Life with Father -- a continuing saga

This is a picture of my father taken in the late 70s.

Have any of you seen the movie, "Life with Father?" Well, get a copy and watch it. Then think Carl Drexler (the elder). My father was eccentric, and that's putting it nicely. In some instances he was just plain weird. But I loved him and his weirdness. His eccentricities gave us something to talk about, and when he got really old, we didn't think anything of them, as I'm sure those who didn't really know him, did.

My father was a wonderful Bible teacher. Even though as a PK (preacher's kid) I disliked immensely being forced to be in church day and night on Sunday and then every other time the doors opened, and I more often than not didn't pay close attention to what my father was preaching, I did get snippets of his teaching, and boy do I miss them.

In the 40 years I've been away from my father's teaching I still have not found a teacher such as he (except for my cousin David, who lives in Tennessee and a 5-hour drive on Sunday morning is not an option). He could quote verses including reference on any topic you gave him. He studied The Word avaricely, daily, and into the night. He read every commentary that was printed, and then critiqued each entry as to whether it was good or bad.

His favorite version was King James (original) and he had criticisms of every other text in some way or other. Oh, he had copies of all the other versions. I think he also liked the Douay version (French) which is what the Plymouth Brethren used.

My father never wrote an article. But he taught men and women at the Bible in a school he and his friend Mr. Wheatley started -- Grace Bible Institute -- and which met in a church in Somerville, NJ. He taught there until we moved him to NC when his health failed.

When he was talking about the Lord and His Word his face would light up. I do believe he had the entire Bible memorized, but he never bragged on that or told anyone that.

We learned Scripture when we were growing up, for which I am very thankful. And Dad and Mom were the prime movers and shakers of getting God's Word into our minds and hearts.

I know this particular "Life" episode doesn't address the original premise -- eccentricity -- of my father, but I do chase rabbits from time to time, and this rabbit was really what I think of when I think of my father. Not his eccentricities, but his love for God and His Word.