The Words of the Bickford Family
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The Words of the Bickford Family |
Before hearing of Father's passing, I had a dream I was fishing with Father on a dragger. The fantail of the ship was sloped to bring on the net and Father had the whole working area lit up so very bright. There were a few brothers standing to the left of Father. Father was standing on the starboard side facing me and the ocean water was making a sound as the waves hit the slope of the fantail. As I looked to the right, down into the water, I yelled, Father, Look at all the fish! At that moment I lost my footing and grabbed hold of a curtain, Father had designed to make the work area warmer. As I dangled there thinking I was going to fall, I thought Father would help, but instead he said something in Korean that made the other brothers laugh, and I realized, I wasn't in danger, I just had to think about my situation for a second and do the right thing. As I corrected my awkward situation and righted myself, Father was still laughing yet grabbed me and hugged me tight and all the other brothers all hugged me and Father together, as if to say, Good Job! See? You can do things without me.
When I realized Father was sick, all I could think about, was how much Father has given, and suffered a long life of service. Showing us all by example, no matter how tired or horrible Father felt. I thought to myself and wrote on facebook, not as our will Father, but as your will, just like Jesus said before being murdered. Jesus came to Father as a farm boy and asked 3 times. Will you finish what I left undone? Father refused Jesus twice and on the third time, Father said to Jesus, I Will Do It!
Father never wavered, but went beyond. His only regret being, If things had gone the way He wanted them to go, what He has accomplished right now at age 92, is only half of what He wanted to accomplish at the age of 47. The legacy of selfless love will live in all our hearts for tens of thousands of generations to come.-"It is completed! It's time to depart!"
Aju