Your Words Will Matter Long After

Your words can ring long after you speak them. I was searching for a lesson that dad had preached and somehow I stumbled across this treasure from 50 years and 6 months ago, November, 1973. It is from a manuscript of a sermon dad preached. The file is titled: TV Sermon - November 25, 1973, LOST—SOMETHING PRECIOUS. Here’s how dad started that program: “A few days ago I received through the mail a check for $100; carelessly I misplaced it. Only a parent can know how terrified my wife and I were a few years ago at Six Flags Over Georgia when our youngest son was lost in the big crowd.” 

That’s from his side, I remember from the other side. I was 6 or 7 years old. We had just gotten off a ride and I was holding my dad’s hand. In my child’s mind there were a million people at Six Flags that day. For a half a heartbeat I let go of dad’s hand and then reached back up to take it again. After a couple of steps I looked up, the man who’s hand I was holding to wasn’t dad and there was no sign of him in sight. I was literally terrified. We were quickly reunited. 

As far as I knew, until a couple of weeks ago he never gave it another thought. I was wrong, and across 50 years and now 13 years with him gone from this earth, his words reassure me of the love he always had for me, for each of his children. 

I’ve already thought of about 4 possible applications from this story, but for this day, just one: Don’t forget to say, write, record, express, convey, in multiple ways your love for the people in your life who you do cherish. Let me assure you, whether they see or hear it sooner or later, it will mean much to you.