Thursday, February 24, 2011

Seasons: A Personal Eulogy to my Father

The following is my personal eulogy to my father, Deacon LZ Williams whom graduated from this life on November 19, 2010 to be with our Lord and Savior in Heaven. God gave me the incredible strength to stand and deliver this message to my family and friends during my father's Homegoing Service. 20 years ago, this amazing God given strength was not within me. But God said to me, that I must speak and deliver this message honoring my father and comforting the family. God is able my sisters and brothers and that is evident in this message.

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November 23, 2010
Homegoing Service for my Dad
Deacon LZ Williams, Jr.

Seasons

To my family, friends, clergy, officers and Masonic Brothers, I greet you in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, our maker, our creator and the very lover of our souls.

Death is a very complex issue for most of us humans and we want to question God's decision for taking our loved ones away from us. We do not understand and we will never understand however, it is within God's plan.

As I got the word about my dad leaving this world, a natural reaction is to cry (which I did) because it is an outward emotion in our process of grieving. I tried to lie down and relax, which is impossible when you hear such heartbreaking news. So I began to pray for comfort and peace, not only for my mom and my brothers but for myself as well. God spoke to me in one word........SEASONS.

Now, I'm thinking.....what does that mean and what am I to do with that. Later in the day God placed on my heart to speak on this subject at my dad's service and the need to share with the family what the Lord had shared with me.

You see, 20-25 years ago, had I been told that I would need to do something like this, my answer would have been......"You want me to do what?....Speak?.....in public?.......at a funeral?....Really!! I was not there yet. But the Lord is good and the Lord is able and I am grateful.

Let me share a quick story about a conversation I had with my dad some years ago. As most of you know, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in the early 90's. Now, I had no clue about peace and comfort at that time nor did I know how to rely on the strength of the Lord. So when my father told me he had cancer, I just became completely unraveled........"Oh Lord Jesus! Daddy you're going to die!!! Now my dad being who he was, came back with......"well yea, I am.....but I don't think I am going to die today!" He went on to say, "Daughter, you're going to have to grow up. Daddy is not going to be with you always. I need to know that if and when God calls me home, you will know how to lean on God for yourself." Now me being me at that time.....I'm thinking....ok.....that all sounds good in theory, but that ain't happening today!

God reminded me of this by bringing "Seasons" to my remembrance and this was only the end of my father's earthly season and that my dad would begin a new season with God the Father in heaven. A beautiful season.

Ecclesiates Chapter 3 verses 1 - 2 tells us....."There is a time and season for everything.....A time to be born and a time to die..." You see, God is in control of the times of our life from beginning to the end. The Alpha and the Omega. We should enjoy life's good times as a gift from God's hand. My dad was a gift to us from God and we are grateful to God for Dad's time with us. He lived a full rewarding life.

Now, you all already know that I was a "Daddy's Girl"....straight up! There was no shame in my game and most times I could sway my dad's decision in my favor. So I thought my dad could do everything and I had no worries as a child. In fact, I didn't even know that we were poor!! Then I grew up and became a teenager and my methodology still worked to some degree. But, I can recall a time it backfired.

I was 16, had my driver's license.....so you know, you want to borrow the car and act like you are all that! I drove myself to the football and basketball games. Sometimes my mom would tag along....so, you know that put a major damper on my game!

But most times though, I was rolling with my 4 cousins and my homegirl, Gladys. (I was the only one with a license!) So, one particular night, the 6 of us went to a basketball game...in daddy's car of course. The game ended a little earlier than usual. So we were all like......"ok" we still got some time to cruise what we knew as "the Hill" and "the Center" to see if any parties were popping! Well, we circled the block one time too many! Last time, who did we come face to face with......none other than my daddy!

He had parked around "the Square" and had gotten out of his truck looking for us! We were all like......we are in BIG trouble!!!! My daddy spotted us and you would have thought he worked on the tarmac at the airport! He was motioning for us to come and park beside him. So we did. His first words were......."where have ya'll been all this time!" We were too scared to answer and didn't know what to say. Daddy went on to say........"Take this car home and park it NOW!!! And I will be right behind you!"

So now, on the ride home, we all had time to strategize our lie! And...we ALL agreed we would stick to the same story. Well don't you know when we got to my house.....my aunt's and Glady's mom were all there waiting. Everyone asked us where had
we been and why didn't we come straight home. Don't you know that my girls started singing like canaries........they dimed me out BIG time!!...."It was Shirley.....she was driving! We told her we needed to go home...but she wanted to circle the block...one more time!" I was so THROUGH with them!! Well....everybody left and went home and I got beat like a runaway slave!!!And grounded with no driving privileges!! My dad really never beat me.....he made my mom do it and she had it down to a science!!

But I loved my dad and felt it befitting to spotlight some moments in his season as a father. My dad worked hard and provided for us all.....at all cost. His perserverance and determination is what I loved most about him. His season of life was well lived and meaningful because it was centered around God and he made sure that his children were grounded in the Lord.

If you have a chance, I encourage you to read the book of Ecclesiates because you will discover that our season of life has many contrasts and are not enjoyed, so they would not be called gifts by us. It is hard for us to understand that both prosperity and adversity come from the hand of God. In other words.....our season of life is not in our control. My dad has fallen into an eternal sleep here.....but his soul has been retrieved by the Lord and now he is with our Father in heaven.

As hard as it sounds and even harder to do, I encourage all of us to embrace this moment of adversity called death, to let go and let God be our comforter and our peace during this difficult time. Hold onto the memories and the legacy of my dad.....for he was a good man and he stood for something. God will keep us and sustain us.

So Daddy...I say "Happy Graduation" to heaven as you transition from this season of mortal life to your season of eternal life. You may be gone from our presence....but never from our hearts.

I love you daddy and I will see you again one day.

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Be blessed and encouraged my family and friends.
Much love to all of you!