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Throughout the time I knew Dad, I watched him generously extend his time, talents, and treasure to not only his family, but also in his faithful tithing to his church and giving back to God, lending
But there is one generous act of my dad that far outshines all the others.
a helping hand to his neighbor in fixing a roof or providing comfort to a fellow church member who lost a loved one. Dad was also generous with his faith. Dad was saved by the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ when he was a teenager.
It is the one generous thing that gives the phrase, “Wait till your dad gets home,” its most profound impact on the life of his middle son.
Dad always came home.
Some may think, “So, what’s the big deal? That is what dads are supposed to do.”
Dad would then live out his faith by following the Great Commission of spreading the gospel in whatever little corner of the world he was in. Whether it was Atlanta, Georgia; Brandon, Florida; Stone Mountain, Moreland, or Palmetto, Georgia — even as a resident of Brightmoore Nursing Home in Griffin, Georgia — Dad was always sharing with others what God had done for him.
I have heard about individuals, learned about many historic and famous people, read stories about celebrities and athletes, and I personally know people whose dads left home and never came back.
Not my dad.
For a little boy learning to tie his shoes or tell time; a seventh-grade boy struggling to learn fractions; a 16-year- old boy learning to drive; a teenager receiving his high school diploma; a young man obtaining his college diploma, getting a law degree, then passing the bar exam; or for the young man getting married and having his first child, knowing Dad will return home every time he leaves in order to be a part of his life is a big deal. Dad’s coming home was certainly a big deal. But what’s a bigger deal is that Dad CHOSE to come home and he chose to come home because HE LOVED ME.
Dad was generous with his discipline, too. He was a firm believer that sometimes it is necessary to generously apply the aforementioned “belt of education” to activate the line of learning which runs from my “seat” to my “brain.” As painful as it is to admit, I am thankful for this generosity. Dad was also generous with his grace and forgiveness. I don’t think it’s possible to be married to someone for over 60 years and raise three boys without regularly extending a lot of grace to them and occasionally asking forgiveness from them.
This generous act of love shown to me every day of my life is the legacy Dad leaves me. It’s what’s behind the Tharpe name.
Knowing my dad loved me is the one thing I will proudly carry with me for the rest of my life — as a son, a husband, a dad and, maybe one day, a granddad.
Wait until your dad gets home. Today, I celebrate that the wait is over.
I can celebrate that Dad is no longer in pain, his leg has been restored, and he is now “dancing before the Lord and leaping like a deer.”
I am excited that Dad is with Mother.
I know Dad’s heart is now full and his soul is forever complete.
Dad is with Jesus.
I rejoice in knowing “Dad’s home! Dad’s home! Dad’s home!”
-Kevin
(770) 503-1022
www.kevintharpe.com
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