Four weeks ago Bill Finney, my father-in-law walked into the
arms of Jesus.
I’ve experienced a roller-coaster of emotions since that
night as I struggle to grasp the understanding of Bill’s ultimate healing and yet
feel the sorrow and suffering felt not only by me but also by Bill’s youngest
son. I’ve reflected on the day I met Bill and Micah. Micah leaned against the
counter in their kitchen with his arms crossed across his chest, stern look on
his face, not saying a word, an imposing picture. Bill on the other hand,
though physically worn from his four month adventure, was ever the southern
gentleman, smiling, charming and I fell immediately in love with this family. I
was Bill’s nurse, my role was to create a caregiving plan, train the caregiver,
care for the patient, advocate as needed. Micah…he was the castle guard. He
exuded a desire to protect his father from any nonsense I was there to hand
out. I knew I was going to have to pull out all the stops to make this
situation work. Four years later and I sit
in wonder at God’s amazingly perfect plan. His ways, truly, are not our ways…
In the last four weeks I have spent hours and hours sitting
on the floor sorting through boxes and tubs of photos and mementos that only
begin to represent a life. The attempt to tell the story of a man and his
impact on his family and the world through snapshots and newspaper clippings
falls dismally short. However, what I saw weaved through these memories was the
beautiful story of God’s mercy, His transforming power, the grace He offers so
generously. Bill was not a verbally expressive man, perhaps due to his southern
upbringing, but he was a writer and a photographer. His heart was expressed in words
through letters to his sister and in the photos he took of his sons and their
mother expressing great tenderness in every shot.
Father’s have such power. I am unwaveringly convinced that
we see the work of the enemy in the hearts of men because he knows if that
power is thwarted he has all but won the battle. Bill Finney barely knew his
own father whom he lost as a child. He became a father to Scott when he married
Scott’s mother. The enemy lost this battle. It happened late in life, but Bill
Finney knew Jesus, his bride knew Jesus and his sons know Jesus.
My earthly father knows Jesus as well and I was blessed to
hear of Jesus love from a young age and see it demonstrated in the life of my
dad. Experiencing the love of a father who loves Jesus – I know this has been
the anchor that has tethered me through the storms in my own life; and there
have been many. Conversely at times I experience heavy sorrow for the loss of
that experience in the lives of my own children. Then God reminds me that He is
the Father to the fatherless, He sees and knows the pain, He provides all we
need, all they need and He loves them more than I could every understand.
Again, the grace and mercy of our Lord washes over me and I count my
blessings. The blessings of my own
father who has been a Godly grandfather to my children and the blessing of
gifting us with Micah who I know loves my children as if they were his very
own. God does provide and He restores
and through His restoration lives are transformed.
Bill Finney is now dwelling with his heavenly Father…he left
his son to be a father to my children… I am so blessed and thankful for the day
I met Iron Man Bill Finney.
