My father is 89 years old. In a recent phone conversation I asked him how he was doing and he said, “Not so good. I don’t feel as strong as I used to.” I must admit that I gave him a hard time for the comment. After a heart valve transplant, several prolonged hospital stays, and, recent surgery on his leg (to say nothing of almost nine decades of life on this planet), it is to be expected that Morgan would feel a bit off his game.
Besides, I am his youngest child and I personally don’t feel as energetic as I once did!
Still, it did bring back memories of how strong my father used to be. One of my favorite photos from childhood shows me at about five or six years of age in his arms. He has a suit and tie on with one of those really spiffy hats popular in the fifties. In the black and white photo I am also seen wearing a sports jacket with tie, riding high in my father’s one-armed grasp.
The only thing that kind of ruins the photo memory for me is that I think it was taken when we were going to a father/son activity at his church. If my general behavior in religious functions held true, we probably did not end the evening in the same good humor as we began it!
Still, the picture serves to remind me of how big my father’s chest was and how strong his arms were. As a kid I can remember trying to wrap my own arms around that chest – it just couldn’t be done!
Morgan and I wrestled together until I was probably 12 or 13 years old. Well, I wrestled. My father played with me. He was so strong that I couldn’t do anything to break his hold on me.
We quit wrestling after Morgan put me in a headlock one day, and I wouldn’t say "uncle.” I just wasn’t going to do it this time! My father continued to apply pressure to my head until we both heard a rather sickening cracking noise. No, it was not my head - far too hard for that. It was my father’s rib.
Somehow we never got back to championship wrestling after that injury.
When I think of Morgan’s strength, I am also reminded of God’s power. He is a strong God who offers each one of us strength for the journey. (Isaiah 40:29) Like my earthly father lifted me up in his right arm, so will my Heavenly Father. (Isaiah 41:10) Because of these promises, I can also have the strength to face the trials that are normal in life. (Ephesians 6:10)
As Morgan occasionally reminds me, being eighty-nine is not the easiest thing he has ever done. So, on this Father’s Day I hope he can hold on to a promise made to the tribe of Asher: “Your bars shall be iron and bronze, and as your days, so shall your strength be.” (Deut. 33:25)
Happy Father's Day, Morgan! Maybe next time I am back in the States we could find some time for a little re-match. I am feeling pretty good about my chances.
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