A few days before our father went to be with Jesus he stayed at my house for five days.
The boys were in school, my hubby at work and it was precious sweet time together.
I made his breakfast, lunch, we read scriptures, prayed, he napped. We talked. We laughed.
One afternoon, I was covering him up and he asked me a question as his eyes grew heavy and he was considering another nap.
“Tell me your favorite scripture Holy Holly and why.” (yes this was my nickname and yes it embarrassed me when he said it in public).
My mind raced for answers. There are so many scriptures that I love and I really couldn’t pick just one. He fell asleep and I never got to answer him.
As I have thought about that question since that day, I wish I could tell him the scripture which has come to mind again and again as I have reflected on his life.
The scripture that defined his life and going home.
Isaiah 61:3-4
They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated.
When my eyes opened the day of my dad’s celebration of life, the Lord whispered this to my heart: “Today your father’s life is going to be a display of my splendor.”
I knew the day would be beautiful, the singing would be amazing, the peace of God tangible. But, I did not know God had a surprise in store for us that would take our breath away.
When my father’s sponsor spoke, at the end of his talk he asked everyone in the room to stand up if Johnny Mayes had helped them in their fight with alcoholism.
All around the room there was a rustling. At first I didn’t look thinking it may be rude, but it was like God gently took all of our necks and turned them to see.
One by one, all over the room, men and women stood up. Some younger, some older. All with hearts overflowing with gratitude and love for our father.
As tears freely flowed, souls were forever changed, and we were all speechless as God’s glory passed by.
In that moment, the tears that flooded from our eyes came from a deep fountain of gratitude not only for the redemption in our father’s life, but, also, the lives of others because he had given back to what God had so lavishly given to him.
The ancient ruins and places long devastated, were no more. God had restored, rebuilt our father’s life, and given back twice as much as we had lost, just as He promises in His word.
Thousands of memories came flooding back in an instant of the last 22 years of our father’s sobriety.
The going to and fro from meetings, him setting up chairs, picking people up for meetings, the gas money he gave to others, the 2 a.m. phone calls, the service work.
My mind went to our birthdays he no longer missed, the apologies he gave, the cruises he took each of us on, the lessons he taught us, the wisdom he imparted, the laughter and joy.
Here in that moment God pulled the veil back, to give us a glimmer of the fruition from our father’s life and faithfulness.
We were able to see tangibly what can happen from a broken life restored through Christ.
Since our father’s celebration, people have been saying that day changed their life and they would never be the same.
Cancer did not win.
Yes our Father in heaven even uses our deaths for His purposes. And as larger than life as our father was while here on earth, he is more alive now than he has ever been.
When the Lord created Johnny Mayes he knew the first 46 years were going to be crazy and painful, but He also knew how his story was going to end.
Our lives are not about us, as much as we wish they were.
My father did not live a perfect life. He had issues he was dealing with right up to the end. Don’t we all?
But he did learn the most important lessons of all:
His life was not his own, he was God’s child sent here for a purpose, he completed it, and he was here as a planting of the Lord.
He was here to serve. He was here to learn. He was here to teach us kids some lessons. And all of it would be for one thing:
The display of God’s splendor.
No words……….Very beautiful Holly.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Amie. <3
Couldn’t stop the tears from giving my eyes the wash they needed this afternoon; thank you for this incredibly focused piece on your father’s last days, and, great legacy. How I wish I could have been there for his celebration, and, that we could have had that vacation together we had planned. But, as I mentioned in my article about him, I know we’ll have one much greater when my time comes to join him. Holly, thank you for your great service to our Lord with this wonderful blog. I am sad to share that I haven’t been able to make time to read you on a regular basis, but I intend to try and remedy that as your words pull me closer to our Lord each time I do. May Jehovah Jireh continue to meet all your needs and bless you and your family. I will be home from Florida in May and would love to see you and share God’s love.
Tom,
I am humbled and honored that you came and stopped by and by your encouraging words. Especially coming from an amazing writer like yourself! My father adored you and he was so bummed about the Florida trip. Your article in the paper was so beautiful. My father would have been tickled he made the paper! 😉 Your friendship was a treasured gift in his life, he talked about you and your precious wife Renee frequently and how much you both blessed him and inspired him. Thank YOU for sharing all your gifts with everyone you come in contact with. Blessings to you and Renee and we would love to get together with you guys when you get home! Hope the remainder of your trip is wonderful.
