Ask Him!

So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. Matthew 7:11

This year Father's day fell on June 21st and June 22, 2020, would have been my father's 87th birthday. I think of my daddy all of the time, but for those two days, I reflected on him more than usual. I even rewatched his funeral enjoying all of the wonderful things people said about him I had a great father. Irvin Adelbert Gill's whole life was a gift to me. My dad was an administrative Social Worker. He worked long and hard to find foster homes and adoptive homes for children who needed them. And he was good at his job. I grew up with a host of friends at my church that were placed in families by him.

I was born when he was 41. He had wonderful step-children, but I'm not sure that he ever imagined that he would have children of his own. And then I came along. He adored me. I could feel that adoration constantly. I had to concentrate on not taking advantage of that adoration. My aunt would try to put me up to it though. Whenever she wanted something from him, perhaps for him to take us on a trip, she would ask me to ask, because she knew that he would not be able to tell me "No." I knew it too. But I did my best not to abuse his love for me.

One Father's Day, I wrote him this letter to just say "Thank you."

Dear Daddy,

I have always valued you as a great dad, but now that I am an adult, I really see just how great you are. Because my siblings were quite a bit older than me and I was the only child in our house, my earliest memories involved you as my playmate. I remember playing Trot Trot on your knee. I remember you talking in your high register to give Barbie a believable voice. I remember you allowing me to fill your hair with barrettes and ribbons. I remember tying my jump rope around the tree with you twirling on the other end so that I could jump rope. I remember countless bike rides to 7/11 to cure our sweet tooths. Now that I am an adult I realize that tea parties were not necessarily something that you wanted to do, but I never knew that as a kid. You always said, "Yes" to my ideas, never "I'm too tired." Never "Later." Always, "Yes" and I thank you.

I remember when I started school at Rochester Junior Academy there was no other parent more involved than you. You ran the health food store for my school. You were in charge of the fruit program for my school. You were even school board chairmen for my school. One year, Mrs. Benjamin asked the Kindergarten Class who was the President of the United States and one of the children said, "Mr. Gill!" At our school, you seemed that important to them and you were that important to me. And I thank you.

When I was 12 or 13, going out with my friends on Saturday night was a big deal, it was always you who my friends asked to take us. So after you served at church all day on Sabbath; and after you opened the Health Food Store on Saturday Night; you loaded up your van with my friends to take us rollerskating, bowling, or whatever kosher place we could think of. I still remember your nervous eye looking through the rearview mirror at me sitting next to a boy. Back then I wished that just once someone else's parents would take us, but now I realize what a big deal it was that you always did and I thank you.

From Kindergarten through Oakwood I attended church school. Now that I'm paying tuition for my son, I have a small glimpse of what a sacrifice that was. But all along I never realized how much. I never worried about whether or not I would be returning to Pine Forge the next year. I knew that whatever was necessary you would do and I thank you.

Now that I am a parent, it's so special watching you repeat the cycle. You play with my boys just like you played with me. Instead of Barbies, now you build Legos. And instead of tea parties, you build forts, but it's still the same. It's You being present in their lives just like you were in mine and I thank you.

I love you Daddy and I feel so blessed to have you as my dad.

Jennifer

My dad was not perfect! People who knew him knew that well. He was a much better leader than he was a follower. He would never have won best dressed by any stretch of the imagination. "Mr. Fix It" or so he called himself would often make things worse than they were when he started. He was not perfect.
He was also a sinner. Just like the rest if us, he struggled with sin. It wouldn't be fair of me to list his sins here for the world to see but he did sin. Still my sinful, imperfect dad knew how to give good gifts. I haven't told you about the time he bought me a car before I had a license. He was crazy about giving me gifts; some I asked for and some I didn't even think of. That sinner gave me everything he had. Everything he had belonged to me. His time belonged to me. His money belonged to me. His talents belonged to me. His resources belonged to me. I knew that whatever I asked for he would give me because he loved me that much.

In this text, Matthew is asking us to compare our sinful parents with our perfect flawless heavenly Father. If our sinful parents are aware of how to give good gifts, then can you imagine how much more or to a greater degree, our Heavenly Father will give good gifts to those who ask him.

I tried to not take advantage of my earthly father's gift-giving, but the Bible is begging us to take advantage of our Heavenly Father's gift giving!

Ask Him! Our Father will give good gifts, It's inevitable. It's certain, You can bank on it! "Your heavenly Father will give good gifts to those who ask."