One of the most meaningful things about my dad has always been his deep heart for others and his passion for his faith. He shared both his heart and his faith through writing letters, teaching, answering phone calls, chatting over countless cups of chai, and selflessly showing up for people when they needed something in whatever way he could.
My dad is in the sunset season of his life as his body and mind decline from the effects of Parkinson’s and dementia. His days of writing letters, answering phone calls and physically coming to the support of those in need are over. It’s so hard to witness those core parts of how he connected with others disappear. But I want to believe that his heart for others and his faith in God are still a profound part of who he is. The words he does have left are most often words of prayer and encouragement.
We would often tease my dad about the time it took him to “pray around the world,” at meals or at family devotions–as he named people from all different walks of life living all around the globe. He kept track of several prayer lists that he would faithfully pray through each day. I believe he still holds all of the names, pictures and stories of family, friends and supporters in his heart, and in his own way continues to pray around the world.
One thing I’ve learned from my dad is that when our own words fail us, songs, prayers and scripture verses say what we cannot say. As his own words continue to fail, he still tries to string together phrases from Scripture, songs and prayers that are deeply embedded in his heart. It brings a new meaning to my understanding of that verse:
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.
Romans 8:26