You know how family businesses often say ______ & Son(s)? I giggled last night when I thought of how silly that would sound with "& Daughter" at the end. It's just not usually done - honestly, I've never seen it done. Have you?
The other thing that a company like that represents is often a mechanic's shop or a furniture store. Can't even think of other possibilities now that I'm actually trying to.
Anyway, these families share the family business. The elder male teaches the younger one the family business. Even Joseph taught Jesus the family business of carpentry. I'm guessing that a lot is learned during the younger years for the son being taught side-by-side by his father who may have been taught by his father and so on...
Why this line of thought? Glad you asked. I "joined" the family business myself. But it wasn't mechanics or carpentry or anything handy with tools of any kind. If you know my father, well, you'd understand. He is not so handy. At all. Nope, not really at all.
But before you think I'm being rude to my dear father, let me tell you what business I'm talking about.
I learned the "business" of loving people in their most vulnerable times.
When I was in Jr. High, my father took a job here in Rockford at Rockford Memorial as a staff chaplain. Before that, he'd been a pastor in several locations and done chaplaincy training.
As a Jr. High school student, I chose to accept an invitation he extended to me on a Thursday. That invitation? To attend his service he was holding at the hospital for people in the hospital. We would go up to floors and wheel down the able to the chapel on the main floor. There we'd sing (trust me - we tried to sing anyway) and he'd give a short message, then he'd pray. Afterwards, we returned everyone to their rooms. I'd talk to whoever I was pushing in a wheelchair and get to know them a little better and loved it.
Those times were so special to me. Not just because I was loving others, but because I was with my dad. I had so much to learn from him, but he rarely "taught". He always led. He didn't have to preach at me. I watched his life. And I saw how much love he had to give and how much of God he had to share.
Years later, I'd become a chaplain at a retirement home. He was so proud, but I was just as thrilled to be following in his footsteps. He was the one I called the first time I had to minister to a resident who was dying. He was the first one I called the day I had to go in to comfort a grieving family. He was the first one I called when asked a theological question by a questioning resident. And, he was the first one I ran to the day one of my favorite residents died. He opened the door, saw my face, and opened his arms while I cried on his shoulder.
I'm no longer a chaplain, but that hasn't stopped my ministering with my dad. And I'm so grateful. Have you met the guy? Sheesh, he oozes care, concern, love, and God - definitely not in that order (God is first to him.). No one is immune to him. Well, no one I've come across anyway.
When he was a pastor locally for a few years, I would spend part of Saturdays with him visiting people from the church. There is nothing like spending time with people, meeting them right where they are, right where their concerns live.
And now, he's retired, but not from the Lord's work. I've been going to visit with him for years those that are sick and/or dying. My sister says we don't know how to have fun! (hehehe) But, we have love to give and somehow the Lord has given us the desire and ability to go in to the hard places. You might call us the "last reponders". We can often be found showing up as a family member is dying, offering love, prayer, hugs, faith, or just a quiet show of support. (Yes, I can do quiet when necessary!)
Just yesterday I had the privilege of spending time with a grieving family after the loss of their mom/wife/grandma. We've actually spent the last few months each weekend with the family and were so blessed to be asked to share in their family in such a special, intimate, and difficult time.
Jesus had the opportunity to learn from two fathers - Joseph on earth and His Father in Heaven. I've had that same opportunity in the form of my Father in Heaven and one Rene' Escalante. What a privilege!
No, I can't fix a car (though I did recently change my own tail light with the help of YouTube!). I can't build much other than IKEA furniture and Legos. I don't even know his native language.
What I can do is love people because my fathers taught me well.
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