Dad Will Always Catch Me

By Troy Pomeroy

Some of my earliest childhood memories involve hanging out with my dad. Dad was an elementary teacher (retired now), but he has always enjoyed raising cattle. Consequently, he spent many hours working the herd, running the tractor, or putting up hay. It really didn’t matter what he did – it was my joy to tag along whenever I could.

Dad has always been a very patient man. He must have had great patience to let me tag along while he was trying to get things done. During those times, Dad taught me a lot about farming, but also about life. He gave me things to do to help him, like salt hay bales or roll bales out of the way of the tractor. Probably my greatest thrill “working” with dad was when he let me drive the tractor for him while he loaded bales on the trailer. And then I got to ride on the top of the haystack from the field to the barn!

On one of those days, Dad and I had a defining moment in our relationship. I was a very young boy when it happened. So young, in fact, that I’m not sure how much of the story I remember myself and how much I remember from dad retelling it.

We had been working hard since the break of day and had just finished running the last of the bales up the elevator to the highest point in the barn. By then it was hot. It seems like hay is always ready to be put up during the hottest days of our Southern Oregon summer. I had managed to climb up to the top of the stack, probably trying to “help” dad by salting the bales or something. All of a sudden I realized there was no way for me to get down!

Dad was hot, tired, and itchy from haying all day. He really wanted to be done for the day, and so did everyone else. I can imagine the wheels turning in his head as he went through all the possible ways to get his son down. Standing on the ground in front of the haystack, he hollered “Jump! I’ll catch you!” I think he thought he would have to negotiate with me for awhile before we figured out how I was going to get down safely. I think that because of how surprised he was. Without a moment’s hesitation, I had jumped straight for him. And of course he caught me.

I never doubted for a moment that he’d catch me. In fact, he’s been catching me ever since. Not always in such dramatic ways, but Dad has always been there for me.

Looking back at that defining moment in the hay barn, I can understand why I have such an easy time trusting God. Like my earthly dad, my Heavenly Father has always been there to catch me. No matter what. I don’t claim to understand all His great mysteries or what the future holds, but I have never doubted that God was there. I can trust Him to catch me whenever He asks me to jump or take some other leap of faith.

I owe my dad a lot for showing me a glimpse of the One who is Father to us both. But the blessing doesn’t end there. I’m a dad myself now. My boys are known to tag along with their dad as well. One day my oldest was helping me put a roof on a shed and found himself stuck up there by himself. We were finished for the day and I didn’t want his getting down to be a big ordeal. So I told him to jump, and almost before I could get the words out, he was airborne. The greatest part is that my dad had happened by about that time and witnessed the whole thing. Awestruck, and perhaps a little choked up, he said “I’ve only seen such complete trust like that one other time.”

I now have the honor and responsibility of building into my boys the confidence Dad instilled in me. It’s one of the greatest joys in my life. Yet I am also aware of the startling number of children who don’t have a dad who will show them the way to the Father. That’s why it’s so important that men rise up and live Christ-like lives as an example. It’s also important that as many as are able serve as mentors to younger people. No matter where we’ve been or what we’ve gone through, all God’s children need to have the confidence that He will always be there to catch us.

Troy Pomeroy writes from Eagle Point, Oregon. pastortroy@epacenter.com