Remembering My Dad

Today, four years ago, my dad passed away. Today he would have celebrated his 60th birthday. We were able to go to Jacksonville, AL and place flowers at his grave site. I would like to try and go once a year. The first time Joe and I went I was 8 months pregnant with Noah. The second time Noah was almost 2 and Madeline was 4 weeks old! This time I am expecting our third child. A lot has changed in four years. It was interesting/hard to explain to Noah what we were doing. We talk of Granddaddy often and Noah knows that Granddaddy lives in heaven with Jesus. So to go to an actual place was a bit tricky! I went with explaining that we were bringing flowers to remember Granddaddy's life.

Even though this day is always hard, it does get easier. Very fittingly, for those who know our family and knew Dad, I spent time by myself out on Mom's deck early this morning. Sitting in the same chair, looking out at the same trees as I did with him so many times, even to the end. I remembered what Dad was like, looked at his pictures, laughed and cried. I love it that with every note he wrote me he always told me how proud he was of me, how much he loved me, signed them "daddy boy" and without fail, had "Roll Tide" somewhere on the note!!! That was my daddy for you. I wish my sweet friends in Macon could have known him. And as I heard Joe and Maddie come down the stairs this morning and heard her chattering away, my heart longed for my children to have known the love of their Grandfather.

I was reading in Randy Alcorn's book, Heaven, and he was talking about the nature of the eternal heaven. I was struck by Revelation 21: 23, "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp." How amazing it will be to fully behold the glory of God. It brings me great peace to know that in God's goodness, mercy and love, Dad is experiencing that now.