My Earthly Caregiver

Ariana, Robert, and I in Florida when I was 6

We were on Vacation

Praise God. I always seek to honor God in the things I do. There is no greater joy than putting a smile on Gods face. Thinking about my Heavenly Father led me to beautiful memories of my earthly caregiver, the one I called “dad.”

I never talk about him to people other than close relatives. Indeed, I keep him disclosed because I have never felt led to discuss my father with people.

He died on April 1st when I was 13 years 7 months and 4 days old from a heart condition. One is supposed to grieve for the dead, and I did. Call me strange, but I am not sorry he is gone. My dad is in Heaven. I’m a person of very unique circumstances. God has granted me the ability to go to heaven and see the one who was my earthly caregiver. I’m honored to bless others with the super natural gifts the Lord has granted me.

Are you wondering what his name is? Do you think it's strange I refer to my dad as “the one who was my earthly caregiver?” I recognize that God has granted me the most beautiful parents. I know that everything good in my life has come from the Lord (James 1:17). I love how God operates even if I don’t understand. God has always been my father, and now my earthly dad is my brother in Christ.

My dad went by Robert, Tex, B Jay and Bobby Joe. I’ve known him as Robert. I take after Robert, more than my mother. He bore the face of Christ.

I woke up with the desire to write about him. The Lord is leading as I type because if I had it my way a vague paragraph would suffice. Then again, I wouldn’t do Robert justice. Perhaps this blog will inspire you as he inspired me.

Around the age of 20, Joyce (my mother) owned a small shop called Rhone’s Donut and Sandwich Shop in 1980 with her brother Charles in Seattle Washington. My mother baked cakes, pies, and muffins. Charles made donuts and hamburgers. One cold day (it's always cold in Seattle), Robert walked into the shop and ordered a bunch of food. Day after day, he kept coming back until he mustered up the courage to ask my mother on a date. Charles was infuriated because he is a protective older brother. At the time, Robert was more than 10 years older than my mom. The two lovebirds eventually got married and had three children Jocelyn, Ariana, and me (Jasmine). Later Joyce adopted two boys named Joel and Malachi. Before their adoption, Joel and Malachi were my cousins. They are my grandma’s brothers sons, children.

When I was ten, my parents separated because Robert always wanted to be inventive and Joyce wanted stability. He was always trying to reinvent himself. During my parent's separation, we lived in an apartment, and Robert moved into the apartment across from us, being just as involved in our lives. My favorite aunt and uncle lived on the second floor of our apartment complex.

Robert would help anyone if they needed it and He knew how to do a little bit of everything. Like Jesus, Robert was a carpenter who labored mostly with his hands. He was a quiet, soft-spoken person who never argued. He was never known to drink, smoke, and/or do any sort of drug rather he was always driven and hard working. He invested his time in deep-sea diving, architectural design, and construction work. I remember being 5 years old eating a PB and J on a construction truck.

Robert would always take Ariana and I to a building site, and we would play with the big yellow machines. I always liked watching him draw out how the building would look. Robert would often drive my mom around the city of Seattle and show her the buildings he has worked on.

Robert involved Himself in many Jobs and projects throughout his life. In his early years, he was in the U.S Army and engaged himself in the Black Panther Party. The white man hating Black Panthers today aren’t like they were back in the day. Robert was part of the Black Panther Party that protected African Americans neighborhoods and provided free breakfast for low-income families as well as establishing motivational and helpful programs for the youth, to keep them off the streets.

I’ve never known Robert to spank me as a child; rather he’d give me these long talks. He’d worship with Ariana and I in the morning and teach us about Jesus. I don’t remember Him being nothing less of a caring soul. If you had a problem with something Robert did, he’d just let you yell at him. Let's say two months went by, that’s when he’d address whatever problem you were mad about in a calm fashion. My mother was always driven crazy that he was so unresponsive and only spoke when he felt like it. If you know me personally, you’ll recognize that I can be this way. It humors me when I catch myself being unresponsive because I know I am my dad's daughter. The Lord is working with me about that.

Robert Loved us, and I loved him. My Passion for engineering comes from watching him. God used him to plant seeds of faith in my heart, and I desire to do the same to others. Maybe I should tell you where he grew up.

Robert grew up in Missouri with his sister, Mary. His mother died when he was very young.  Mary and Robert were raised by their Aunt and Uncle. Robert spent some time in Texas, he later moved to Washington to attend Seattle Central University.

Robert was 63 years 6 months and 26 days when he passed away, and if he were alive today, he’d be 73 years 2 months and 26 days. I like to think he had a long life and he sure left a legacy of love, kindness, and Christ-likeness. I believe that’s the best thing parents can leave their children.

Sometimes I’d like to go back in time but then again not really. If we all existed in the past, there wouldn't be a future. Know future means know Glorification, and that’s not the world I want to live in. 

I’m not sure how this blessed you, but I pray it did. I pray you can take something relevant out of this blog.

-Beholdthedoule