MY DAD
The practical love of daddy was
Nothing theatrical...but low key,
Adaptable, and very steadily as
Things went, he taught me to fish,
Skip stones across the lake, and
Water ski...dad enjoyed the great
Outdoors and he taught the same
To me, he was a quiet man, with
Subtle humor in his laughing eyes,
He wasn't like other guys, because
He was my dad who taught me
Things, and didn't seek applause,
He was a quiet man with laughing
Eyes and one liners, like "it fell on a
Red rag," and I am still proud to be
His daughter, as I hold him close in
Memory, he'll live there as long as
I do...until I see him in eternity!
by Cheryl Ellen Baxter ©
RELATED SCRIPTURES
When he wasn't out in the oilfield, he worked at the Schlumberger shop in the small town we lived in. They used red shop rags for cleaning up grease, working around the shop and on the logging equipment.
At our house if someone dropped something they were eating onto the floor by the dining table, dad said "it fell on a red rag," which meant you can pick it up and eat it. Kind of like a 30 second rule: It won't hurt you if you pick it up quick and eat it.
To the outsider an explanation was necessary, but to the family "it fell on a red rag" was immediately understood. I can still hear my dad's voice, and still see his laughing eyes! -- Cheryl
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Exodus 15:2 -- The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father's God, and I will exalt Him.
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2 Samuel 22:4 -- I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
