Today, Fathers’ Day, I am blessed to be getting cards and presents from my wonderful Daughter, Sarah and wonderful Son, David!  I am also thinking of my Dad, George. I am remembering how something  came to mind that comforted me when his life on earth came to an end. It was the memory of hearing a young woman many years earlier, who in the process of introducing herself to us all at the start of a talk said, “I have four children, 3 here and one who is living in heaven with Jesus.”  That came back to me with great clarity and all of a sudden I saw it: I still have a Dad! He is living in heaven with the God who said long after the patriarchs had left this earthly scene, “I AM (Not “I was”) THE GOD  OF ABRAHAM AND ISAAC AND JACOB.” To that list of names you can add many more names including GEORGE WILLIAMSON BORTHWICK! Jesus told us that “God is not the God of the dead but of the living.” So today I am thankful that I have a Dad called George who still lives. One day I will see him again for sure because we both put our trust in the cross of Christ.

Does he think of me? I don’t doubt it for a minute. I know one thing he will be doing for sure: he will be praying for my Mum, my sister, myself, his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and the wider family. I know that because he loved us all. In heaven he loves us no less. He always prayed for us all here so why would he have stopped?

I know something else he will be doing too: he will be singing, praising, worshipping. He loved to sing here, the only problem was though he could hold  a tune it was rarely the same tune  that everyone else was singing! His favourite hymn included the line, “For He has kindly promised that even I may go, to sing among his angels because He loves me so!” No one will be giving him side long looks any more, but will be amazed at how he loves to sing more than most.

So I know for sure I have a Father called George who is living in heaven, who prays and who sings. I am confident of this too; that Jesus does not mind when from time to time I pray, “Jesus, if it is ok to ask you this, could you tell my Dad I love him and miss him?”

These were my early morning thoughts this day, drinking my  cup of tea at   7 o’clock and feeling thankful.

Kenny