Some time ago I remember when my husband Ken was cleaning out our garage, and he came through the kitchen door holding up a pair of dusty old Canadian crutches. “Do you want to dump these?” he asked. I took one look at those crutches and got a lump in my throat. I said to Ken, “They’re Daddy’s.” Ken leaned the crutches against the kitchen wall and then went back to his project. I looked closely at the old crutches. The aluminum was scraped and the rubber tips were scuffed, they were dusty, but the crutches brought into focus a flood of memories.
All through his 70s and 80s my father, John Eareckson, used to hobble around on crutches because of his arthritis. Daddy had me late in life and, even as a little girl, I used to admire the way he would use one of his crutches to shove around chairs or even ring a doorbell. On a good day, I would toss him a ball and he’d be able to whack it right past me. Around the farm we could always tell when Dad was off on a horseback ride ’cause his crutches would be leaning against the hitching post.
Then came the diving accident in 1967. Back in the 60s, rehab philosophy hadn’t advanced very far, and I was forced to stay in the hospital for almost two years. Oh boy, did I miss the farm, and boy, would I look forward to Daddy’s visits. I could always tell when he was coming down the hospital hallway to see me. Click-click, click-click his crutches would echo on the linoleum tile. And I would think to myself, “Oh boy, Daddy’s here!”
Because of my father’s arthritis, I believed that he, more than anyone else in the family, understood my situation. I could see it in his eyes and could hear it in his voice when he would set down his crutches by my hospital bedside and read to me from his Bible. It’s why that “click-clicking” sound on the linoleum floor, it was always for me such a beautiful, welcoming sound.
My dear father went home to be with Jesus in 1990 at the age of 90 years old and I miss him still, even after all these years. But God brings Daddy to mind every time I read a special Bible verse. Isaiah 52:7 says, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘your God reigns!’” No doubt about it. My father’s feet may have been disabled with arthritis, but they were beautiful. The sound of his crutches coming down the hallway always brought good tidings, always brought peace for my heart and salvation for my soul.
Friend, Father’s Day is coming up and if your father is still alive, do not miss this chance, do not miss this opportunity to connect with your dad. Is there a lingering conflict between you? Then take the initiative. Promote forgiveness. Is there an issue unresolved? Then resolve it. Because all too quickly your father will be gone – do not miss this chance to bring good news and proclaim peace to the one you call Daddy. It’ll make this Father’s Day for him truly happy.
Used by permission of
JONI AND FRIENDS
P.O. Box 3333
Agoura Hills, CA 93176
© Joni and Friends