Father’s Day 2018

By |Published On: June 15, 2018|Categories: 4-Minute Radio Program|

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and welcome to Joni and Friends.

Some time ago my husband Ken was cleaning out our garage, when he came through the kitchen door holding up a pair of Canadian crutches. He said to me, “Do you want to dump these?” I took one look at the dusty crutches and got a lump in my throat. I said to him; “Oh, they’re Daddy’s crutches,” Ken leaned the crutches against the kitchen wall and went back to his project. The aluminum on the crutches was scraped and the rubber tips were scuffed, but those crutches brought into focus a flood of memories.

All through his 70’s and 80’s my father, John Eareckson, hobbled around on those Canadian crutches because of his arthritis. Daddy had me late in life and, even as a little girl, I used to admire the way he would use one of his crutches to shove around chairs or sometimes he would even ring a doorbell. On a good day, I would toss him a ball and he’d be able to whack it right past me with one of his crutches. Around the farm we could always tell when Dad was off on a horseback ride if his crutches would be leaning against the hitching post.

Then came my diving accident in 1967. Back in the 60’s, rehab philosophy hadn’t advanced very far, and I was forced to stay in the hospital for almost two years. I missed our home at the farm and oh, would I look forward to Daddy’s visits. I could always tell when he was coming down the hallway to see me. “Click-click-click” his crutches would echo on the linoleum tile. ‘Oh boy, Daddy’s here!’ I would think, grinning to myself.

Because of Daddy’s arthritis, I believed that he, more than anyone else in the family, understood my situation. Daddy had gone from being a strong, active kind of guy, to a man who could hardly walk on his own. (I forgot to mention, my father was inducted in the US Wrestling Hall of Fame at Oklahoma State University and he was an alternate on the 1932 Olympic wrestling team). Daddy, too, knew what having a disability was like. I could see it in his eyes and could hear it in his voice when he would set down his crutches, gingerly taking a seat by my hospital bedside to read to me from his Bible. It’s why that “clicking” sound of his crutches was for me such a beautiful, welcoming sound.

My dear father went home to be with Jesus in 1990 at the age of 90 years old, and I miss him still. But God brings him to mind every time I read a special Bible verse. It’s Isaiah Chapter 52, verse 7 and it says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” No doubt about it. My father’s feet may have been disabled with arthritis, but they were beautiful. The sound of his crutches brought good tidings, peace for my heart, and salvation for my soul.

Father’s Day is coming up this weekend and if your dad is still living, don’t miss this chance, don’t miss this opportunity to connect with your dad.  If there’s been a lingering conflict, take the initiative, make it right. Promote forgiveness, would you? If there is an issue unresolved, then resolve it. Because all too quickly your father will be gone — so don’t miss this chance to bring good news and proclaim peace to the one you call Daddy. It’ll make this Father’s Day for him so truly happy. And hey, if you’d like to see a picture of my father, John Eareckson, visit my radio page at joniandfriends.org where I’ve posted a photo of my Daddy.

Happy Father’s Day this Sunday! Oh, and thanks for listening today and don’t forget joniandfriends.org/radio.

© Joni and Friends

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