Thursday Thoughts: Our Last Good-bye

The stack of cards that have blessed my Mom

This is our LAST good-bye, for when we meet again it will be FOREVER!!!

Valentine’s Day will forever be changed. For my family, this day will hold a different meaning than most. In the wee hours of the morning, my earthly Daddy went HOME. He was with his sweetie and only her. He was tired and ready for his eternal reward.

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind in our family. (Read more here and here.) And the past few days have been a blur. Right now it’s surreal. I know that will soon wear-off, but for now I am okay with it. My brother’s and I have been thrust into planning mode…a mode I wish on no one. At least not for this reason.

There are no words to express how I feel right now other than numb. It almost seems that life is passing me by and I am watching from the outside. I know my Daddy was tired and ready to go Home. I saw it in his eyes. He had run his race. I just wish his race has lasted so much longer. But, as my brother and I talked we realized, just seeing our kids wasn’t enough. We wanted him to see our kids graduate high school, get married, have kids of their own and so much more!! We just wanted him here.

Even though our flesh pleaded for more time, we also know the Lord is and was in control of this entire situation.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 (NASB)

As a human, I question why this had to happen now and why so fast. But, as a Christian, I am so excited to see what God’s purpose is in all this. Our family has already seen so, so many UH-MA-ZING things happen. Here’s just a few I would like to share with you.

*        My brother’s plane ticket was covered in full by an anonymous person.

*        The extra expense of a Saturday burial was covered by someone.

*        The nurse tech on my Dad’s floor told my mom he couldn’t believe a family would stay together like ours did. He had never seen anything like it.

*        Christian doctors surrounded us and even prayed with my mother!

*        Babysitters have stepped up and volunteered to watch my kiddos (this is a HUGE thing for me!)

*        My husband’s employer has given him double the days for bereavement, which has allowed him to be home with me and the kids. He’s been able to not only support me, but also help with arrangements. What a blessing!!!

*        People at my mom’s work shared their PTO time when hers ran out, just so she could stay with my Dad.

*        My Mom’s work opened an account at the credit union for people to donate.

*        Friends gave money to help pay the bills while my Dad was in the hospital.

*        We were so blessed with food that we were able to feed not only our family for 5 days, but also 2 other families in need!! WOW!

And so much more!!! I could go on and on about how BLESSED we have been. It is so nice to know that I don’t have to worry about dinner after running around taking care of arrangements all day. We have more food than we know what to do with!! We could literally feed an army…at least a small one!

I am not at all ready to say my final good-bye to my Daddy. But, I am so very thankful this will be my LAST good-bye!!!!  Because when I see my Daddy again, it will be FOREVER!!!!

I love you Daddy! Forever and Always!

Blessings,

Annette

(Over the next few weeks I will be sharing a personal testimony about my Daddy’s life and the impact it had on me! Stay tuned!!)

NOTE: This post was written last week before the Celebration service. I just waited to post it.




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