In Honor of My Dad

My dad passed away on Friday, December 6, 2019. We’re attending two memorial services for him, one military and one Lutheran, the day this is posted. And although this is twice the length of our normal posts, I thought I’d pass along what I will be sharing in hopes that it might encourage you in some way.

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If Dad were here, he would probably want to start with a funny story, just to get you all smiling! After we heard my dad had died, my husband imagined him calling to Jesus, “Ready or not! Here I come!” And did you know that my dad was once a cheer leader? That’s pretty hard to picture but I know all of heaven cheered when he arrived.

Dad and I used to send jokes back and forth over email, and that was one of the many wonderful things I’ll always remember about James Emmett Seim. I’m his oldest daughter and the only child from his first marriage – in case you’re wondering who I am!  So my memories of him mostly come from the first half of his life. He didn’t handle everything the way I would have liked, and he was not perfect – but then, which of us is?

Dad really was a cheerleader, though, always encouraging people, wanting them to be the best they could be. His way with words always amazed me. I used to tell him he was the Lutheran Chuck Swindoll. I loved his style of preaching and hearing him recount events from his years in the Navy. And although I could keep you here for hours telling stories about him, or retelling stories he told me, I’d like to just share the four Bible verses you should keep in mind when remembering Jim Seim.

First, Proverbs 17:22 says that a merry heart does good like a medicine. I believe this was a key to Dad’s great health for so many years. From him I inherited my blue-gray eyes, amazingly low blood pressure, and a love of good clean jokes. He and I could be talking about the most serious of topics, and he’d find a way to slip in a one-liner that caught me off guard. When he called to tell me that the doctor said he might have cancer, and that he’d scheduled a biopsy, Dad interrupted himself and told me, “I almost said I have an autopsy scheduled!” I think he was quite proud of the fact that he looked so young for his age. He would tell me how even in his 80s he would walk as many places as possible around town, and sometimes reminisced about holding a track record at his college. Dad is a great role model for what life can be like physically as we age.

The second verse that Dad really lived is Psalm 150:6, but I’d like to read the whole Psalm:

Praise the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary;

    praise him in his mighty heavens.

 Praise him for his acts of power;

    praise him for his surpassing greatness.

Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

    praise him with the harp and lyre,

 praise him with timbrel and dancing,

    praise him with the strings and pipe,

 praise him with the clash of cymbals,

    praise him with resounding cymbals.

and verse 6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

I’m pretty sure Dad would have added, “Praise him with the bass fiddle” to that Psalm. At a very early age he instilled in me a lifelong love of music. From him I gained a great sense of rhythm and harmony. He sometimes reminded me of the German lullaby he’d sung to me as a baby, although the first song I actually remember him teaching me was “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” He let let me sing tenor with him once as a very young girl up in the choir loft. Some weekends we listened to recordings of classical music, and he introduced me to music of the jazz great, Dave Brubeck.

Besides getting to know people, I think his favorite way to spend time was in learning and performing worshipful music to the Lord, whether in a choir or on his bass or even singing in a congregation. Many years ago when his mother died and I was an adolescent, we stood to sing at her funeral and he belted out the harmonies of those hymns, full of admiration and fondness for her, and love for his Lord. Meanwhile I stood there bawling, wondering how he could hold it together so well after losing someone he’d loved so much! Nothing could keep him from singing.

Over the years Dad taught classes on leadership, management, and organizational principles. Just like the character Luther Billis in the musical South Pacific, Dad liked projects! He told me not long ago, “There’s just so much good to be done in the world. And I’m going to keep doing things until God tells me to stop.” In Mark 10:42-43 Jesus said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant.” This is the third passage to remember when you think of him. He led by serving, by loving, and by caring. I remember many years ago while he was still in the Navy, his name came up as a possible candidate for Rear Admiral. It seems that before too long they knocked him off the list, and he explained to me that he just wasn’t enough of a schmoozer! In my words, he was just too nice of a guy! And yet I believe the people in congregations where he has served gladly followed his loving leadership because they knew he cared about them.

The last verse to remember Dad by would have to be Galatians 2:16:  Know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.

I’ve read that Galatians was Martin Luther’s favorite book of the Bible, so Dad most likely studied it at length in seminary. But more importantly, the reason to remember this verse in conjunction with Dad is that he wants to see you all in heaven. As much of a cheerleader as he was for people in this life, I’m sure that now he’s just as eager for all of us to join him in the heavenly choir. So if you have never accepted the new life Jesus died to give you, please do so. That one decision will change your life forever, filling you with joy and peace this world cannot hold a candle to. And Dad would be so pleased as well.

Thank you and God bless you all.

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