There was never a time my Daddy wasn't there, until now. He attended countless dance and piano recitals, watched me cheer for the Pirates for 4 years of football and basketball, and then did the same for my kids years later. Mama and Daddy waited 10 years for a child, and then when I made my appearance I think Daddy decided even though I was a girl, he would try to still instill a love in me for cars and football. It worked. I still love both to this day.
My Daddy was a quiet man, but he led our family with strong Biblical and moral values. He was known to speak his mind in his timing and often if someone asked if I was his daughter I would often reply "Why?" before I answered, just in case he had spoken his mind. Although he held some very strong opinions about some topics (some that I agreed with and others that I did not) he loved my mother, me, and my children passionately, and we loved him passionately in return.
I love this one of my Daddy and Colby from the same evening.
And here is one of Daddy with Kendall on her 16th birthday. This is one of the last pictures we have of him.
Daddy was diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer in December 2014. Doctors were optimistic about treatment and for a time he did do well. However in early March he took a turn for the worse and his health declined until he was hospitalized during the last week of March. During that last week of his life, we laughed and cried. My kids came often to see him and we did life together right there in the hospital. I even Facetimed my classes on the Wednesday before he passed away on Friday to review them for a test, and Daddy just shook his head at the technology.
As the week progressed his breathing got increasingly labored and he had to utilize a bipap machine to force enough oxygen into his lungs to keep him alive. By Good Friday his lungs and heart couldn't hold out, and Daddy went to be with Jesus with Mama and I by his side. I have never witnessed anyone pass into eternity before and it changes you. It makes the work Jesus did on the cross for all of us to spend eternity with Him very real. It all makes sense then.
As we were planning the memorial service for Daddy we struggled to find the right music for the service. On the way to our Easter service on Sunday morning Kendall reminded me about a song that Daddy absolutely loved, "Lay 'Em Down." He had heard the song on our local Christian radio station 90.7 and was crazy about this song. This was so uncharacteristic for him to be so taken by one particular song. Daddy asked my kids about the song, and even called the radio station and they graciously played it for him. We finally found the CD on Amazon and I paid more for the shipping than the CD. We gave it to him for a gift at Christmas 2013 and he played it repeatedly in his truck.
When Kendall suggested the song I knew instantly she was right. And then it hit me like a brick wall. The group that sings the song is called Need to Breathe. While he was alive, Daddy had no greater need than to breathe. Now that Daddy is with Jesus, he no longer needs earthly breath. He has truly done as the song says and taken the burden of breathing and Laid 'Em Down.
Acts 17:25 says that "He (Jesus) Himself gives everyone life and breath."
If you are not familiar with the song, I would like to share it with you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PN-BMHi5L8
Daddy is now more alive than you and I have ever been, and he no longer has a need to breathe. I love you Daddy, and I will see you soon.
