Changes

     This past week brought about the passing of the Fathers of three of my friends. Such heartache.. but they will survive.
     I remember well the passing from this world of my own Father/Daddy. It is a day that I remember in complete detail and that can never be forgotten. Daddy had fought his battle with cancer for several months and he was tired. I had the blessing of being able to bring him home from his last hospital visit. On this ride home, Daddy told me that he knew that Mama and I were praying every day for him to get better. He asked me to do him a favor....he told me that he wanted me and Mama to stop praying for him to get better....and to pray that he could just go to sleep and not wake up. That was his wish....to just go to sleep. I cried...told him I wasn't ready for him to just go to sleep yet, but I asked him for sure if that was what he wanted...and his answer was "yes". I shared my faith that he would be going to a place where he would not be sick any more, would have no pain, and he would see the family that had gone before him...and they would be waiting on him. I was driving down the road....and he looked over at me and said "Do you really believe that?".... and with tears in my eyes....I replied "Yes, Daddy, I do."...... I will never forget... he said "I do too".
     God allowed this moment for me that I will never forget. What a blessing for me to be able to share my belief with my Daddy in a final most precious moment in time. When we arrived home from his last road trip.....we got him settled, and I called Mama to the side, and told her what Daddy had said he wanted us to do....to stop praying for him to get better and to pray that he would just go to sleep. We cried some more and knew that this request was what we had to do.
       A few days later, as Daddy progressively was leaving this world.....Tammy and Mama and myself were lying in the bed together trying to rest and Daddy was in the hospital bed right beside us. We napped a little.... and when I awoke....I glanced at Daddy and noticed that he was resting peacefully....I could see the small movement of his chest as he was breathing. Mama was not in the bed....she had already gotten up and I could hear her moving around in the kitchen. Tammy was still asleep beside me in the bed. I started to get up....but instead I closed my eyes to just rest for a few more minutes. I know it couldn't have been very long.... but I opened my eyes and I could still hear Mama in the kitchen.... but I knew, right away, that Daddy was no longer there. I got up and went to him....touched his precious face...and said a quiet "Thank You" to our heavenly Father above that he allowed Daddy to just "go to sleep". I went into the kitchen, and Mama was standing at the sink, and I put my arms around her and said "Mama, Daddy is gone".....and we went back to the bedroom and woke Tammy... and the rest is history.
     I know that the memories of my Daddy will live within me for the rest of my life, and that I will see him again one day. And he is still a part of me...I feel him.... because I was made from him. And believe it or not...I DO feel him in the wind sometimes.
     Blessings to all of you who still have your Daddy in your life...... cherish this gift.


     xxxooo