Heritage...

It's been four weeks ago today that my dad left his earthly existence...and that old axiom is so true...in some ways it seems like yesterday, and in some ways it seems like it's been a lot longer than four weeks.  I am still working through a lot of the thoughts and feelings that have come pouring out, but I thought I would share some thoughts that I wrote for Dad's memorial service, as a way of letting you into my world.  So no photographs today....just a picture hopefully painted with words....

I really didn’t know my dad as anything other than a minister, a pastor until the last few years of his life.  I always knew that he was called to the ministry, that he gave his heart and soul to it.   What I didn’t know or understand was the man underneath that mantle of pastor.  I didn’t understand the struggle he endured….a very introverted man who gave so much of himself to his ministry that sometimes he felt like he had nothing left.  I distinctly remember one time when we were talking about his call to ministry…he looked at me and said, “If God would have let me do anything else, Sandy, I would have!”  But he was obedient to God’s call, and I am filled with gratitude when I hear the testimonies of so many whose lives he influenced, who were changed under his ministry.  What a great heritage of faith he has left behind…so much more priceless than a bank account or the proverbial houses or lands. 

 

Since his death,  I have frequently heard him referred to as a champion, a warrior of the faith, a man with a servant’s heart….a man of integrity and faith.  Yes, he was all of those, but he was so much more.  During the last years of his retirement, I got to know a different man…a man with a tender heart, a gentle spirit….a man who even in the face of pain and loneliness constantly commented on how fortunate and blessed he was.  He was fortunate that he still had his sight in one eye, that he could get around somewhat, that he was not in as “bad a shape” as so many he saw in his nursing home.  He was blessed, he said, because he had children and grandchildren who loved him and who showed it in their actions.  He was beyond blessed because he had a hope…a hope founded in his faith in his Lord and Savior.  A man who knew where he was going…..

During this last year, particularly, he talked a lot about things and events from earlier years…..things he had regrets about, things he felt he had failed at, things he felt he had somehow done right. And then we talked about grace…..God’s grace, and how it covered all of our sins, our mistakes and our shortcomings.  In one of our last conversations, Dad looked at me and said, “God is so much more than we can even imagine!”  Yes, Dad, he is….and you were a lot more than I imagined you to be….and I am forever grateful for these last years, to have the chance to know the man you were, the man you became.  Thanks, Dad, for being vulnerable and sharing from your heart….you were, are and will be forever loved.

 

One of the gentlemen, working for the funeral home, who was assisting with the family visitation and service for Dad, approached me saying that he understood that Dad had been a pastor for over 40 years.  He said that he had been a pastor, and he hoped that when he passed on, his children would remember him this way.....a fitting tribute for a true man of God!

 

Missing you and our early evening talks, Dad, but rejoicing for you!   Oh, and by the way, "our" bees are doing just fine!

 

 

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."  II Tim. 4:7-8

Change....

Today is one of "those" days....a day when I feel a slight restlessness, when I am ready for a little change...and I think the changing of the seasons is just what I am looking forward to.  A crispness in the air, the beautiful colors in the ever-changing foliage....the taste of a pumpkin latte or some mulled apple cider. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed the summer months with all their activity, but now I am ready for time for introspection, self-examination....and that seems to come easiest to me in the autumn months.  Don't get me wrong, there are still a lot of "activities" to be involved in....community group has started back up, the Bible study that I lead is already in progress with another one to start the first of next month....but there's just something about fall that seems to give me time to look deeper within myself....and others...and situations.  At times it can be eye-opening....at other times it is painful....and still other times bring a deep sense of peace to my spirit.  Whatever else it brings, it usually brings growth, and for that I am grateful.

What about the coming autumn months inspires change in you?

Life goes on....

