My dad’s great love was not his own special quality that he stirred up and developed within himself. It was not his own. Sure, behind his love was plenty of training and education and experience and a wonderful heart. But ultimately that great love was a gift from God given by God to reveal His own heart and character through my dad.

So in the midst of incredible grief and loss and sadness our assurance is that these qualities which so many, and chiefly my mom and I, cherished about my dad did not go away when he did. The love that he was reflecting is eternal. It is perfect and unchanging, and the love that my dad was able to share with others was meant to draw us all closer towards that perfect, unchanging, eternal love of God our Father.

In the same way, Dad’s dream and vision for St. Timothy was not his own, but was planted and nurtured and ultimately realized by God Himself. Dad had the heart for the children served and cared for by St. Timothy, but God has that heart perfectly and eternally. He cares for the children of St. Timothy, along with all children, infinitely more than any of us, including my dad, could ever strive to. And for that reason the dream and the vision and the heart of St. Timothy does not go away when my dad does. It rests with God our Father—perfect, unchanging, and eternal. Thanks be to God for that.