“Dave, it’s about Ron.” I knew it wasn’t going to be a good conversation. “They found him slumped in his chair in the bus; they didn’t realize he had had a heart attack.” It was too late; 20 plus minutes of no oxygen to the brain rendered him clinically dead…
Ron was a former tenant of the building I used to manage. We talked often when we saw each other which was every week as his building is beside the one I still manage….
Besides the shock of the loss, it got to me thinking what kind of legacy are we living now that makes a difference not only in the “now” but in the years that follow?
Forward Friday looks at a man I’ve known so well; Hubert Austin Mills and in the lead up to Father’s Day 2023, over the next number of weeks, we want to look at some of the legacy living dad carved out and if there are some lessons to be learned in the process. And as always, there’s good news medicine at the end!
Let’s Get Into This!
Needless to say, that phone call was a sad one indeed but not long after, I started thinking about the value of a legacy to be admired, aspire to and it didn’t take more than a minute to think of the man who helped encourage me in my road of life!
Dad!!! The man from Bermuda! It still amazes me of his life journey…
Grew up in Bermuda; became a master carpenter by trade.
Had a dream to becoming a minister so he travelled to Toronto to go to Bible College.
While there, met mom at a youth convention on a blind date; had a 2 year letter writing romance..
Married in Dec 53, moved to Bermuda with mom.
Dad and mom came back to Montreal after her dad passed away; they ended up staying because of complications...
The neighborhood took them in and made them feel like they belonged from the get-go.
Dad became a maintenance director at a hospital as well as being a travelling evangelist…..
That’s a list and a good one but it’s who dad was that really made the difference in our lives and so many others.
Forward Friday Difference #1: Dad Cared And Loved Others
While there were many incredible attributes that dad exemplified, I think the first thing that sticks out to me was the love he had for others.
While he loved us and mom fiercely, he cared and loved others in incredible fashion.
The things I think About When I Think Of Dad And How He Cared For People
We were the only house in the area that had a hockey rink. Dad built the boards and worked that ice so the neighborhood kids could have a fun place to skate.
Dad always had time for young people. So many would come to him to talk about their problems or just wanted to spend time with him and get that monster handshake or the huge hug.
Dad was an awesome baker, and his care factor was the fact that Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, people got in their orders for cakes, hot cross buns etc… Keith and I would always ask why we had to give away so much…
Dad would say, “People can always use some love in ways that speak more than words”…. Okay… Can’t argue with that!!!!!
Dad would be sought out for advice, counseling, and fatherly warmth. Someone said to me that what they loved about dad was that before he would dispense advice, he had this way of making the person feel warmth, unconditional love, respect and once the ground was settled, he would bring the right word for the situation.
There were 2 sisters who had just moved to Montreal, found an apartment and settled into life in Montreal… Until a fire burnt the complex to the ground.
A week later, the sisters found a new place and one evening, there was a knock at the door.
When they opened the door, it was dad and another man from the church.
They heard about the sister’s plight, and they went and bought them a fridge and a stove!
That’s what dad was like, and we only heard about it after dad’s funeral.
Dad, I would say loved people where he found them but loved them too much to leave them like he found them.
Some Good Medicine Moments
When I think of care, unconditional love, loving people where they were found but loving them enough not to leave them how they found them, there is this fascinating story regarding Jesus and a woman he met a well.
In short in John 4:1-42, this woman went to get water from the well in the middle of the day. This was not a normal action as no one would go at high noon to draw water.
But Jesus knew that he had to meet this woman who had made a number of mistakes in her life, but Jesus brought such warmth to set the ground for change that when He gave her the Words of Life that could change her life, change came.
In fact, when she went back to the village, she told everyone excitedly how he had told her everything she had done but no one says something like that unless there was a profound change and shift because there was so much care and love shown to her.
Dad would always point us to Jesus because as a carpenter, he said the plumb line is used to make sure things are centered and straight.
Dad would say that because of God’s great love and care for us, when we would allow that love to warm our hearts to Him, these things have been true in his life, and I’ve been the beneficiary of his modeling to us.
God answers prayer…
God helps us in areas that we didn’t know we needed help in.
God provides for our needs..
God gives us everything we need for our spirit..
God provides us with constant care and love…
I’ve been thinking a lot about Ron, and I know that his life was not easy even at the best of times… his passing gets me thinking that legacy living that causes people to feel cared for and loved is so very much needed in our society.
Dad was such a wise man and over the next few weeks, we’ll look at some other legacy living difference moments that Dad lived.
Billy Graham once said, “The greatest legacy one can pass on to one's children and grandchildren is not money or other material things accumulated in one's life, but rather a legacy of character and faith.”
I aspire to live like this and I'm thankful for my dad, A man for all seasons……
Dave
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