My eyes welled with tears Sunday as our church choir, with orchestral accompaniment, sang the service songs of the US military branches during our pre-Fourth of July service. Prior to the “Marine’s Hymn,” a white-haired gentleman in front of us handed his bulletin to his wife and prepared to stand. On the first note, he stood proudly with shoulders thrust back and arms by his side. I couldn’t see his face but imagined his countenance reflected pride, honor, and patriotism. When the choir sang the song for the US Army, I thought of my dad who enlisted as a seventeen-year-old…
Tag: John 3:16
Two Memories of My Dad
Memory 1: Silent communication in church When I sat beside my dad in church, he would squeeze my hand twice which meant he was asking, “Love me?” I would return two squeezes to say, “Uh huh.” His next two squeezes translated, “How much?” I would squeeze his hand with my two as hard as I could to express my love for the man I most admired. Then, I’d re-start the silent conversation by asking him the first question in the sequence. I’d stifle giggles when he’d wrap my hand in his and apply gentle pressure to indicate how much he…