for us. And it makes us more mature and complete so that we want nothing. We see and I really see there's nothing in this world for me or for us who know Christ.

The world is not our home. And I love Proverbs 3, 5, and 6, trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean out in your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him and he will direct your paths. And 2 Peter 3, 18, grow in grace. And in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, it's all about knowing Christ.

There's so many Bible studies going on, but it seems to me that so much of it's just for knowledge of the Bible, but it's not knowing Christ. That's why we learn the word of God. And it takes a lifetime to learn it. It's here I am. Now I'm 89 years old and I'm still learning.

I have a lot to learn. I certainly haven't arrived by any means. Anyway, it's been hard, but thanking God for this wonderful, these children I have, this family I have all around me, taking care of me, bringing me meals and constantly watching over me. I'm so grateful for each one of you. My mom joins us today here on the Christian Real View radio program on this Father's Day weekend. Mom, it's been about four and a half months since dad went home to be with the Lord. And you've said many times, I just want to go to be with dad.

And that's completely understandable. And yet at the same time, we know from scripture that God determines our birth date and our death date. He's in control of our days. When as yet there was none of them, it says in Psalm 139. And so God obviously still has purpose for you. You're mourning, which is good and normal. God uses mourning to sanctify and to draw us to Him.

But how do you keep from entering a kind of depression where all you want to do is not be here anymore and to go to be with dad? Are there certain promises of God's Word that are helping you? What keeps you having some balance between mourning, but also still having a desire to be useful, like Paul says, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain?

How do you have that kind of perspective at this point in your life? I think it's because I've been a Christian for so long in my life. I've just, I know when dad and I trusted in Christ as our Savior and Lord, we were 20, let's see, I think we were 24 and 26. And we took our faith very seriously. We wanted to know the Bible so that we could grow in Christ, but we wanted to help other people, give it to other people so they could know Christ.

And that's where it's all been. We just have always wanted to help others to know him as their Savior and Lord. And we've even brought them into our family to be part of our family.

Brody was one of our family and her family was one of our family for many years. We've really seen how the Bible is so important for everything in life, for every single thing in life. Romans 8 28 says, mom, that it's a very well-known passage of scripture where Paul writes to the Romans, and we know that God causes all things, I'll just insert even the hard things, the loss of a long-time husband, to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. And you have clearly been called according to God's purpose, and you love God. And so even this early on, four and a half months after losing dad, have there been ways that you have seen that God has worked through a hard trial like this for good, either in your own life, your family, those you are coming in contact with? Well, he's certainly working in my life to make me love him, thank him for all he's done in my life and our lives as a married couple and as a family and the people outside of our family. And I still have the desire to tell others the truth.

Jesus Christ is, he came to do save us from our sins. And it's so important that people understand that early in life, not to go through their entire life until they're in old age, because by then it's too late. You just look back on your life and think of all the mistakes you made.

If you just trust in him early in life, you can avoid all that. So there have been a lot of people that I've talked to, and I think I've really helped them in many ways to think about eternal life. My mom joins us today in the Christian Real View this Father's Day weekend, just talking about my dad, her husband of many, many years and what it's been like to lose him this year. It's a very different Father's Day program this year. Without him here and side by side with you, you two were an inseparable couple.

And so it's very different this year, to say the least. Mom, you have a privileged and blessed situation to have your entire family living nearby. Your four children, your grandchildren, all almost live in basically the same neighborhood.

And so you've been able to recover from this fall where you fractured your shoulder at home, which has been great. And all of us in the family, both your children and grandchildren have been basically doing care shifts 24 hours a day, except we've been having some care attendants come at night. Talk about the importance of having your children and grandchildren nearby.

I know everyone can't do that. Life changes and people have to move away. But if you can structure your family to be nearby, how have you found that to be of such helpfulness during this loss of dad and then the physical injuries afterwards? It's been wonderful, David, I can't tell you to think that each one of the four of you are true believers in Jesus Christ, and we are all the same mind and your love for me and my love for all of you. I can't even begin to explain how wonderful it is to be here.

