January has been a difficult month and 2012 is not looking promising so far.
Grandpa died unexpectedly on the evening of January 5th. He had slowly, and difficultly, been recovering from heart surgery when he suffered a massive stroke on that Thursday morning. He was my last living grandparent and an incredibly special man.
My favorite thing about Grandpa was his storytelling. Maybe it is because of the role that history plays in my life-- I have a profound love of the intimacy of oral history. Grandpa had a wealth of stories that he loved to share. Some were about his childhood and his family. Others were about his time in the Navy during World War I. In general I did not know many of the people he would talk about in his stories, but he had a way of telling them that just captured attention.
I am so thankful that I was able to visit with him regularly during my trips home over the last several years and I am incredibly grateful that he was able to meet Carver. Grandpa and Grandma Ruby were also able to visit us, here in Georgia, during the first year or two we were married. I love it that they, who did not travel much the last few years, was able to see my home, and visit camp, and spend the whole day with us. It is a special memory and one that I am very thankful for.
But what I am most thankful for is that because he was such a good man, he was able to raise my father to be the man that he is. We have the most incredible Dad-- and I feel like Grandpa should be given some credit for that. Grandpa was kind, sincere, thoughtful, and well-respected. A role model for all of us.
Daniel, Carver and I made a whirlwind trip down to Bartow for the funeral. Grandpa was given a military graveside service which I found incredibly touching. Grandma Ruby was presented with the folded flag, Taps was played and shots were fired. After the close of the graveside service, a member of the military color guard came up to Lyle (who was in his full formal uniform), saluted him, and presented him with the spent shell casings from the shots fired. It was an incredible moment to me and one that I know must have greatly impacted Lyle. I am so thankful that I got to see it.
Death, loss, grief are all just so incredibly difficult to me. For everyone, I guess. Grandpa was much-loved and will be greatly missed.
My heart hurts that January has brought you so much turmoil. I pray for you ever day and it is my prayer that in the midst of all this you will know that you are engraved on the palms of HIS hands (IS 49:16). Love you - let me know if you need anything.
ReplyDelete