Recently, my Granddaddy on Mom's side passed away. Actually, it was many weeks ago but I have not been able to post. Others were pleased with the humble service during the week between Christmas and New Years but it was very emotionally confusing for me. It seemed as though each of us buried a different person that day (very simply put) because of his complicated nature. While it can be hard to love complicated people unconditionally, I loved him dearly. He was kind and charming and funny and always appreciated my direct nature. I only knew him to be a good man and that was the last thing I told him the morning he went home to Jesus. His pacemaker had been scheduled to be turned off and less than an hour before his heart stopped beating on it's own, Granddaddy said, "I just wish this (pacemaker) would stop working." Amazing... to outlive at least two heart attacks that I know of, progressed diabetes, amputations due to poor circulation, hundreds of defibrillations from a handful of pacemakers, and liver cancer at the very end to then quietly and painlessly pass away almost one year exactly to the date that he accepted Christ as his saviour. Granddaddy's suffering is finally at rest and for this I am so thankful. We never go one day before God is ready; it is always in His timing. (There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens: Ecclesiastes 3:1)
My memories of Granddaddy and Grandmother are pleasant and I can remember that Granddaddy would often take me to the candy shop after we visited his friend at a piano store. They paid for the Disney channel all year long just so they would have it when the kiddos visited. Sometimes Granddaddy would go to the bank and take me with him in the morning. Then we would stop by Jack and Jill Donuts for a chocolate iced doughnut. I can remember climbing their tree in the front yard with my then little brother to make believe we were on a jungle adventure. Time spent picking up the fallen pecan shells in the yard. Grandmother's library in the children's bedroom was extensive and I have purchased some of the classics that I remember for my own children since those had long been thrown away. Playing with wooden blocks and stick horses were a fun afternoon activity, too. Granddaddy once drove from Abilene to Nebraska to watch me, then a sixth grader, preform in a high school musical. Exciting places we visited were Echos (just a local Chinese restaurant but had the best fortune cookies and creamy mints), the Abilene Zoo, Crystals (kind of like Mr. Gatti's) where I became a competitive skee ball player and driving through some of the larger neighborhoods during December to view the Christmas collections displayed in the picture windows. While attending college, early Saturday morning phone calls became a routine, though he would never talk for more than two minutes. If by chance a phone call would last more than 5 minutes, I remember worrying that Granddaddy was lonely or not feeling well. Sometimes he would call me during the middle of the week, pretending to be hurt that he hadn't heard from me, though we both knew we had talked only a few days before. I havent spoken much of this but I find my self sad these day and missing these phone call, now.