I just feel so sorry for all the older people in nursing homes just there all day crying because they don't have anyone who cares enough about them to take care of them like all of you who have taken care of me. And fortunately, I'm living in the house that we've lived in for 50 years. And this house has always been our home. You all came back, you all went away to college and you played tennis for many years. But you all came back and now we're all here to help you. And now we're all here having a wonderful family together. But I do miss dad. I do admit I miss him terribly. He was the presence in all of our family. And I can see how you all miss him too. Well, we're going to hear from my siblings later on in the program today, my older sister, Marnie, and my brothers, Mark and John. They're going to talk about just the impact that dad had on them them as a father, what he exemplified as a husband. And so we're looking forward to hearing from them today as well.

And I'm looking over on the floor here next to where you're sitting. And there is a box that is just full of cards written from friends and others, even radio program listeners. We so appreciate that. So many people reached out to you. Oh, yes, with with notes of sympathy, emails, encouragement for you. You've talked about how the Word of God has been your your your greatest sense of comfort and perspective and strength during this time, how your your own personal family has been around you. We've all been with you every day.

Yes. But how have those kinds of cards and emails and encouragements from friends and others, people you don't even know, how has that been encouraging and helped you? Oh, so much.

I can't tell you, David. People I didn't even think of or know have sent cards, not only to me, but to all of us. They've been so wonderful.

I think there must be 100 cards that have come. And I would like to answer each one of them all. They've all been so loving about dad, how they loved him and what they saw in him, his his just his his his his manner of he was so steady. He just it was never about him. He was always interested in you.

He was just a wonderful boy and a wonderful man. And I thank each one who sent me cards and letters. Wonderful. I can definitely say that that has been of immense encouragement to you, too, for you just to read those cards. And I know you treasure them.

You have them right here next to your chair. It's been a wonderful outpouring of support. My mom joins us today here on the Christian Real View radio program this Father's Day weekend. Now, when you think back on a long marriage with dad, you were married nearly 70 years. What are some of the things that you so appreciated in him as a husband that men listening today can learn from, take from, strive for, to develop in their own lives? It was his love for me, a constant love for me, but most of all his love for Christ.

And then his love for his children. We always just loved watching all of you and whatever you were doing. If it was playing hockey or tennis or swimming or whatever it was, we always loved just being there together, watching you.

That's all we wanted to do. We always had dinner at home. If you remember, David, we'd sit at the table and we'd all talk together. Today, everyone's eating out or they're bringing food in.

It seems that there's just no life the way it used to be. We had home-cooked meals and enjoyed one another. It was just all the family. He was really a good family man, a good father, a good husband, and a good Christian man.

Very much. That's accurate in the way I will always remember him as being a servant to his family, focused on his family, not focused primarily on his own interest to the exclusion of his family at all and how much he loved you as well too. From being a husband, maybe there's some cross over here to what you just said, but what do you think he did well as a father? Here we are on Father's Day weekend.

We have fathers listening. Are there a few things that he took from scripture and exemplified what a godly father should be? He lived out his faith in Christ. It wasn't just talk. He lived it out.

I saw it every day. He'd sit at the couch every day and read his Bible and I'd see tears in his eyes and I'd say, Bruce, what's wrong? I thought he was crying about something, but he wasn't crying about something. He was just thinking about when I'd ask him, I'm thinking about heaven, he'd say, but it wasn't fake.

It was so real. It wasn't religious. He wasn't self-righteous and he just loved each one of you so much and he loved me. Every picture I see of the two of us together, he always has his arm around me. Yes, he truly did love you and he wrote you cards on Mother's Day, your birthday, other times of the year with pictures and beautiful notes to you.

I think he exemplified so well that a marriage is good when both the husband and wife love each other, but each of the husband and wife are both pursuing a close relationship with Jesus Christ and I think that was really the key to your marriage and the blessing of your marriage that's been the model to all of us. And having the same mind. We were so different in our temperaments, but we had exactly the same mind and we were always talking together. We'd talk when we get up in the morning, talk when we go to bed at night, talk during the day. On a subway one time his father noticed that we were always talking about something. He'd say, you two are always talking together.

What are you talking about? It's hard to say what we were talking about, but we were always talking, enjoying one another's company. One thing I will say is we didn't live together before we were married. We went together for five years, but even though we were not Christians, we both knew that that was not the right thing to do. And I've noticed in today's generation or many generations now that people are living together and they don't seem to realize that it's sin that it's wrong.

