Saturday, May 14, 2005

Reflections and Memories

Well, funeral home last night and funeral today.  It really wasn't sad though.  More like a toned-down family reunion.  No one will ever again wink at me and call me Sukie.  But  there is peace in knowing he was a Christian.  And there is comfort abounding in a predominately Christian family.  As I told my Aunt Billie, the older I get the more i appreciate the foundation, the heritage they all laid and passed on.  The more of the world I know, the more I realize how rare and precious that is. Goodness!  How do you let go, say goodbye after spending 62 years with someone?  I think of after their kids all go home and back to their lives facing that empty house.  This is a woman who for all the years he worked, after she fed him breakfast and cleared the table, would fold his napkin and place it in her pocket to keep until he returned home that evening, because it smelt of his after-shave. This was a man who served his church and community for most of his life.  Kind, quick-witted, upright, non-judgmental and giving.  His son Lenox,Jr. told me that his dad who served in the Philippines and occupied Japan walked to within a few hundred yards of the crater left by the nuclear bomb to take pictures!  He was award 5 bronze stars and a purple heart, among others.  I saw various cousins I had not seen in 10 or more years!  They said, they may not recognize my face, but once I started to talk there was no doubt who I was!  lol   I have a hefty dose of southern drawl which sounded sexy on my daddy.....but just annoying on me.  There was Buzzy who served us in Nam.  There was Bruce, who gave me my first motorcycle ride.  Also, Jesse and his wife, Sharon who are retired teachers going around the country helping to build churches.  Jason who had been in the Navy Seals.....finally married and settled back down in Nacogdoches.  A wonderful neighbor and family friend from the road I grew up on.  And my first ever boss at age 16.....Mrs. Evelyn Eason.  I was fortunate to have worked under her, for she no doubt made me a better employee for all who came after her.  And many, many third cousins who are still children that I had never laid eyes on, but would have known their family tree on site as the resemblance is so strong!  I'll be back here tomorrow or Monday  with other inspirations, ramblings, and reflections.  We'll start that look at speech and I want to begin to introduce some of my favorite other journals to you.  God bless each one who passes here!  Please don't neglect to worship Him tomorrow.

3 comments:

  1. Glad you got to see a lot of your family members even though it was under the circumstaces it was. I know what you mean by the toned down family reunion. Thats the way it is when one of our family members passes on. Seems a shame that is mostly the only time we all get to see one another. You're all crying and smileing all at the same time. Helen

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  2. Circumstances were sad, but it is nice that you were able to see a lot of family again. When I was growing up I hoped our family would be like those you just wrote about. I wanted and needed so much to hear about God, to learn about HIM, but didn't until I was 26 years old. Enjoyed this entry. *Barb*
    http://journals.aol.com/barbpinion/HEYLETSTALK

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  3. Don't mean to sound disrespectful but I got a chuckle out of the name Sukie. When my mother got angry with me she would take me by the shoulders and call me Sukie Sal. I had never heard that name since. Funerals are like that in my family too, a mini reunion. Paula

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So glad you stopped by! Come 'round any time. ~ Barbara

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