Hey Dad, I’m off tomorrow night. Do you want to get dinner with Josie and me?
He was excited to see his son and daughter-in-law. They never were good at returning his calls and it had been several weeks since he’d talked to them. They met at the restaurant and covered all the regular topics from the weather and work to plans and and the news. The old man was enjoying the conversation and picked up the check when it came. After the server walked away with his cash, his son said, “You know dad, things have been difficult for us financially. Josie and I both have been working less lately, our offices just aren’t that busy. I was wondering if you’d spot us a few grand…”
His father was happy to write a check.
Months later, the old man got another call from his son. They hadn’t talked since that night, even though he’d called both of them, they were never good at returning his calls. “Dad, we’re going out on the boat this weekend, do you want to join us?”
He was ecstatic to see his son and daughter-in-law again. It felt like it had been so long. They met at the marina then launched out. They fished and wakeboarded in intervals for hours before they stopped to eat. The boat rocked on the small waves. They hid in the shadow of the canyon walls that held the reservoir. They told him about their trip to Mexico and how much fun they had. The old man was glad that his son was enjoying life. After stories of adventures and promises to show him photographs, Josie’s face got serious and she nudged her husband. It was time to leave. On the way back, he started explaining to his father how they had been saving for a bigger house. They were thinking about having children, but their home was too small. “Dad, do you think you could help us with the down-payment, so we could afford the mortgage each month? I would like to put fifty down but we’ll only have half that when we sell…”
The old man was happy to write a check.
His son and daughter-in-law couldn’t find a house they wanted, so they had one built. They had kids and put them in private school. The old man visited with his growing family two or three times a year and knew that every time he saw Mike and Josie, they’d ask for money. Sometimes, it felt as if he had to pay to see them but he loved all of them so much. He put money into trust funds for all the kids, bought them cars when they were old enough to drive. Sometimes, he felt used, but that was only in the months when he didn’t hear from his son. They never were good at returning his calls. The old man was faithful to be there, even when his children weren’t. He was always there when they needed him. All they had to do was call.
Jake,
What a heart wrenching story! Filled with such tender emotion…I became emotionally vested with the elderly man immediately & am left wanting more! Just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate this piece & it has my mind (heart & soul) pondering MY relationships & if I’m taking anyone for granted or leaving anyone waiting for that call!
Thank you!
Kelly
Hi Jake,
I think the old man ought to get a life!
Lou
Lou, you get a gold star for the best comment!
This one stings, as it should. And it applies to all of us, no matter what our age is. Good post, Jake.
It does apply! Thanks Glynn!
I think I took it a bit differently than others. I just kept thinking how, even when I go through seasons where I only come to God when I need something, He’s still faithful to show up and help…even when He wants more than just my needs.
Oh, and I love that you kept it at just the story without writing out the application. Left it open for interpretation so that each of us could get something different. So good, Jake.
Jason, you nailed it. I’m glad someone did, I was beginning to think I didn’t write it correctly. What’s interesting is that I wasn’t thinking about supplication but about the corporate body….. We show up and regardless of our awful intentions, God’s there. It’s fascinating….
That’s the beauty though of not including the application – it speaks to a wider variety of people in a wider variety of ways. I thought it was great!
It does, but I’m the kind of human that would MUCH rather people knew what I was trying to say! HA… I think that’s an admission to vanity. Oh well..
Whoa, back the truck up a minute. You’re human?! And here I thought I was talking to a Superman-esk like alien. Dang. Guess I need to take that “they are among us” web site down.
I don’t think that’s really an admission to vanity as much as it is trying to be a good communicator.
Hope so 🙂
God is amazingly faithful, whether I am trying to be a dutiful daughter, or am just being a whiny schmuck! His love is the same and unfailing!
Great post!
Thanks Helen! We’re all schmucks though…. I mean… seriously 🙂
Jake – I got the “punch-line” when you wrote ‘He was always there when they needed him. All they had to do was call.’ How often I leave God out of my life equations until it’s something “big” I need from Him. Yesterday morning I sat at His feet as the sun poured in hot. Nothing on the agenda. Nothing but relationship. The call was more than worth it. It always is!
It is always worth it, and He never gets butt-hurt and ignores us. It’s so great that we can rely on Him!
I’m like Kelly and went over some of the relationships I have in my head, wondering if I take anyone for granted. Especially since I’m a broke seminary student 🙂
Amber, I’m completely curious. Which seminary do you go to? I was at Western and considered switching to NNU to finish my M.Div, but I’m holding off on that for now. Regardless, it’s important to consider our relationships and the motivations behind all of them. I think it’s fascinating to do… unless you overdo it, then you just get kind of crazy!
I’ve been going part time to Emmanuel School of Religion (which is now Emmanuel Christian Seminary) but just moved to Columbia, SC. So, I’m finishing at Lutheran Southern. I’m Episcopalian 🙂
Nice! I think I already said I was at Western Seminary, but I’m kind of a mutt… one might say I’m non-denominational, but truthfully, I think so many denominations have a LOT to offer from structure to tradition and obviously theological insight…
I’m actually glad you didn’t finish the story. I know the ending to this one. It is very sad. The old man who never made his kids do the right thing, never would have it in them to do the right thing when they chose to put him in a home and have him declared mentally unstable and took over his financial status.
Sometimes as parents it’s more difficult to do the right things. If we buy our children’s affections, we’ll never have enough money to keep them.
Only by showing them true love with discipline and steadfastness will they learn to not be complete losers.
This actually reminded me of David and his son Absolom. The more he did for his son, the more the son hated and resented him. In the end Absolom wanted everything David had, except the love.
Sorry for writing my own ending into your creation. It just pushed some buttons in me that I see is the problem with our whole society.
Floyd, I like to push your buttons. You have good responses. I think leaving this open-ended invited a lot of different interpretations, and I genuinely enjoyed them.