In the midst of all the events of the last several weeks, we have been reminded that life does, indeed, go on!  Last weekend, we decided that if we were going to get any honey from the hives this year, we had better get busy....so on the appointed day, Mr. Man and I suited up.  Well, Mr. Man did....I settled for a good thick white shirt and my hat/veil.  After all, I was only taking pictures, right?  I'm not sure all of the bees believed that.  No, I didn't get stung, but boy, were those guard bees ever vigilant....at one point chasing me halfway up to the house!  But we did manage to "rob" enough honey to get us through the winter and spring....hopefully, next year will be a more productive year for "our" bees, as my dad used to call them!

Looks like a pretty good brood (eggs, larvae) for this late in the year!

I really don't think they were too happy with us today....

 Mmmmm....yummy honey!

 Closing up...

And, now, on to today's chore....well, yesterday and today's that is.  Mr. Man borrowed a power washer from our wonderful neighbor yesterday, and in the middle of cleaning our front porch and sidewalk, it inexplicably stopped working.  After much fretting and some time on the internet....love that easy access to manuals...he was able to diagnose the problem and soon had it working again!  Gotta' love a "can-do" kind of guy....that's my Mr. Man!

 And wow....what a difference!

 



Thanks, hon....job well done!

 

And now to leave you with a little bit of beauty from the field behind our house....

 

Just look around....there are always little bits of beauty....even in the midst of tangled messes, hard situations, hurt feelings, medical issues, financial difficulties....whatever your particular struggle is today, stop and look for a little piece of beauty.  It's there...we just need to take our eyes off ourselves for a little while and we will see it.  What little bit of beauty have you seen today?

Zoo....

As promised, here are some more photos from our day at the zoo a couple of weeks ago....

Let's go 'xplorin'....

Looks like someone needs to see the orthodontist.....

 So graceful.....

 ...but this looks like it would hurt!

 Nice kitty.....

 And this is how I was feeling by the time we saw this red panda.....

 The Nashville Zoo has an awesome playground, and all the kids enjoyed it, including Lucas...

  Can you say Trouble?

 

The boys really enjoyed the lorikeet enclosure...

 .....even Mr. Man....

 Jenn is "talking to the animals...." or birds, that is.

 Lots to see, lots to do at the Nashville Zoo, and thanks to Kroger, we were able to get in on "BOGO" days with our Kroger card.....love me some savings, how about you?  How do you save when you're planning family outings?

Two weeks....big changes!

It's been two weeks ago since my last post.....it has also been two weeks since my dad went to rejoice in the presence of his Lord and Savior.  It was not unexpected, but you never really expect it in the moment.  I am so grateful that I had time with him the day before to hold his hand, do the little things for him, and to tell him that I loved him....and to hear him say that he loved me.  Yes, it was eight hours spent on the road for two hours spent with him, but God knew what He was doing....and I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat just to hear those words from him again!

It was a long month, with the last week of it spent in Nashville, with the memorial service and internment on Saturday, the 31st.  There are a lot of special moments from that time, but I want to hold them close to my heart for a little while longer before I decide what I should share with you here.  So for now, please know that your thoughts and prayers were, and are, very much appreciated, and the acts of kindness meant so much.  I promise I will share more at a later date...

For today, though, I do want to share some photos from a trip to the Nashville Zoo....we were trying to wear out four little grandsons the day before the memorial.  I don't think we were successful in that endeavor because they wore US out....but we did so enjoy a little bit of fun, and seeing their excitement was contagious.  Oh, yes, of course, I did take a few photos.....thought you'd never ask!

These beautiful creatures were the first view we had once we entered the zoo.....

 And just for a little contrast....

 ....then on to the meerkats, whose enclosure was, shall we say, a little pungent?!!  But they're so cute that we stayed to watch anyway!

 The boys' favorite part, I do believe, was the snake, amphibian, and fish habitat....

They are some unique and fascinating creatures....but to look at with a glass (or plexiglass) wall between us, thank you very much!

Tomorrow I will share some photos that don't involve slimy, scaly or slithery beings....well, unless you count little (and not so little) boys!  For now, enjoy the world around you....even if there are some slimy, scaly or slithery things around....God has given us a multitude of wonderful and beautiful (some more so than others, I must admit) creations....so I choose to thank Him for them all!