“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” – James 1:17
On the day that I am writing this devotional, it is exactly 3 months from the day that my Father departed from this world and entered into Life everlasting. At the age of 71, his time with us was cut short by a terrible disease called Frontotemporal Dementia. And this is the day that I sat down to write a devotional about what I am thankful for. Today, I want to let you know that I am deeply thankful for my Dad.
My Dad was a good man. He was strong and he was gentle. He loved people really well, he loved Jesus with all his heart, and he taught all three of his kids and all nine of his grandkids to do the same. He was generous, kind, humble, patient, absolutely selfless, a man of impeccable character, the consummate entertainer, and oh so very funny. Even during the worst of this awful sickness, he was still all Dad. Dementia may have ravaged his brain, he may not have remembered our names, he could barely put together a sentence, but he could smile, he could laugh, and his eyes still had all the love that they had ever had in them. It was still Dad. It’s amazing how much you miss those little things. In fact, I didn’t realize how thankful I was for those little things until I lost them. It had been years since I had had a meaningful conversation with him and he just hadn’t been himself for a long time, but there was something so comforting in knowing that I could go visit him and see his smile, hear his laugh, and look at those loving eyes.
I can’t do that anymore… at least, not with Dad… but I can look for it in others. So, today, my Dad is still teaching me things. He is teaching me to be thankful for the gift of a smile, a laugh, and for loving eyes wherever I see them. He is reminding me that while these may be little things, they are also good and perfect gifts, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.
Thanks, Dad.
Now, it’s your turn. What are the little things that are good and perfect gifts?
Pastor Josh Rose
Teaching Pastor