A little over a year and a half ago I recorded one of my many conversations with dad. We always enjoyed talking about the serious things of life and eternity. The idea to record the conversation was prompted by my listening to NPR Morning Edition Story Corp, an oral history project that archives conversations of Americans in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. I thought at the time what a great idea to record conversations with dad and mom for posterity! The following is an excerpt of that wonderful conversation...

I asked:"Dad, what words of wisdom do you have for your children if this was the last thing you could tell us?

He answered " Continue in the narrow path that leadeth to life eternal. This is not an easy path. It is a path that is clustered with grievances and hardships but the inner peace which Christ talks about is different from the world..you have rubbish on the outside but the inside is pure and undefiled.We have to be willing to let suffering be the means through which we can learn Godliness and endurance."
"I'm older now and i understand what God means when he said we must be like Him. Thy will must be done on earth as it is in heaven, not one jot or one tittle, the dot of an i of the cross of a t will be taken out of His law. God is infinite he sees and know everything about us. He has the last say. Now at 86 years my concentration must be on obedience, to follow His footsteps every step of the way... every step of the way."
"My greatest desire is to be like Jesus so when i see Him i will not run to the rocks and mountains. We see through a glass darkly but then darkness shall pass and we shall see Jesus in all of His beauty and purity."

I asked: "Dad, what is the greatest danger your grandchildren face?"

He answered " I think the greatest danger to my grandchildren  is if the parents are not living up to the ideals of the truth and pressing higher...they must take it seriously. The children must see their parents live what they are told, if not they may not curse them, but they will have a dislike for and will not respect God's truth. They must see it in their parents first! This is what i believe."

"I want to be in the first resurrection and to have all of you with me. This is my greatest hope to have all our children with us in heaven. I imagine how happy I will be if i see all my children gathered in glory and through the vast spans of the universe we spend eternity together!

 Post response: "Dad, by the grace of God we will be with you in heaven... never more to part!"

Let the church say Amen! 

My Father was like a soldier… always serving with honor, protecting with pride.

Dad never let anyone or anything deter him from his Holy stride.

Dad’s steps were carefully planned

Only God knew just where each one would land

Dad never looked for praises

He never was one to boast

He just went on “loudly” working for God whom he loved the most.

His dreams were seldom spoken

His wants were few

And most of the time his worries would go unspoken too

Dad was there… A firm foundation through all our ups, downs and storms of life

Dad had a sturdy hand to hold on to

In times of stress and strife

Dad was TRUE….. He was one we could all turn to when times were good or bad

Dad is one of my greatest blessings!

He was my strong, strong Grendel….The Man I call DAD!!!

My father gave me the greatest gift that none can ever compare. One day I came home from school crying because I had been taunted about being adopted. The children at school felt that it was their responsibility to inform me that I could never be a Mitchell since, I had been adopted. My father took the time out of building a fence to let me know that was ‘foolishness’.  "Of course you're a Mitchell…I remember breaking in to say with a sorrowful voice that 'I AM adopted'. Daddy quickly interjected “So, was I.” What?! My daddy adopted. "What are you talking about?" I inquired. He began to tell me about how he became a child of God. I honestly do not remember all what was said, but what made an impression were these words, “Now you’re special because, you have been adopted twice since you’ve been baptized.”  My father made me think that being adopted was the most beautiful thing that could have ever happened, and he was correct because being a child of God means that one day I will see Daddy again this time for eternity.