He Watches Over Me

My Dad helps me plant corn every year.  He is 89 and knows planting is an art, wants to train my children, and loves me. His garden vision is the agricultural version of Michelangelo who said: “In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me..." He sees the journey from the seed in his hand to the final corn served on the table in August with butter and salt and pepper. He wants me to know how to do that too.  

My Dad taught me the value of working hard, the importance of taking care of what you have, and the prize of independence. He taught me to grow vegetables, mow a lawn and drive a tractor.  He worked by my side to can tomatoes and applesauce. He works by the side of my children as he mentors the next generation. My favorite phrase of his is "Let's go!" He takes charge of his life, never makes excuses and tries hard to follow through. 

He tells the story of his father, Cyril, who was hired to haul dirt with a team of horses on a work project in Emigration Canyon during the depression when cash was scarce. The men were complaining that he was delivering the dirt faster than they could shovel, and didn't want to work that hard.  The foreman said, "Unless you slow down and the men stop complaining, we don't need your help any more." Cyril left the job, came home and told his wife, "Unless I can put in an honest day's work, I will not work." She didn't feel the same way and worried about being able to put food on the table. Two days later,  the same foreman stood at their front door and asked if he could come into their home. He said to Cyril and his wife that they had tried to get other teams of horses and other men and scrapers to pull the dirt down from the top of the hill onto the pipe and culvert, but none could do the job.  He stated, 

"Would you consider my apology for our position and your determination to do the right thing and will you come back and do the work?  The men have all agreed they will not complain about your efforts." 

This left a great impression on my Dad about the value of integrity and hard work. Sharing values, teaching, protecting. That's what fathers do. God sends fathers to do His work of watching over his children. It is a divine pattern. I watch over my corn as I water, weed, and fertilize and feel my Dad's watchful care and influence.  And as my corn grows, I feel Heaven's watchful care as well as God endorses and blesses my fathers teachings.