“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.” – Psalm 37:23
Hi, everyone! I hope that you are well. Thank you so very much to all of you who have supported and continue to support my blogging journey. You reading, commenting, sharing, and just showing up with kindness means so very much to me. Though I don’t know you personally and probably will never have the chance to meet you, from the bottom of my heart, I want you to know that I love you. And, as always, I appreciate you!!!
Though I’m grateful, my heart feels heavy today. Grief comes in waves. And today, my heart is filled with sadness as I think about my dad, Thomas Dillard. He died earlier this year, and the fact that he is no longer alive still feels surreal.
What I wouldn’t give to have him back here with us! There’s no amount of money or possessions I wouldn’t give up to have him alive. If I could trade places, I would, because then my mother would still have her husband. My aunts and uncles would still have their brother. My siblings would still have their dad. My nieces and nephews would still have their granddad. And this world would still be that much brighter because of his light.
But I can’t.
So, I will do my best to honor the man that Thomas Dillard was.
The bible says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord (Psalm 37:23). And my dad loved the Lord. Every action he took was guided by His devotion to God and to his family. My dad was a good man.
He loved my mom so much. I’ve never seen a man love a woman as he loved her. He showed me that kind of friendship, commitment, and love was truly possible. He loved his family, as well. And we loved him. So much.
But his love was so great that it also extended to his employees, coworkers, church members, friends, and even strangers in the community. The sick and shut-in looked forward to his regular calls and visits. People depended on him. We depended on him.
He was a teacher. He taught Bible classes, but more importantly, he taught us about life. He taught us to live with kindness, treat all people with dignity and respect, and lead with love.
Thomas Dillard was a provider and a protector. He was dependable. He was always smiling and always talking about Jesus. No matter where a conversation with him began, he eventually turned the conversation to the Lord. We could be talking about which tool I needed to use to fix something in the house, and he’d end up telling me about God’s goodness and reminding me to trust in Him.
I miss that. I miss him.
He was an encourager. He loved life. He loved God. And he loved people. And I’m so thankful that he loved me – that he loved our family.
One of the last videos I have of him is of him saying that, while he was here on earth, he wanted God to allow him to do all he could for Him so He could receive the glory. He spoke of how his true riches were in heaven.
He understood what really matters in this life. And he demonstrated that to us all until the very end.
We all feel his absence so deeply.
And while we grieve his death from this side of heaven, our hearts are forever filled with love for him and from him.
Thomas Dillard was a great man.
I’ve never known any other man I can say that about. I’m so very thankful to the Lord for the life that he lived and for his example.
In his words, “Remember, you must keep your eyes focused on the Lord. Let Him know that you appreciate Him. Stay close to Him. In all your decisions you make from now forward, just love, have faith, and keep patiently pushing and praising the Lord because He will keep you now and forever.”
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