So that's really troublesome. I don't know how they're going to tell their children not to do that when they do it all the time now. You're listening to an interview with my mom this father's day weekend as we remember my dad. We have more coming up with my mom after these ministry announcements, so stay tuned. You are listening to the Christian worldview. I'm David Wheaton. David Wheaton here inviting you to the Christian worldview golf event on Monday, September 18th at Woodhill Country Club in Wysetta, Minnesota. This is a rare opportunity to experience a classic course in immaculate condition with challenging greens in a beautiful setting, all in support of the Christian worldview radio program. Golfer registration includes lunch on the lawn, practice range, player gift, and 18 holes with cart, followed by appetizers, appetizers, and awards.

Bring a foursome or we can fit you into a group. Also contact us about sponsor opportunities, whether or not you are attending or local to Minnesota. We hope to see you Monday, September 18th.

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Order resources for adults and children and support the ministry. My mom is our guest this Father's Day weekend, as we remember my dad. I'm just going to ask you a couple more questions that I've asked in previous years, mom, but for listeners who haven't heard these interviews, I thought it'd be good to hear how you came to saving faith, how and why you became a follower of Jesus Christ. We had gone to New York for two years.

Dad was in the Army ROTC. And when I came home, I had been so homesick for home because I'd never been away from home. I just felt so depressed. I was depressed. I couldn't do anything but try to figure out why am I here?

Where am I going? And I looked at dad and I thought, as much as I loved him, he didn't fill whatever it was inside of me that was lacking. And my mother, during the time I was in New York had been listening to Christian radio, hearing men who taught the Bible on the radio from a Christian college. And she heard the gospel and she repented of her sin, got on her knees on her kitchen floor and received Christ as her savior and Lord. And then she wrote me a note about it. And I didn't understand it. I thought, oh, this is just an emotional experience.

It'll all blow over, but it didn't blow over. When she came to see me, I could see right away a change in her life. She, her countenance, her, she was a beautiful woman and she just looked so beautiful. But anyway, I moved into the Groveland assembly grounds, which was not too far from my parents' house. Dad and I were living there. And I started to listen to, my mother kept telling me, listen to the radio Mary Jane, that meant listen to Christian radio. So I started to listen.

And in three days I understood it. I understood the gospel. Christ died from my sins. I was a sinner. I repented of my sin and I put my faith in Jesus Christ as my savior and Lord.

And that was in three days. And dad would come home and he'd say, what's going on with you? You seem so different. I was different.

And I remember going to a friend's house with him and thinking when I walked in their house that there's something different about me, but not about them. And so that's how you know you've been saved. You have a transformed life. You go from one way to a completely new way of life. If anyone is in Christ, he's a new creature. All things pass away.

All things become new. And so that was at a time in our life that we were both born again. Dad went to a little meeting in a little chapel and the pastor gave a message and dad trusted in Christ that night. And the next day we both stood there and said, this is so serious. We're going to be serious about our faith.

This isn't just about going to church or playing. We're a Christian. We were very serious about it.

We met a wonderful couple from Campus Crusade who took us to the Mound headquarters where they're teaching people to share their faith. And we learned how to do that. And we began to do that. And all the people that we talked to and helped come to know Christ, it makes life so rich, so full.

It isn't just about me or just about us. It was always how we could help someone else know Christ too. From the time you were saved and then were taught how to share the gospel, share your faith with others, that has been a hallmark of your and dad's Christian life. God has blessed you not only with children and grandchildren, but many spiritual children.

And so this is something I've asked you in the past as well too, but I think it bears repeating and hearing. How do you discern when someone has a spiritual need where they'd be open to the gospel and what do you say to them? I can sense right away if a person has a spiritual need and if they do, and I sense that, I give them the gospel. I explain God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have a everlasting life. Explain sin that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, that Jesus Christ is God's way of bringing us new life, saving us. It takes about 20 minutes of sitting at my dining room table, just sitting at the table with my Bible open, a piece of paper, writing it all down, explaining it. And I've seen so many people born again at my dining room table or even at a tennis tournament, David, one time when we were there. I had a Christmas card from a man who I gave the gospel to right there at the tournament at a little table off from everywhere else. And he wrote, it was the most important conversation of my life, he said. He was 50 years old or older, but it's just a wonderful thing to see people born again, have a new life in Christ.

