Memories of my Dad

This is what I said about my dad at his memorial and celebration service on Monday, May 18th.

Many people remember that my dad was a great ping pong player. What they may not know is that I am responsible for his greatness. When I watched him play when I was young, I would run upstairs crying if he would start to lose. And as he used to say, he had to work his fool head off to win so that I would not cry.

My dad also cared about people. He also loved to tell jokes over and over and over again. He also loved to brag that he was 100% Danish and loved to joke with our office assistants, especially the Norwegians. I will try to tell one of his favorite jokes although I can not tell them like he could or laugh at them like he could. There were a couple guys walking down the street talking about how they disliked Norwegians. They came upon a Norwegian playing an organ grinder along with his little monkey. The monkey would do lots of different tricks for which he would take tips from people. The first man gave the little monkey a $5 tip. That surprised the other man and he asked why he did that since he hated Norwegians. The first one replied, “Well, I do, but they’re just so cute when they’re young.”

My dad had a lot of good qualities but was not very patient. He always wanted to get to places early, and he never read directions. I remember helping him put together a couple bikes when I was about 10. Since he did not read directions, he was getting so frustrated. I tried to tell him what the directions said, but he just finally gave up and I ended up putting them together. After that, I think he just handed off all those jobs to me.

My dad was a good man and great father. He always cared about his family and spent most of his time, energy, and money on us. I remember driving home from a school function when I was sixteen and had only had my license about 6 months. It was a cool November evening with just a light mist. When I was less than a block from home the car started sliding and it slid around around hit a parked car. Mom and Dad came home later on and I figured he would be mad at me. When I started telling him, I discovered that he was not mad, just concerned about me. He did not care at all about the car. Of course I had to drive around with a banged up car. Bruce helped me repair it and put a very nice orange peel paint job on it.

My dad was looking forward to hearing me preach on May 3rd. Unfortunately, his accident was on May 2nd, the day before. While I am not going to preach a sermon, I do want to say a couple words that my dad would want me to say. I have talked to him quite a bit over the past couple years about what Christ was doing in my life. I have heard it said many times this weekend about what a good man my dad was, and he was by human standards. Despite being a good person, he would be the first one to tell you that it was not being good that saved him. My dad was born again when he was 14 and rededicated his life to Christ in his early ‘20s.

So many people think that if they are good enough they will somehow get into heaven. But that has nothing to do with it. We can be born again only because of what Christ did for us on the cross. It is not because of going to church. It is not by being baptized or taking communion. It is not even by repeating a prayer. Now I realize that many people do come to Christ through just such a prayer, but it is in spite of it not because of it. We must first realize that we all are sinners in thought, word, or deed. We have all broken God’s laws and deserve hell. We have lied, stolen, and even hated, which Jesus said is the same as murder. I know, If I was judged by God by his Law, I would be found guilty. God is loving, but He is also just and Holy. He can not allow sin in His presence. My only hope is Christ - He came to earth to not only die but to endure the wrath of God that I deserve. It says in Isaiah 53:10 that it “It pleased YAHWEH to crush His Son” Can you understand what that means. I did the crime, but Christ paid my fine. Because Christ became sin for us, God the Father could not look at His own Son upon the cross. That is why He cried out "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?"

Christ took the punishment I deserve, defeated death, and rose again. Because of His death, I can live. I Corinthians 5:21 states it this way: “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Christ took on my sin, and I received Christ's righteousness. My response to the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit is simply to repent and believe the gospel. I must trust in Christ and Christ alone for my salvation.

I know my dad is in heaven waiting for me someday. I also know that my dad would find no joy greater than if, through his death, one more person would put their trust in Christ.

ESV Study Bible

I love the new "ESV Study Bible". My favorite up until this time has been "The MacArthur Study Bible" and it still will be the one I read from everyday, but for more in depth studying, the ESV Study Bible is great. One of the best features is that it is all available online as well. Even now you can go to http://www.esvstudybible.org/online to read the Bible. However, if you purchase a copy of the ESV Study Bible you get a code to upgrade to the full version online. You can read the study notes, maps, charts, articles, etc. You can add your own notes and even highlight passages. When there is a cross-reference you do not even have to click on the link because when you move your cursor over the link, a box pops up with the text in the box. Best of all, you can view your information, notes, and highlighting from any computer. I highly recommend both the ESV Study Bible or The MacArthur Study Bible.

Read through the Bible

I have started reading through the Bible using a method designed by Professor Grant Horner. I resisted using it at first because it seemed too complicated. You read ten chapters a day but they all are in different books of the Bible. Some sections like Acts you repeat every month and some like the prophets you repeat every 250 days. Someone figured it out that it will take 15 billion years before you will repeat the system from the beginning.

I love reading just one chapter out of Job, Genesis, etc. When I have tried other reading plans I would get bogged done in certain books, like Leviticus or Job. But when you read just one chapter it starts to sink in. Also there have been a couple days where things came up that made it impossible to read. That is not my preference, but at least I could just do it the next day. I never felt like I was behind because I was off on days, like most One Year Bibles.

I have made it my discipline that I will not read other Christian books unless I have read the ten chapters for the day. I have fallen in love with God and His Word rather than human authors.

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