Well Done Good & Faithful Servant...

August C. Schwark
June 10, 1917 - September 22, 2008

My dear father in law was welcomed home yesterday morning at 6:15am. Yesterday was also our 18th wedding anniversary. Jim and I both said we could not have received a more wonderful gift than sharing our anniversary w/ our father's homecoming! We rejoice knowing he is with our savior!

I posted on Friday that he had taken a turn.. we are so grateful for the time we had this past weekend. Although his body was very weak, his mind was so sharp. On Sunday we got out pictures and walked through his life with him, from childhood to now. He knew all the pictures, when they were etc. It's a testament to also being so healthy up until now.

There are so many other wonderful moments that happened over the weekend. One moment I want to share today happened Saturday afternoon. My sister in law Ann and I were sitting on either side of my father in law. We had the front door to the house open. The front door has a storm door with a window. While we were sitting there relaxing a woodpecker landed on the tiny corner of the storm door window. It was absolutely amazing, as that is something that is just out of character for this type of bird. The tiny woodpecker sat there on the tiny ledge, looking in the window for a few minutes and flew away. When I say looking, I mean looking. Not like he was just resting there... he was looking in on us. Right after that moment, my father in law looked at me and Ann and said "I see them coming, they will be here soon." I truly believe that woodpecker was a messenger from our Lord, sent to speak to my father in law and to us as well.


I have to tell you, a downey woodpecker is now my favorite bird!

We had many more cherished moments that I will always treasure. On Sunday night we were all sitting around the hospital bed that was set up in the living room. He was struggling a bit by then. I read the 23rd Psalm which happens to also be the Psalm that my mother in law and father in law's wedding sermon was based. We prayed the Lord's Prayer, we sang Jesus Loves Me, Beautiful Savior and Abide With Me to him. What a blessing, to spend your last days at home, surrounding by loved ones, wrapped in the arms of our savior!

My father in law was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and servant of Christ.
I have included the link to my father in law's online obituary which will tell you a bit about his life and what his work for the Lord entailed. I will miss him like crazy, but as my husband said when he bent down to kiss his dad's forehead "I'll see ya later pop!" Yes, we have that promise! This is not the end... we will see him later! Glory!!!

Gracious Father, Your love never ends. When all else fails You remain to help, heal and make us whole. I thank You this day that in our time of sadness You give us peace, strength and hope. I thank You for placing me in this family and for giving me my Father in Law. He loved me as if I were his own and I am so grateful for the special relationship we had. Strengthen our faith and our our hope, for all time, through the all-sufficient grace of Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Well done good and faithful servant, welcome to paradise! Amen

I know that my Redeemeer Lives! What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives who once was dead; He lives, my ever-living head!

He lives, all glory to his name! He lives, my Savior, still the same;
What joy this blest assurance gives: I know that my Redeemer lives!

Online Obituary & Tribute