It really is not only the most important conversation of life, but the most important decision we must make. What will we do with Jesus Christ, God sent his son into the world to save sinners? And will we receive by faith the gift of eternal life that God is offering us through what his son did for us on the cross? Or will we try to get to God on our own terms a different way by trying to be a better person or earning it through doing good works or religious deeds?

That's not acceptable to God. Jesus Christ did everything for us on the cross. He paid the penalty that we deserve to pay. He satisfied God's wrath and justice over our sin. And when we repent of our sin and believe in what Christ did for us, not what we do for ourselves or adding anything to what Christ did, God credits us with Christ's righteousness.

He forgives us and grants us eternal life in heaven. And that's the gospel message that you have so faithfully communicated along with Dad, and so grateful for that in my own life as well, Mom. Growing up, and there was a time in my life where I went astray.

Grew up in a Christian home, typical kind of second generation, thought I was missing out on what the world had to offer. And what I was missing out on was the joy, the satisfaction, the fulfillment that comes with a personal relationship with God through Christ. And the temporary pleasures of sin are never worth the enduring consequences. The Bible says in Romans 6, what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. There is no benefit to sin. It's just temporal to going your own way.

There's a temporal fulfillment that is not lasting and puts us further and further away from God. So, Mom, we just love you so much. We're thankful that you were willing to come on the program during still a very hard time of mourning, of losing your beloved husband, our beloved dad. And we're grateful to him this Father's Day weekend for the great impact he had on all of us, for the marriage to you that he exemplified so well, and just the love that you both have for your children and grandchildren. So thank you so much, Mom. We love you and praying for you. And we're going to do everything we can to support you during this difficult trial this year. I love you, David. Thank you.

God has truly blessed me with a wonderful mother. And now let's transition over to an interview with my older brothers, Mark and John. Mark is married with two boys. John is married with four grown children. Mark is a medical doctor at Lakeside Sports and Pain Clinic in Excelsior, Minnesota.

And John is the director of Inner City Tennis, a nonprofit organization, tennis and education program in South Minneapolis. Mark, let's start with you. What are two or three things as you look back on many years that you knew, Dad, that stand out to you about him as a person, perhaps as a follower of Christ?

Well, thanks, David, for having us today. Dad was defined by dependability. He was as dependable, almost as the rising sun. He always was there.

You could always call him and talk to him. There was no deviation in his mood. He was very stable in his demeanor. And I really felt that that was probably something that many fathers don't have that characteristic. And I think he really had that. He certainly did.

And that's one of the things that I wrote down as well. His steadiness, his stability, his faithfulness, those character qualities come forefront to my mind when I think about Dad. Moving over to you, John, what are two or three things that stand out to you about Dad as a person or as a believer?

Well, I'll continue with that theme of stability. He was just very stable, even keeled emotionally. He was sharp mentally. And as Mark said, always available even until he died, until he was 91. You could always call him. We all call him, right?

We need help with something at the house or something with our finances or whatever. He was always available throughout his life. And I like to think of a husband as a house band, just to play on words. And that's what he was for our family. He created this great, big, warm arms of love around our family and support.

He was just consistent in that all through his life. And we were so blessed to have a father like that. What about spiritually?

We'll start with you, John. Spiritually speaking, you grew up and I was younger than both of you, the three older siblings. What was it like growing up spiritually in the home? I remember when I was very young, I think before you were born, David, he really made it a point and felt the responsibility to pass on spiritual truth to us and spiritual disciplines that teach us about God and scripture and what it means to be a godly man or woman and how to live our lives in a way that pleases God and glorifies God through his words, but especially through his actions. He didn't have to use a lot of words. He just lived it. And I try to emulate him to this day. He was somewhat quiet and reserved, but he didn't just sit in a corner and say nothing. He interacted with each one of us to make sure that we were learning truths that were important for our lives and our own families. And he had very strong convictions too. He wasn't silent about them. He was steady and stable and not a charismatic personality, I would say, but he definitely had strong convictions.

How about you, Mark? Just follow up on that question, just spiritual impact. What do you remember about dad as a believer? So dad was very dependable. And because of that, he was as dependable and faithful in the way he raised us spiritually. And I think of a medical metaphor, if you will.

You think of the backbone stands behind and holds up the whole structure of the body. That's how I describe dad and his way that he would give us the word of God in a very calm and measured way. He wasn't dictatorial or he wasn't legalistic in any way, but he balanced the grace of Jesus Christ very well. I say mom is the heart of the family and dad is the backbone. And I think that really came through in the way he raised us.

