Endings and Beginnings

If you follow us on all of our social media outlets or read our blog posts you might know that this summer has been a little different for us. We are so thankful for your patience if we've had to delay a commission or a shipment. My father's battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma ended on Friday, August 21st. I was humbled to be with my mom and sister and brother while my dad journeyed through his last days in hospice. I have said good bye to other people in my lifetime but I learned so much more in this intimate experience. I have before recognized the circle of life but this walk took me further. I was especially touched by the death process having so many similarities to the birth process. It's hard work at times. There are rewards. There is a great roller coaster of emotion. It helps me to write and remember so here are a few more things that came to my mind during the last few weeks--

One of the ways Dad supported me as an adult,
was to embrace the ministries my family stood behind.
This picture was taken prior to a benefit for The Open Door  .

What I have been holding onto are memories of my dad doing simple, quiet, yet meaningful things. Such as:

• Getting on the floor with me as a child to build blocks,

• Taking me, as a preteen, out on the sailboat after his already full day at the office,

• Mailing me articles about artists and museums that he thought might interest me as I was studying to be an art teacher,

• Stopping at our house to shoot hoops (in a suit) with his grandchildren when he was passing through the town that I lived in,

• Teaching men math so they could move forward professionally out of a transitional time in their life,

• Using a hammer to build a house for someone that had never had an opportunity to be a homeowner.

• Or making sure his bird feeders were always full.

Equally important he modeled being involved in the life of his church family. This was part of my growing up years and as an adult it was the center of many conversations.  I will miss being in his presence. We could just sit and be together and that was good. I am thankful that he is no longer sick but anticipate (God willing) seeing him in the place where everything is made new.

So now my family moves on. My mom will learn a new way of life. We will all look for ways to keep dad's memory alive for the generations to come. We will try to honor God by mimicking the activities of this good and faithful servant. I am feeling blessed to have had a dad that I can say that about.