Faith's unchanging dad

This Friday will be the ninth anniversary of the day my dad, Harold Revne, passed to the other side of eternity; so it seems like a really appropriate week for this guest post about a special dad, from one of my BFFs: Faith Tasker. She and I have been great friends since we were two years old. She spoke this tribute about her dad on Father’s Day, in the church he served as pastor of, for many years. It’s more than just stories about her earthly father, however...

(Oh, and yes, the Ann in the story is Yours Truly. And I still don’t like to touch frogs!)

My Dad’s name is David Peterson. Dad was a Wesleyan Pastor for 50 years in the Wisconsin District including over 21 years as pastor of this church (Wesleyan Church in Spooner, WI), and he was “Dad” to three kids: two boys and one girl. It’s a difficult task to select the stories to share with you, as there are so many throughout a lifetime, but I think of a time when I was 12 or 13 years old.

My parents used to let me practice driving in the church parking lot and I would practice pulling into all the stalls between the lines. When I was done one day I headed over to the parsonage to watch Hogan’s Heroes and later Dad came over from his office at the church. Very calmly, without raising his voice he said, “Faith, you need to remember to put the car in park when you get out.” In those days you could turn a car off and take the keys out without putting it in park. The car had rolled across the parking lot, ran into the cement bumper at the edge, pushed the bumper OFF the lot and then amazingly stopped just before going all the way over the steep drop off into the gully below. Dad was consummately patient with me. A trait of the Heavenly Father.

Earlier, when I was 10 or 11, my best friend, Ann, had come to visit me from Eau Claire for a week. The County Fair was there at that time and we wanted to earn some extra money to spend on rides. We got the brilliant idea that if we could catch frogs, there would be lots of people who would love to buy them to use for fishing bait. Of course we were afraid to touch frogs, so we enlisted Dad to catch them all. We ventured down into the swamp right behind the church. Dad got down on his knee in his overalls in that swamp and had an amazing way of moving his hand in circles: getting smaller and smaller to mesmerize the frog, and then he would grab it and put it in our bucket.

We painted a sign that said “FROGS FOR SALE” and stuck it in the ground right next to Hwy 70 and stood waiting for the masses to appear in dire need of frogs. To our surprise, no one stopped. Finally my oldest brother’s best friend and wife showed up and gladly bought all our frogs. We couldn’t believe our luck! Only years later did I learn that my dad had asked John to buy the frogs and even gave him the money to do so! Just as our Father in Heaven, Dad longed to fulfill my dreams and bring delight and pleasure to my heart.

Many years later, came a time that I was willful and made some bad decisions. The kind of decisions that affect you for the rest of your life… I broke my parent’s hearts and the heart of God. I know this was so difficult for Dad, but I remember what he said to me. He assured me of his love forever, and said that although this path was not the perfect will of God – “Plan A” if you will – there was now “Plan B” and God was not done with my life and would not throw me away because I had done wrong. God still had a purpose for me and could do great things in and through me. Dad did not give me the judgment and punishment I deserved, but rather showed me unconditional love, just like God does.

Dad steadfastly extended patience to me. He did his best to fulfill dreams, hopes and desires in all his children. And he showed mercy and love in the face of great disappointment. Put all of these traits together in the consistent way that Dad lived, and I would say the one that most reminds me of God is that Dad was unchanging.

James 1:17 (ESV) says: “Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

When I reach heaven I want to see my Savior, Jesus, first of all, but then I want to run to find my earthly dad. Love you, Dad! --Faith

Thank you, Faith, for your friendship, and for sharing these fun, and inspiring, memories of your dear dad.