You Don't Owe Me Anymore by Pat Morley

 That was the message Pastor Hal gave a few years ago. 

That message was for me. 

God was speaking to ME.

It had been about 20 years since I had talked with or seen my father. 

Growing up I always knew something was not right with our relationship. There were times when he hardly spoke to me, depending on what mood he was in. There were even times he didn’t even acknowledge that I was in the room. He didn’t show much love for me, if any at all.

I've often thought, “This is not how a father is supposed to treat his daughter.” 

My sister was a little closer to him. Not sure why, maybe because she was the oldest.  My father never showed up for my school activities to support me.  My mother was always there – always!  I was very close to my mother. 

There was a point in my life, while I was in college, when I really needed him. I needed his support, and he turned his back on me. What little relationship we had, became even more distant. We never talked. I never called him on the phone. He never called me.

Then one day, a few years ago, God spoke directly to me through Pastor Hal's Sunday message.

I knew I had to forgive him, but it’s especially hard when someone doesn’t ask for forgiveness......even harder, when it’s your own father.

  "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. 
Forgive as the Lord forgave you."  
 Colossians 3:13

It was time for me to be the better person, to step up, and to forgive him. 

I called my sister and told her I was making the trip to Texas to see our father. She picked me up the airport and he was waiting in the car. I went up and gave him a hug. It felt strange, but, yet, it felt right. I was doing what God wanted me to do. It had been 20 years! We talked, but didn’t bring up the past.

The past was over –

done with –    
               gone.

We were on a new path –

a new start –
                a new beginning.

My father is 88 years old now, and I make a point to go see him once a year. He had surgery a couple of months ago and I was there with him, along with my sister.   I call him frequently, on his birthday, and now coming up, I will talk with him on Father’s Day.

"You don't owe me anymore..."

Happy Father's Day!

Your sister in Christ,
Pat