Monday, December 21, 2009

The gift of Love

This is a note from one of our customers ...

Jack and Carol,
A holding cross has given me and my family such joy, that I wanted to share it with you. My father was fighting a rare intestinal cancer for the past year and a half. He was always the stoic unemotional bread-winner. He had this solid steel shell that seemingly could not be penetrated. Even during his intense radiation and chemo program, he would give you the impression that “it’s just a phase, and I’ll be better soon.” Although he didn’t show it, his condition was becoming more severe, and in September my wife, kids and I started praying our “Dad’s prayer” at night to “Please Lord, be there for Dad so when he closes his eyes at night, he can hug you and be the shoulder to silently cry on. Please make him understand, even the toughest man needs a father he can go to and let it all out, and you Lord are his Father.”

A couple of days later, we were in your store to buy holding crosses for our boys baptism. Afterwards, I thought my mom would like one that she could hold while my father went through a surgery. So our boys made a “Good Luck” card, and I wrote a letter to my father. I told him for the first time, how proud I was of him, how lucky his kids were to have him as a father. Then I wrote in the letter how I sent the holding cross so Mom can hold while he is in surgery. Well, somehow my wording was not very clear, and he thought the cross was for him. He called me, with tears in his eyes, and an audible lump in his throat. He began to tell me that it was the greatest gift he had ever been given, and it touched him like nothing else ever had. These were words I never would have expected to here from my impenetrable father. I didn’t understand what happened, but I never told him I sent the cross for Mom. It wasn’t until a few days later when my wife, kids and I were saying our “Dad’s prayer”, that it hit me. Our prayer was being answered! Dad was hugging the cross, and he knew he had the Lord to turn to and open up. He had the cross blessed by his church pastor, and he carried it with him everywhere he went.

On November 23rd 2009, he passed away at the age of 62. The short time that I was able to share with him without that impenetrable shield, will last with me forever, and my mom now carries the cross with her so she can hold him. Thank you for having the vision that a small piece of wood, when lovingly worked, can have such a huge impact on the lives of others. I wish you and your family continued success, and I pray that for every person your product touches, your heart gains a little bit of that joy. Merry Christmas.