One day ago we learned that my Dad has non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Yes, cancer. He has a golfball-sized tumor at the base of his spine and chemotherapy begins this evening. Surely, Dad is very tender in his spirit, but has inner peace that is even more undeniable. He also has a deep joy that even the devil or cancer cannot put the brakes on.
In other words, "ALL IS WELL! GO AND TELL! EMMANUEL -- GOD IS WITH US AND WITHIN US!" Dad wins either way.
Spending these quiet days of waiting alongside my Dad has increased my memory. When it comes to "What I Miss Most About Christmases Past", I must admit, today especially, it's not about "WHAT I MISS MOST" but about "WHO I MISS MOST!" This will not be a surprise to most of my readers, but I really miss my grandparents. Their presence was such a comfort to my mind and such a refreshment to my soul while they were still here on Planet Earth.
My Dad thinks I look like his Dad, my Granddaddy, Captain Gray. Sometimes when I wear a cap in Dad's presence, he cries and often with trembling lips tenderly tells me, "You look so much like my dad." Resembling my Granddady Gray touches me deeply, because my Granddaddy Gray was a hero in my life. I named my only son after him.
At Granddaddy Gray's funeral in 1974, men told me that if I grew up to be half the man that Gray Willis was, I'd be a wonderful man. His integrity was on illustration to one and all.
So you guessed it. I especially miss my Granddaddy Gray at Christmastime. He was a quiet, humorous, and pleasant man. If he was in the room, everyone gravitated to him. When he left the room, everyone knew there was a sudden loss to the conversation, but especially a loss to the atmosphere, because he was a man of subtle but certain presence.
I remember one Christmas when my Granny gift-wrapped him a new CB radio for his shrimp trawler communication. After he opened it, she went over and passionately kissed my shy Granddaddy in front of the whole family. She laughed wondrously as he blushed almost to tears. We have a photo of that beautiful exchange.
I also recall the first Christmas after my granddaddy had passed on to Heaven. It was December 1974. My Dad (who surely is his mother's son) who had therefore always been the life of our parties, especially our Christmas get-togethers, was on this particular Chrostmas so broken-hearted that he could hardly get through the Holy Day season. The loss of his beloved Father was unfamiliar territory for his soul to travel. We all suffered with him. We all missed Granddaddy, a sanctuary of the the Presence of Holy God, but Dad was without doubt the most broken-hearted.
As much as I miss Granddaddy Gray at Christmastime, I am still presently grateful that I still have my own Dad. Yes, he's seen better days, physically, but with each passing Christmas Season our whole family gets closer to our goal -- a grand reunion day with our loved ones and celebrating Christmas with the One called Wonderful, Jesus Himself. What a day that will be. He'll be waiting for our coming. Yes, both my Granddaddy Gray and our Lord Jesus.
Prayers deeply appreciated. You can find "US" right in the middle of J"US"T TR"US"TING!
Grateful
Spending these quiet days of waiting alongside my Dad has increased my memory. When it comes to "What I Miss Most About Christmases Past", I must admit, today especially, it's not about "WHAT I MISS MOST" but about "WHO I MISS MOST!" This will not be a surprise to most of my readers, but I really miss my grandparents. Their presence was such a comfort to my mind and such a refreshment to my soul while they were still here on Planet Earth.
My Dad thinks I look like his Dad, my Granddaddy, Captain Gray. Sometimes when I wear a cap in Dad's presence, he cries and often with trembling lips tenderly tells me, "You look so much like my dad." Resembling my Granddady Gray touches me deeply, because my Granddaddy Gray was a hero in my life. I named my only son after him.
At Granddaddy Gray's funeral in 1974, men told me that if I grew up to be half the man that Gray Willis was, I'd be a wonderful man. His integrity was on illustration to one and all.
So you guessed it. I especially miss my Granddaddy Gray at Christmastime. He was a quiet, humorous, and pleasant man. If he was in the room, everyone gravitated to him. When he left the room, everyone knew there was a sudden loss to the conversation, but especially a loss to the atmosphere, because he was a man of subtle but certain presence.
I remember one Christmas when my Granny gift-wrapped him a new CB radio for his shrimp trawler communication. After he opened it, she went over and passionately kissed my shy Granddaddy in front of the whole family. She laughed wondrously as he blushed almost to tears. We have a photo of that beautiful exchange.
I also recall the first Christmas after my granddaddy had passed on to Heaven. It was December 1974. My Dad (who surely is his mother's son) who had therefore always been the life of our parties, especially our Christmas get-togethers, was on this particular Chrostmas so broken-hearted that he could hardly get through the Holy Day season. The loss of his beloved Father was unfamiliar territory for his soul to travel. We all suffered with him. We all missed Granddaddy, a sanctuary of the the Presence of Holy God, but Dad was without doubt the most broken-hearted.
As much as I miss Granddaddy Gray at Christmastime, I am still presently grateful that I still have my own Dad. Yes, he's seen better days, physically, but with each passing Christmas Season our whole family gets closer to our goal -- a grand reunion day with our loved ones and celebrating Christmas with the One called Wonderful, Jesus Himself. What a day that will be. He'll be waiting for our coming. Yes, both my Granddaddy Gray and our Lord Jesus.
Prayers deeply appreciated. You can find "US" right in the middle of J"US"T TR"US"TING!
Grateful
4 comments:
J"us"t Tr"us"ting with you! I like that a lot.
Stephen
He's trustworthy...!!!
Thank you for sharing your heart and precious memories of Christmas past. You and your family are continually in my prayers
Thanks you so much!!! So very much!!!
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