It wasn't forced. It was always with the love of Christ. You could just tell that he lived it and it went through, it showed through in his life. I think a lot of our enduring image of him from a spiritual standpoint is sitting on the couch with his Bible on his lap, reading it in the morning.

And sometimes mom will say he would just kind of start crying, just go into tears over something he read. Well, and he really did look to heaven in the later years. So that was what he lived for. And he wasn't attached to the world, extremely loyal to his family. And he wanted to have us all brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. There was nothing materially that he wanted for us. He just wanted us to all grow up and be strong ministers for Christ in our lives. And none of us, I think, have ever come to the level of that.

We all aspire to that, but our model is Christ, but he modeled that better than anyone I've ever known. John, you had one follow up on that? He wasn't religious in the sense he didn't abdicate his response. He took his responsibility as a father seriously. He didn't turn that over to a church or a youth group or youth pastor, a political figure or anything like that. It was very personal to him.

And that showed in everything he did. And I like that about him. I try to be the same. Both my brothers join us today here on the Christian worldview radio program. We'll take a short break for some ministry announcements, but we have more coming up with my brothers, Mark and John, and also my sister, Marnie.

This Father's Day special as we remember my dad. You are listening to the Christian worldview. I'm David Wheaton.

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Welcome back to The Christian Real View. I'm David Wheaton. Be sure to visit our website, thechristianrealview.org, where you can subscribe to our free weekly email and annual print letter, order resources for adults and children, and support the ministry. This Father's Day weekend, we are remembering my dad. My brothers Mark and John are the guests, and then coming up is my sister Marnie. Let's transition from dad as a person and as a Christian over to what he was as a husband and a father. All three of us are husbands and fathers.

And so Mark, we'll start with you on this one. What do you take away from dad that he modeled or taught has been helpful to you and might be helpful to those listening today? Well, the world has a standard of manhood that is completely foreign to the Bible, being macho and being forceful and raising your voice and going to the gym and all these things. Well, dad really represented biblical manhood to me. He loved mom and he was devoted to her emotional, physical, and spiritual needs.

That was the first thing I noticed about dad. He just always attended to her needs and would always support her in everything, even if it wasn't natural for him. He just appeared natural in the way he supported her.

And they just always got along so well. He was our steady guide. He's the servant leader in our home. And he modeled Christ and loved his word and shared the gospel with many. I would say he was patient, very giving, kind, warm, and friendly. Always, always humble and unassuming and deflecting praise. You couldn't mention anything about him in a positive light in a family setting or a holiday without him deflecting it to Christ or, oh no, your mother.

Those are the traits of your mother. He freely gave practical advice and biblical counsel to anyone. And dad displayed the truth in genuine love. And I've been realizing how many people he impacted. I've had many men come up to me and say that your dad was so special to me.

And it literally pained them to think about that he wouldn't be around anymore to give them godly counsel. So I think just those are a few things I could definitely go on, but those things really stick out. How about you, John? When you think of dad as a husband and father, what did he model or teach you that you've tried to implement?

Mark didn't leave much for me to say. Actually, I ditto all of that. I think the big thing I would say is that he was not only a father to all of us, and I like to say we hear the word privilege a lot these days, and I'd say we had a lot of father privilege, family privilege in that sense to have a father like him. I wish the same for everyone. And I know a lot of people don't have that, and that's sad, but God can be the father to the fatherless. That's the way dad was. Not only to us, but to so many others that we know. Your own wife, Brody, he basically adopted her practically in her youth and helped her through, and she and her brother through difficult times, and so many others can attest to that. So I would say he emulated God in that way. God cares about the widows, the orphans, the fatherless. And so in a way, he just was a great example of what a father should be to us and to so many others. Hard to live up to what his legacy has been, but we can just try. And he didn't have to have a big organization or ministry or program to do what he did. He realized God put him in a place, and he brightened the corner where he lived, and everyone that came in contact with him.

And boy, if we all did that, the world would be a better place. Well, we all very much miss him, even the way he died. It was just amazing that he went from... Mark, you were just with him a couple of hours beforehand. Everything was normal.

