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The Answered Prayer

I asked for strength, that I might achieve.
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.

I asked for health, that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.

I asked for riches, that I might be happy.
I was given proverty, that I might be wise.

I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men.
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need for God.

I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life.
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.

I got nothing that I asked for,
but everything I had hoped for.
Almost despite myself,
my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed!

-Written by an unknown Confederate soldier-

Forgiveness

My heart was heavy, for its trust had been
Abused, its kindness answered with foul wrong;
So, turning gloomily from my fellow-man,
One summer Sabbath day I strolled among
The green mounds of the village burial-place;
Where, pondering how all human love and hate
Wronged and wrongdoer, each with meekened face,
And cold hands folded over a still heart,
Pass the green threshold of our common grave,
Whither all footsteps tend, whence none depart,
Awed for myself, and pitying my race,
Our common sorrow, like a mighty wave,
Swept all my pride away, and trembling I forgave!

-John Greenleaf Whittier-

 
Robert Gottschall "This is the story of my life" Psalms 139. He wrote that above the Psalms, signed his name, dated it and highlighted it with a yellow marker. This was important to him. After his death, I picked up my dad's Bible. He had put a bookmark on this Psalms. He knew I would want to read what he was reading.

Psalms 139

O Lord, you have examined
my heart
and know everything
about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up
You know my every thought when far away.
You chart the path ahead of me
and tell me where to stop
and rest.
Every moment you know
where I am.
You know what I am going to
say
even before I say it, Lord.
You both precede and follow me.
You place your hand of
blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too
wonderful to me,
too great for me to know!
I can never escape from your
spirit!
I can never get away from
your presence!
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I go down to the place
of the dead, you are
there.
If I ride the wings of the
morning,
if I dwell by the farthest
oceans,
even there your hand will
guide me,
and your strength will
support me.
I could ask the darkness to
hide me
and the light around me to
become night-
but even in darkness I
cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as
bright as day.
Darkness and light are
both alike to you.
You made all the delicate,
inner parts of my body
and knit me together in
my mother's womb.
Thank you for making me so
wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is
marvelous-and how
well I know it.
You watched me as I was being
formed in utter
seclusion,
as I was woven together in
the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was
recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
before a single day had passed.
How precious are your
thoughts about me,
O God!
They are innumerable!
I can't count them;
they outnumber the grains
of sand!
And when I wake up in the
morning,
you are still with me!
O God, if only you would
destroy the wicked!
Get out of my life, you
murderers!
They blaspheme you;
your enemies take your
name in vein.
O Lord, shouldn't I hate
those who hate you?
Shouldn't I despise those
who resist you?
Yes, I hate them with
complete hatred, (one translation is "perfect hatred")
for your enemies are my
enemies.
Search me, O God, and know
my heart;
test me and know my
thoughts.
Point out anything in me
that offends you,
and lead me along the
path of everlasting life.

Rest in peace Dad,

Nancy G
www.nancy-heartmusic.com

 
Robert Gottschall

Born 9/15/1915
Died 1/03/2005

Robert Gottschall was my dear father. He lived a long full life, a life most men would have loved to have lived. He was born in Dallas, Tx. My dad was the batboy for the Texas League Baseball team. He got to meet and play catch with Babe Ruth.
Babe signed a Texas League ball for him along with Lou Gehrig and two other hall of famers, plus the whole 1927 Yankees players. He toured Europe as a young man. While in Germany in the 40's he heard Adolph Hitler give a pre-war speech. My dad told me he did not understand German, but that man was extremely powerful. Later he made his way to Hollywood to become a famous movie star of the 40's. He was in many films with the likes of Rita Hayworth, Randolph Scott, Henry Fonda, just to name a few stars. He was engaged to Betty Grable and also had many lovely lady stars in love with him, like Judy Garland, Linda Darnell and Sonja Henie. He joined the Army during the war and became a Lt Col. after serving 26 yrs. We lived all over the world. I was born in Japan. We lived in Tiawan in the 50's and my dad built the very first little league field there. He was also a published writer as well. My mother died less than two months before my dad passed away. He was 89 and she was 86. He missed her because they had been married for over 62 yrs. He will have a full military honors burial at Fort Sam Houston's national cemetry next week. I will be receiving his flag from the honor guard and will saluted.

I wanted to posted something special here in honor of my dad. This writing is from the book the Prophet by Kahlil Gibran.

On Death

Would you know the secret of death. But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life? The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light. If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life. For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one. In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond; and like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring. Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity. Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honour. Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king? Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling? For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun? And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered? Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing. And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb. And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.

I know my mom and dad are dancing on heavenly clouds right now or maybe taking a moonlight surreal stroll along a beautiful deep blue ocean beach with the sand in their toes...

Rest in peace dad and mom...

We have created a very interesting website on the internet to memorialize my dad.

robert-gottschall.memory-of.com

just go to the toolbar and you don't have to type www just that link

God bless richly every soul that reads this memorial for my father.

www.nancy-heartmusic.com