This past week I had the opportunity to go home to sit with my dad while he was in the hospital.  I got to sit with him during the night times while my mom stayed with him during the day time.  Over the past few years, I have had this opportunity several times.  This time was different as I was alone with my dad a great deal of the time.  We talked about a lot of different topics from sports, family, health, and marriage.  Our relationship over the years focused on primarily sports and work.  My dad took me to professional and college sporting events from as long as I can remember.  I grew up going to see the Houston Astros when Caesar Cedeno, Bob Watson, and Roger Metzger played. (Just to name a few of the players I remember.)  My dad took me to see the Houston Rockets play back when they played in the Hoffeinz Pavilion.  Rudy T was the player I remember the most along with Moses Malone when he played for the Rockets.  I know that my memory is not as good as it ought to be when it comes to players.  In December of 1971, my dad and I got to go see the Cowboys play when Texas Stadium first opened.  Craig Morton and Roger Staubach rotated as quarterback most of that season.  Calvin Hill was the running back.  I realize that I could continue to talk about all the players my dad took me to go see as I was growing up.  Most of our relationship was built around sports.  I am not saying that my dad has not been a great dad.  He not only took me to many ball games of all kinds, he also taught me the importance of going to church and doing for others.

There were two times this past week that I felt were the most important parts of the time with my dad.

1. He talked about his relationship with my mom, his wife.  He told me about the first time he saw my mom on the college campus.  He said that the first time he saw her, he told the individual that he was with that she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen.  As he was talking about that day, he lit up like a Christmas tree.  He continued talking about how he knew that God had put her into his life and that she was God’s gift to him for the rest of his life.  So far they have been married for 61 years.  What a legacy that he has given me.
2. During the couple of nights that I stayed with him, he began talking to me about who I am.  He commented on my willingness to stay with him and meet his needs while I was there.  He actually made the statement “You didn’t get that from me.”  I am not sure that was a true statement as I have seen him serve others in a lot of different ways.  His statements to me were very humbling as he has always been someone that I have looked up to over my life.

The importance of these conversations to me hopefully will help me be a better dad and husband.  To hear my dad talk about how God has given him a wife as a gift so many years ago reinforces my perspective of my wife.  My wife is also a gift from God.  As long as you have that perspective, you can have the endurance to go the distance in marriage.  Life can be very difficult at times.  During those difficulties, you need a strong foundation.  That foundation has to be built on God and His involvement in your marriage.  My dad shared with me his private relationship with God.  This was a first time for that.  I have always known that my dad was a Christian, but this past week he made it very personal.  Again, he allowed me a close look at his foundation.  I hope that I can share my life with my children in a way that will help build their foundations.

Bradley D. Watson, BCBT

Directed Path Ministries

After spending more than 25 years on church staffs, God has allowed me to take the experiences and knowledge that I gained to develop a Biblical Counseling ministry.  The basis of this ministry is to allow God’s Word to shine on the main issues in peoples’ lives in order to bring His resolutions to problems.

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