He was fine. And all of a sudden, it was almost like he was raptured, taken to heaven by the Lord. And we're grateful for that in a way, too, because many people suffer through long illnesses, and it can be very, very trying. So we're all going to die, and we're all going to die. And that was God's time for Dad.

And of course, it was a shock to all of us. And it was a time of mourning, and it continues to be that, especially not only for us, but for Mom, who was married to him for so long, loved him so deeply. And now Mom is widowed. Not too long after Dad went to be with the Lord in heaven, I think about seven weeks later, Mom took a fall, broke her shoulder. She's needed a lot of care, basically almost 24-hour care since then.

Thankfully, our family all lives right in the same area. So we've been able to keep Mom in her home and care for her and get some help to care for her. So Mark, talk about the importance of this year of trial and care, I guess you could call it. The importance and actually the duty of a family to care for a parent who has been widowed or a parent who is having a lot of physical challenges, illnesses, and so forth.

What has that been like? It's definitely been a big change in all of our lives. And we see it as not just a privilege, but a biblical mandate to take care of Mom's a widow now. So we have to put the same effort into caring for her that she put into us over all those years. She was tireless in her care for us and making sure we were on track and all our needs were met.

But it's been a very time-intensive thing. And it's been so rewarding in many ways, because we are all privileged to spend different shifts with her. And even the grandkids are involved in this process.

So we do have some outside help at night. But as much as Mom loves her private time and her alone time, because she is an alone kind of person in many ways, she really, really loves having us all around her so we can keep her in the home. And we can provide her with the most comfortable environment and support, both emotionally, physically, and any other way so that she can thrive in her latter years. Because we just don't know how many more years she has with us, but we want to fulfill the biblical mandate to take care of widows in their distress. And I think Mom is holding up really well with her faith, very strong that way. But naturally, the pain of Dad's loss, she always says she just wants to talk with them. And that's something that none of us can replace. We can be there helping her, but that is something that only God's grace can help her with.

How about you, John? What do you think about the importance and duty of a family to care for a parent? Because a lot of times today, parents just get families that are living all over the country and there's constraints that they just can't be there.

Or maybe there's even in some cases, an unwillingness to be there. It's just easier to put them somewhere, have someone else take care of them. What has impressed upon you about the duty of a family to care for a parent who's been widowed or who's ill or something like that?

Yeah. Not too long ago, a few hundred years ago, people didn't have the option of just putting their parents somewhere else. They had to care for them in the home. And there's something good and special about that for a family, especially young people. I'm glad that my children have taken turns to go over and spend time with grandma and talking with her, learning from her, serving her.

It's been great for them. So it's not only taking care of her, it's also teaching them and they're seeing how we treat her too. And I have a feeling they're going to treat us the same way as we age. And obviously she may get to the point where we just medically can't take care of her.

And a lot of people face that. So no judgment on anyone that has to put their elderly parents or grandparents into assisted living or something like that. But we're blessed that we can do this for now and she can stay in the home. And I think dad did a great job providing for mom to make sure that she could have this as well, you know, financially and just in every way.

We can't replace him, but it's been a privilege to be able to serve her in this way. And like I said, I think it's been great for all of the kids to see it and be a part of it. Well, I want to thank both of you for coming on the program today. And I'm just very thankful that when dad went to be with the Lord, we have the relationship we do as brothers, as a family. We all are together and on the same page spiritually.

And there are deep blessings here that mom and dad really, through how the Lord impacted them, and then they impacted us that have been, I think, bearing fruit during this time. So very thankful to both of you. Love you both. And thank you for coming on the program. Thanks, David.

Thank you very much, David. And now last, but certainly not least, let's hear from my sister, Marnie. And Marnie, you are the oldest in the family and dad's only daughter. So I want to start out by asking you, asking you, what are two or three things that stand out about dad to you, either as a person, as a follower of Christ or otherwise? There are so many aspects of dad that are just outstanding. First and foremost, dad was a strong believer and he put that first and it permeated into everything that he did in his life, whether it was work, his family, everything he did was for the glory of Christ. He was a very stable man and very kind, and he loved his family.

He was not one to be showy. He was very sensitive to anything that was of a spiritual nature. And thus, he was a good example to all of us four kids and then beyond to the grandkids and to family friends.

