With Father's Day around the corner, I've been reflecting on my own father and the legacy he left. This is the second Father's Day since his death. The older I get, the more I realize how much my life has been shaped by his faithful example.
If there is one word that described my dad, it's the word faithful. The virtue of faithfulness has fallen out of vogue in our culture. We value new, variety, novelty, exploration, and self-expression. Faithfulness is boring, constraining, old fashioned, and restrictive. In that regard, my dad was "old school!" Dad valued character, being a person of your word, following through on commitments, timeliness, and taking care of business. He was faithful in everything he undertook.
It's not that dad wasn't willing to learn new things and to change. At the age of 78 he got his first computer and learned to use email. It was a great upgrade from Web TV! He used online banking but preferred to deal face to face when it came time for financial transactions. During the last days of his life, he was so glad that he made it to May 1 so he could receive another month of railroad pension. He made me log onto his bank account to confirm that the money had been posted!
Dad followed cultural events and was conversant on the latest piece of news, whether local or global. But there were some things that were non-negotiable. There were a few things that he wouldn't compromise. You don't compromise your word, your commitments, and your obligations.
My dad lived out Micah 6:6-8.
"With what should I enter the LORD’s presence? With what should I bow before the sovereign God? Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? Will the LORD accept a thousand rams, or ten thousand streams of olive oil? Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for rebellion, my offspring – my own flesh and blood – for my sin? He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the LORD really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God."
What does the Lord want from us? To be faithful! The Scriptures put a high value on being faithful and so did my dad.
Dad met Madelyn Elaine Rank when he was 17, a senior and she was a sophomore in high school. They later attended a Billy Graham movie together in the same gym in which my dad played basketball for his high school team. That day, when the invitation was given, my dad realized his sin problem and placed his trust in Christ. For the next 65 years my dad faithfully lived out His commitment to Christ in a quiet, unassuming way.
As a follower of Jesus Christ dad knew he was to be faithful. He knew he was to be a faithful:
- Employee who worked hard at whatever he was assigned
- Husband who loved the woman he married and to faithfully live out his marriage vows
- Provider for his family
- Father who provided spiritual direction to his children
- Servant in his church
- Friend to a group of men
So, how my did dad do? 81 years provides an adequate amount of time to assess a persons life and legacy. Faithful is the word that comes to mind as I review my dad's life.
- Faithful Employee - Dad worked 42 years for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad. I was always so proud of him. He had the coolest job in the world! Sometimes he would take me to the depot with him! Everyone knew and respected him. One summer he worked it out so that we could catch a freight train going from Iowa Falls to Tama. The engineer, one of my dad's fiends, let us ride in the engine with him and even let me run the throttle and blow the whistle at the intersections!
- Faithful Husband - Dad married my mom on December 31, 1949. He was 21, she was just 18. They were married for 48 1/2 years. Not always easy years, but they loved one another and expressed affection for one another. I never heard my dad criticize my mom. He faithfully served her, did the dishes, helped with grocery shopping (my mom didn't know how to drive a car), and willingly supported and helped with my moms country craft business. They were a wonderful team. And he stood by my mom as she died of cancer 13 years ago. My moms last words to me were, "Make sure you take good care of your dad." My mom would often say, "I married the most wonderful man in the world!"
- Faithful Provider - My dad made a modest income. I remember during my high school years that he was making $12,000 a year. My mom didn't work outside the home and helped raised three kids. He worked hard at his garden that helped feed our family throughout the year. My dad could have taken promotions for his career, but choose not to so we could continue to live close to family. He had perfect attendance on his job year after year. He built the first home our family owned, learning the various skills by reading a how-to book. He saved and spent cash for everything he purchased, using his vacation time to work on house projects. When I wanted a bike, rather than give me the money, he taught me how to earn it. He took me door to door selling Christmas cards for the new Huffy three-speed bike that I wanted. At the end of his life he left his family a substantial financial estate built by frugal budgeting, shrewd investing and living within his means. One of his last requests to me was to see that each grandchild got a financial gift. He was still providing right to the end.
- Faithful Father - My dad was a beloved and faithful father. After his diagnosis my two sisters and I stayed by his side for the last 19 days. It's the least we could do for a man who had given his entire life to his family. I'm blessed with many wonderful memories of time spend together with my dad playing catch, attending church together, coaching baseball, fixing up our Spicebush Trail home before we moved from Syracuse to Iowa, digging potatoes in the garden, attending a Twins game with my boys and a trip to the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame. I'm not certain when it began to happen, but later in life we began to hug every time we met and he would tell me that he loved me. There's no sweeter sound this side of heaven that to hear the words, "I love you." spoken by your father.
- Faithful Servant - My dad was a faithful servant in his church. Over the years he served as the church treasurer, 5th grade Sunday School teacher, helped plant/remodel the Fellowship Baptist Church in Tama, and faithfully served at the Sanibel Community Church. He set aside an amount of cash weekly that he gave when the offering plate was passed. Later in his life I had opportunity to have many spiritual conversations with my dad. On one trip to Florida, Jason and I stayed with him so we could catch some spring training baseball games. We spent time each day reading and discussing the Purpose Driven Life together. At the end of his life when Hospice asked my dad if he would like to talk to a Pastor or Chaplain, he told them, "My son is my Pastor. He's taking care of everything."
- Faithful Friend - My dad was a faithful friend to many. On Sanibel Island my dad had a rich collection of friends ranging from neighbors, a daily morning coffee group, a coffee group a Baileys Store, a cribbage group, and the Brown Baggers at his church. In Tama and Toledo he had a morning coffee group. At his memorial service and visitation, I met men who knew my dad his entire life. And I learned that "coffee" is a verb, as in "I have been coffeeing with Bud for over 15 years."
My dad didn't seek anything for himself. His only thoughts were about his faith and his family. As we sat in the exam room by ourselves on Thursday, April 26 after Dr. Kutteh delivered the devastating diagnosis, we talked about life and death. My dad said, "I don't think there is anything that can prepare you for a moment like this." I replied, dad your whole life has prepared you for a moment like this. You're at peace with your God and are trusting him for your final destination. You're at peace with your family. You have three children who adore you and 9 grandchildren who respect and love you. There is no unfinished business. You're ready. And his response? "I just wish I could have done more!"
In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. One servant received five talents, one two talents and one one talent. The servants that were given five and two talents each used what they had been given to multiply their return. Each heard the words, well done, my good and faithful servant and then entered into joy of their master for their reward. My dad was a two talent servant who used faithfully leverage all that he was given.
Vernon Leroy Pagel was born on August 6, 1928, and died on May 15, 2012. Bud was born in Tama, Iowa and lived most of his adult life in Toledo. My dad lived a simple, humble life. He didn't aspire to greatness. He simply lived each day as a faithful employee, husband, provider, father, servant and friend.
In the living of his life my dad showed us all what true greatness looks like. In the living of his life, he left his family a legacy worth aspiring to. By God's grace, I hope to faithfully pass on the Pagel legacy and the life of Christ to the next generation who will impact generations yet unborn.
Well done my good and faithful servant! I love you dad!
