My Dad in memorial

Carl Jentes finished his journey on this earth on April 10th and at his memorial April 22nd I wanted to say much, but was not able to get more than the first few sentences out before I got choked up. Here is what I wish I could have said:

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The first assignment I got in one of my college Bible classes was to write an essay on my father, because so much of our views of our Heavenly Father are shaped by our view of our earthly fathers.

While I did not dig up that old essay, with a couple more decades of hindsight I can see the wisdom. The truth my professor aimed to show can be seen as Carl Jentes exemplified the Lord to me:

My father personified faithfulness, so I knew my Heavenly Father is worthy of all my trust. 

He was faithful to his own duties. So many of his coworkers through the years with have attested that he did his work fully,  not cutting corners  nor passing of work onto others. When asked to perform a task, there was never a doubt that it would be done. He spent decades of his time at Morton Salt in a solitary position performing tasks with little supervision because it was never necessary.

He was faithful to his own family. Though strikes and unemployment hindered, Dad never failed to provide for our family. Though sometimes meager, there was never a time we went without food and the only utilities outages I recall were the inability of the provider (downed lines, water main breaks, etc.) and not failure to pay. If Dad was out later than expected, the concern was for his well-being and never was there a thought that he was doing anything to jeopardize our family.

He was faithful to his own friends. The ministry of remembering birthdays and wedding anniversaries of all their friends with a card was a trademark of my parents for as long as I can remember. While Dad did not send as many cards since Mom’s home-going, his phone calls to friends continued unabated. 

He was faithful to his own convictions. I remember to this day being at a yard sale while preparing to go to college and eying a computer printer.  The price listed was more than I had, so I was asking questions of the man hoping to find a way bring the price into reach when he said, “Are you Carl Jentes’ boy?” Unsure where the statement came from or where it was going, I confirmed that I was Carl’s son. He told me he would give me the printer because he knew Dad from School Board and City Council meetings, was impressed with how he stood up for his values and would be honored to help me out. All my college papers came from that printer, giving me a vivid example of the truth of Proverbs 22:1:

A good name is more desirable than great riches;

 to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. (NIV)

He was faithful to his own church. If there was a gathering of his church, he was there. I have often joked that the only drug problem I’ve had was that I was drug to church every time the doors were open whether I wanted to or not. If the body of believers was gathering, he (and as head of the home, his whole family) was there. Even though months removed from getting to fellowship with them, my father’s offerings were mailed to the Rittman Grace Brethren Church where he had been a member for decades – his church family who helped raise his sons and give us our spiritual roots.

Though talking about emotions wasn’t his way, I have no doubt that my father loved me. Dad showed me the way to my Heavenly Father’s love so that I could be His child.  Dad exemplified that now as His child, my Father will never abandon me and that He always cares and will provide all my needs.

Though certainly not perfect, Dad showed me faithfulness and the joy of serving the Father. May I follow Dad’s example and also be welcomed by my Heavenly Father as a good and faithful servant.

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Two other notes from the weekend of his memorial/internment that I wanted to note:

•       My wife and I are undertaking together the “Bible in a Year” using the schedule from Our Daily Bread (www.odb.org). The reading for the day of the memorial included the first half of Luke 17. Since during the memorial it was mentioned that Dad rarely had such accolades while he was living, Jesus words in verses 7-10 so jumped off the page as being Dad’s attitude:

“Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat’? But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’? He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’”

(NASB)

•       Sunday, April 23^rd the bulletin cover at the Rittman Grace Brethren Church also reminded me of

Dad with its quote from the beginning of Ecclesiastes 9:10: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might”