It's interesting to hear the similarities as I talk to Mark and John, how they mentioned some of the same things and all of us have different personalities and so forth. But you hear a lot of the same things being said about dad, his steadiness, his faithfulness to God and family are things that have come up over and over again. What did you learn from dad? You know, being the only daughter, I'm sure you have a different perception than the three brothers do. But what about dad being the father of you as a woman, as a girl? Was there anything in particular that comes to mind that stands out to him as a father to you? You might laugh at this, but I think there is a difference on how he dealt with me versus the boys being the daughter. But he treated us fairly when it came to discipline when we were younger, things like that. But he was always this balanced man and he never raised his voice.

And I think whether it comes to discipline or life lessons, he was always the same to all four of us. Now, Marnie, you work in the service industry as a flight attendant for Delta Airlines, and you've been doing that for many years. Thirty-five years. Thirty-five years.

So it's a long tenure with the airlines. And you have also, as mom has lost dad and as mom took a fall and has another surgery coming up here, you have been very involved in caring for mom when you're home from trips and so forth. Talk about the importance of caring for an elderly parent who has been widowed like mom or just a parent who needs physical help or at this time in their life.

That's a good question, David. The benefits from mom is that she has all four of her children here taking care of her along with the nurses. And we all live close by. Fortunately, mom is she's a strong believer. She's smart and sharp. But I know she's suffered greatly with dad passing away a couple months ago. And, you know, you just have to remember that she raised us, dad raised us, and now it's our turn.

And I'm just really happy that we're all here for her. It really has been not only, of course, helpful for mom to have us around, but it's also been, I think it's drawn our family even closer together and around a purpose of caring for mom and helping her with the loss of dad. So I think it's been a really, you know, it's been hard.

It's been pressing, but it's been good. I think that's really the number one thing about mom. I think that's the hardest part for her because they were married for, well, it was 69 years, but they've known each other since mom was 15 and married young and had me right after.

And so that's all they've just known each other. So it's exceptionally hard on mom because she's, you know, she's serious. And just as I think it's just been harder and harder for her.

So it's very fortunate to have like-minded people, including their kids, to be around to help and support her during this time. You being the oldest new dad, the longest. And so I'm sure you have many, many memories over the 60 plus years of knowing dad. Is there a particular memory that stands out about dad that you always think about when you think of him?

A couple of things. One, unlike the rest of us, he really wasn't athletic, but yet he was willing to participate with all of us, you know, tennis and sailing. And I thought that was really wonderful because it was out of his, you know, field of expertise, so to speak. But as more of a serious note, he never was a showy person. He was quiet. He'd be sitting in the corner reading his Bible. He's very sensitive to that. And even though he wasn't outspoken, he was a father to all. And you could see that to all the people that came into our lives over the years.

And everybody, I mean, everybody loved dad. He's very tender hearted and really had a desire to share the gospel with other people. And then I just remember, and it's just always kind of cute because I'm totally the opposite, is that he's very techie, technological. So he would be spending a lot of time tinking her way in his office or fixing things. But he was just always dependable and giving of his time and never one to lose his temper.

He's just balanced. I think those are all the memories that I have of him. I'm sure there's more, but we all loved him and other people too, who were not part of the family.

Well, I think you summarized him and captured him very well. Mary, thank you for coming on the program today. You are a beloved member of our family, and I know dad loved you so much as well. So thank you again.

Well, thank you, David. Well, I hope you came away with a better understanding of how God can work in a humble and obedient life as he did in the life of my dad. Thank you so much for joining us today on The Christian World View Radio Program.

In just a moment, there'll be all kinds of information on this nonprofit radio ministry. My dad based his life and eternity on the truth that Jesus Christ and his word are the same yesterday and today and forever. So until next time, think biblically, live accordingly, and stand firm. The mission of The Christian World View is to sharpen the biblical worldview of Christians and to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. We hope today's broadcast encouraged you toward that end. To hear a replay of today's program, order a transcript, or find out what must I do to be saved, go to thechristianworldview.org or call toll free 1-888-646-2233. The Christian World View is a listener supported nonprofit radio ministry furnished by the Overcomer Foundation. To make a donation, become a Christian World View partner, order resources, subscribe to our free newsletter, or contact us, visit thechristianworldview.org, call 1-888-646-2233, or write to Box 401, Excelsior, Minnesota 55331. That's Box 401, Excelsior, Minnesota 55331. Thanks for listening to The Christian World View.