Dad passed away 9-11-00

My father, Walter L. Wickman, passed away the morning of September 11^th, 2000. Due to God's perfect timing, my mom and I were blessed to be there as he passed from this life into the next. We stopped by the hospice care center for a short visit on my way back to the airport to fly home, after having spent the majority of the previous several days with him.

In the brief time we were there, Mom asked me to read Dad a heartfelt card expressing deep, shared emotions from one of our in-laws, and afterwards suggested that I sing to him. I sang "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" and "Lift High the Cross" (a song that was especially meaningful since Dad had just taught it to me some weeks earlier from his hospital bed, requesting that it be sung at his memorial service).  It was while I was singing to him that he quietly slipped away. It was really quite peaceful, in contrast to the past few days when he'd had seizure after seizure. As a friend who was also there visiting at the time reflected, we had the amazing privilege of escorting him into God's presence!

My brothers and I participated in the memorial service, with John sharing some favorite scripture verses, and Mark reflecting on the man that Dad was. I talked about the closeness Dad and I had gained in the last few weeks of his life, which I had been longing for essentially all of my life. I also sang the two songs I'd been singing as he passed away, with the help of a dear family friend.

At the end of the service, the guests had an opportunity to talk about their memories of Dad. Hearing these people remember Dad really blessed me, as I was able to see how he had given so much of himself to others, and touched so many lives in so many positive ways.

Since Dad has been gone, I've had a strong sense of our time here being very short, and that I need to make the most of it. I feel like I've been more "heavenly-minded", trying to focus more on things of lasting value. I find myself thinking more about what heaven will be like, and how the things we consider unfinished business here will either lose their importance, or somehow be brought to perfection in eternity. "For I am confident of this very thing: that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it…" (Phillipians 1:6).