The weather here in the South has been rainy and muggy for the past few days, making for great sleeping and enjoying warm delicious cups of coffee. Which has only seemed to lend a helping hand to my melancholiness. So I don't know if that's a plus or a minus. But either way, its helping put thoughts to paper.
I told you yesterday about Dad's passing. The kick in the gut, gut wrenching experience. And honestly I am still in mourning. In the Lakota tradition, a year is taken. In that year, you cut your long raven braids, you abstain from attending feasts and gatherings, and there is time of doing good but also you are free to mourn openly with much support from the community. Who understands your great sorrow. And will respectfully shake your hand if you are out in the community. There are other more traditional beliefs that the Native American Church believes but I wont get into that here. These practices are very much like that mourners in the Old Testament who ripped their clothes, shaved their hair, put ashes on their head and went to the edge of the city to wail and mourn openly. There have been a few days, were that seemed to be a appropriate escape for how I was feeling. Of course now days that might get you a one way trip to the Mental Institution. But there have been days like that. Today not being one of them.
I told you I would share more about the past few months. But I wanted to share more about Dad's passing and the good that came from it. The things that were impressed upon me and our family that maybe others didn't know. We were in such anguish. Yes, we were broken. He was truly the most amazing man I have ever met and to this day there is no man that could hold a candle next to the incredible man of character my amazing Daddy was. At his funeral I shared that I can only remember once him getting angry. But it was a righteous anger. Because it was for an injustice that had been done. And even in his righteous anger, he was apologizing to the offender for it. :) It was just who he was.
We looked for God in our anguish. And we found Him. When helping take Daddy down to the hearse. The funeral director told me about his life and how he used to be preacher in Alaska. How he had struggled and came home. Dad's life opened doors for me to share about how God was working even our in midst. He told me that he hadn't had many come down to the car w/ the gurney. I shared about my heritage and about my faith. Somehow it reached out and touched this man. Somehow he saw Jesus in our story and was blessed. Before my eyes I saw his demeanor change. He went from being put off to becoming open. And by the end, he was helpful and told me he would be praying for our family. :) I felt God move even before Dad's body left the hospital. That was God.
The days that followed were getting family in for the funeral and making arrangements. We all know how that goes. The community brought too much food. And it showed the impact my dear Dad had left on his community. It impressed on me to be mindful of how I treat my neighbors and the community in which i live. For even in death, your "mark" on this earth is felt.
Dad left his mark over and over. Mom received a letter from a man that lived thousands of miles away. He told of how Dad led him to the Lord, and how it changed the course of his families lives. If you knew the back story you wouldn't believe it. But then this man went on to be high up in our country's capitol. And in his letter he expressed how now, because his life was turned around how now his children were doing incredible things for the Lord around the world. We don't keep up closely w/ this family. But we knew of the fathers life and what he was doing. But to hear the impact his now grown children were Changing the World for Jesus brought us all to tears. Dad was constantly sharing his faith with people. Dad was constantly praying for families, men and women by name for years. His old prayer journal looked like his Bible. Well worn. We were humbled to know of the impact Dad had made across the decades. If you had met my dad you would know of his humble and quiet spirit. This story was one of many that humbled us that week.
We found the perfect spot to lay him to rest out in the most beautiful little valley amidst the gorgeous rolling hills of the Ozark Mountains. The graveyard is even next to a old white chapel. And it stays open year around for people coming to pray or pay respects to their loved ones already gone on. One day, maybe I will sit down with my family and try to put to paper a book about Dad's legacy.
I just wanted to say that in the days that followed Dad's passing that time after time, we felt God's presence with us. We saw God move in peoples lives, we saw little miracles happen that brought tears of joy and peace. And we were blessed.We truly saw God amidst our toughest of days.
Again, everyone headed home. My sister from Egypt got to spend extra time with Mom which was needed. Mom needed someone with her for that extra 2 weeks. Also my brother from California was able to spend 2 extra days with them. I know that meant so much to both my sister and my Momma. I had to come home because my young kids needed to be back in school. It was gut wrenching to have to leave Mom after our time together, but again I knew she was in good hands w/ my older sister.
Everyone headed home, and life was a readjustment for everyone. Learning out to live after the family and friends go away. Learning to carry on. We all have been there before. I know people know exactly how that feels. Mom was invited by all of us kids to come home with all of us. She had her choice of places to go, but her heart wanted to stay close to where daddy lay. She wanted to figure this out for herself. It was hard for all of us to know she was there alone without us her children. We did feel comfort knowing that her sister lived close. And that the church family was taking such good care of her.
And so life was carrying on. By Christmas time a Ice Storm hit. We were suppose to have Christmas with Mom and all power was lost and we were iced in for over a week. Thankfully my brother from Illinois was able to drive down and spend Christmas Day with Mom. My little family felt horrible that we couldn't make it up there to be w/ her during her first Christmas without Dad. Weather just didn't seem to be cooperating. We would plan on driving the few hours to her house and more weather would come. And the thing about where we live is all the hills. we live in a area of curvy roads and hills. Icy roads here in the South kill people. It was something I had to learn after living up North where there are 4 actual seasons. We hardly get snow this far south. We were planning on getting together for New Years. If weather could clear up enough, we were headed to Grammy's for New Years.
I will share more tomorrow about what the New Years held for us, but I"ll stop here for today.
Through losing Dad, we found so many things that brought us more peace. Including all the testaments from people impacted by Dad's faith and love. He truly was a World Changer. Making us once such Gatherers of Gratitude. The Scripture passage that seems so fitting for this post is these verses.
13 Our friends, we want you to know the truth about those who have died, so that you will not be sad, as are those who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will take back with Jesus those who have died believing in him. 15 What we are teaching you now is the Lord's teaching: we who are alive on the day the Lord comes will not go ahead of those who have died. 16 There will be the shout of command, the archangel's voice, the sound of God's trumpet, and the Lord himself will come down from heaven. Those who have died believing in Christ will rise to life first; 17 then we who are living at that time will be gathered up along with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. 18 So then, encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-28 GNT
What a great hope knowing that this is NOT the end. Love and blessings from us to you. Have a awesome and encouraging day.
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