A beautiful and eloquently stated truth of the awesomeness of Our Lord God and His chosen ones. Through each and every one of life’s trials and strife, we, as well as those around us learn strength, perseverance, and inspiration through God’s grace and mercy. The great lesson that we are never alone, and we are angels unaware in many lives, by just sharing and living the Word of God. Thank you for such a beautiful tribute to your father by the grace of Our Father.
Thank you Susan. Yes! We are always learning and God is always growing us up amen? Thank you for coming by and your sweet encouragement.
Holly that was beautiful. you really have a way with words. You are a gifted writer. Nothing prepares you for the death of a loved one but through it all you remained strong. I admire your strength. GOD bless you and your family.
Thank you Celeste. And I agree nothing prepares you for the death of a loved one. You think you are, but you never are. He will be so missed. Thank you for your kind words and encouragement friend.
My favorite line is “Cancer did not win.” Even though I miss our dad so much and grieve for the time we won’t have here together on Earth, I can’t wait to see him again in Heaven. Thank you little sister for comforting our father with the scriptures and prayers and love that he so craved. Thank you for this blog and for the beautiful eulogy you gave him. Your gifts are a blessing to the world! Love you xo
Thank you sister for taking the time to comment on here. Our father was such a blessing to all of us, I’m so honored I was able to bring him some comfort. Thank you for always being my biggest cheerleader! I can’t wait to see him in heaven too Sis. Love you! xoxo
We were able to see tangibly what can happen from a broken life restored through Christ. So beautifully told, Holly. My dad drank heavily with only the last ten blessed years free of it. Then he died of cancer, too. So you’re words poignantly touched my heart today. Thanks for sharing your #LifeGivingStory. Hugs!
Thank you Sheila for coming by. And thank you for your encouragement! #Raralinkup rocks! 🙂 I look forward to reading your blog.
Holly,so sorry that you have the loss,keep all that those great memories. They will carry you till you meet again. Just remember he wanted you to be happy. Love your 2nd cousin Billie. Sally and my dad Dalton were brother and sister.
Billie,
Wow Billie we have never met. 😉 Thanks for coming by the blog and commenting. I’m sure your dad and my grandmother were there to greet my dad as soon as he arrived. Thanks for the encouragement cousin!
Holly,
Losing a parent is hard. I miss my Momma every day.
BUT.
I know because of her faith in Jesus Christ, that she doesn’t look back on this old world today. Tears, pain and suffering are finished for her.
What hope we have that our parents have gone on to the best that is still “yet to come” for us!
I am so glad you had those precious moments with your Dad. And I am glad that you are at peace knowing he is the presence of the Lord! Beautiful!
Christy,
Amen sister! Knowing my dad is no longer suffering and he is there with his parents and brothers and my sister gets me through! And I know it won’t be long until we are together again! I miss him like crazy, and I know I always will, but God is faithful and carrying me.
Every blog I read by you gets more and more beautiful. God is using you too sweetie! ❤ Thoughts, love and prayers on the daily for you and the family.
Thank you sweet Kelly! Your encouragement means so much to me. Truly. I want to pray for you sister and give back the encouragement you have given to me.
Father, I lift up Kelly to you right now and ask for her to continue to have a hunger and thirst for you. It says in your word that those that thirst and hunger for righteousness will be filled. I ask you fill her to overflowing with your presence, love and blessing. She is living her life for you Father, may you continue to guide and direct this precious friend of mine. May you go before her and guide her every step. Bless her children and may they rise up and call their mother blessed! She is an amazing mother and may they see YOU in her. I thank you ahead of time for everything you are going to do in this amazing, strong woman’s life! We love you Lord and praise you.
Amen!
my friend, you honored BOTH your fathers with this. somehow I have a feeling they’re both incredibly proud of you right now. me too.
Michele,
Thank you!!! Your words mean so much to me. I was just telling the Lord one of the things I will miss hearing hims say is he’s proud of me. Thank you for being a messenger today. xo I’m so honored you came by you have no idea. One of my favorite writer’s and speaker’s visiting my blog?!? So cool. You inspire me daily!