liadanslyre

last words...

today marks the last conversation i had on this earth w/ my father.

to watch his decline, to see him change to a shell, to watch my mom grieve, to witness the softening of his spirit as he readied to pass- changed me.

four years ago, i was with my dad on his twenty something trip to the emergency room over the course of the year. we knew that the end was coming. i was alone in my dad's curtained bay, climbed into his bed and hugged him.

i said, "dad- i love being with you." and he looked at me in the last moment of clarity i remember and he said, 'i love being with you too'. it seems like it just happened and i hope i never forget that scene and the sound of his voice.

he spent his remaining days in hospital. we got to be with him as he went Home seven days later. it was truly the most tragic and beautiful thing i have ever witnessed.

it's so ironic- i wouldn't wish that watching, seeing, and witnessing on anyone. yet- i wouldn't trade it for the world.

so- here's to my dad- the smartest man i ever met. i miss him terribly and think of him every day (still). he taught me about sobriety and how to stand up for the little guy by showing me and not just talking about it. he was very funny and if he found something particularly humorous- had this ridiculously contagious laugh that wouldn't quit. he (and my mom) showed me how to stay married- even when it was hard. he had rough edges that were often edearing and sometimes maddening; but nonethess- he taught me a lot of Jesus.

last years rememberance

today's chewable vitamin:
my dad's favorite passage...

34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44 "They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45 "He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' 46 "Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
~matt. 25.34-45