For 34 years, March 17th has meant St. Patrick's Day. For 2011, March 17th meant the day I received a phone call that Grandpa went to sleep to wait for our Lord to come again and take us to our eternal home.
I had a business trip leaving early Thursday morning and returning Friday evening; just over 24 hours. Very quick trip with little downtime. After completing Thursday's work at the hospital just after 7pm CST, I check my cell phone and see 5-6 missed calls. All calls from family...always makes you nervous. Voicemails and texts confirmed my uneasiness. Being far away in middle of nowhere Wisconsin was difficult when my whole family was able to support Grandpa at his bedside in his final hours. Dad helped mom put her phone on speaker so they could hold it to his ear. I was able to tell grandpa one last time I loved him and reminded him to be good to his nurses. I always teased him about the nurses because he liked the young pretty girls.
Grandma, well, she has lost her love of almost 31 years. Mom and the aunts lost their step-father. See they lost their biological father when my mom was only 12 yrs old to a freak accident. A Coca-Cola service truck (i think coca-cola), accidently tipped as their dad was coming out of gas station to get into his car. The truck crushed him. So grandpa DeVaughn, who went to sleep this Thursday, has been "Poppy" almost twice as long. Not that he "replaced" their father, but he has been the "father" they have known for most of their years.
I am thankful.
Thankful Grandpa had a beautiful life of 96 yrs.
A beautiful wife for 30+ yrs in which they shared in many adventures, travel and cruises.
No longer in pain for yrs to come.
Can rest now.
March 17th marks the beginning of his rest.
The next thing he sees will be Christ coming in the clouds to take him to his eternal home along with the rest of us. Thursday is NOT THE END, but really the beginning.
Eucharisteo: Greek meaning (Grace, Thanksgiving, Joy)
"And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them..." ( Luke 22:19 NIV). Whenever you do this, give thanks as Christ taught us at the last supper.
Fast forward to this moment as I write. I am drinking from my cup of coffee and reading, "One Thousand Gifts". I stumble on Eucharisteo and think of my mug as the cup from the last supper and ponder "Thankfulness".
I choose to see Grace, Thanksgiving and Joy in the midst of losing Grandpa.
Thank you Lord for giving us eyes to "see" when our own eyes are "blind".
Thank you Kera for introducing me to this book:
2 comments:
I must get this book! Heard so many good things about it.
It's really good. Sometimes the author can be a little "floral" in writing style so I will have to re-read sentences, but it's still really good.
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