Soul Sister 3:16

As you can imagine, Mindy and I have had a lot of conversations over the last few days about Dad, what we loved about him - and why we loved him so deeply. A recurring theme is that we loved Dad because he always "showed up". See, we've come to realize that there are people who may be IN your life - who are not necessarily PART of your life.  And that being PART of our lives, even when it was difficult, or uncomfortable, even when "showing up" meant putting our needs, or desires ahead of his own - that is where Dad exceled.  And that is one of the things we truly loved about him. Dad didn't shy away from love when it got inconvenient, messy or hard...and that's important, because LIFE IS inconvenient, messy and hard.   And it is certain that the people you know and love will go through things that will challenge you mentally, physically, spiritually and emotionally.  The trick is, to "show up" even when that is the case. Dad's last days wer...

This past Sunday as Dad passed from this life to the next - I had the rare opportunity to watch as his soul left his body. No - I didn't actually see a spirit rising up like you might see in the movies.  However, what I did witness was that one minute Dad was with us - I was holding his hand and had just finished reading a poem to him, and the next minute, what remained on the bed was not my father at all.  It was just a shell, and the "essence" of Dad had gone. Now I am certain that those who do not have any faith in God, Jesus, or Heaven might say, "Well, Susan - what you saw is just a factor of his heart stopping."  But I believe with all my heart that they'd be wrong. The Bible tells us that God's spirit lives within us - and that the fruits of that spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.   Certainly, those qualities are ones that lived in Dad. So maybe THAT'S what the soul is - things...

First Corinthians 12:12-27 tells us that we are all part of "One Body with Many Members".  It is something I honestly hadn't thought much about.  However, in the past few days, as family members spent time at Rose Arbor hospice with Dad, the words took on new meaning. Verses 14-18 say, "For the body does not consist of one member, but of many.  If the foot should say, 'Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body.  And if the ear should say, 'Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing?  If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?  But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them as He chose."  This past week was a difficult one, but even in the difficulty, I watched as the wisdom of these words played out. ...

There is only one sure bet in life - it is that one day, Death will come for us all. You see Death does not care whether you are young or old, rich or poor, alone in your house, or surrounded by people.  His timetable is his own. And when he comes, he cannot be bribed with the wealth you've accumulated, or promises to "live a better life" going forward.  He  turns a deaf ear to admonitions that it is "too soon," and he cares not whether you are "ready". He comes... A nd yesterday - he came for my Dad. Now Dad didn't die with a lot of "toys" cluttering up his garage.  He and mom don't have a second house or cottage.  And there are no piles of wealth stored up in a bank account... Instead, Dad always thought that the measure of a life well-lived was in how he treated the people around him. And so - rather than dying surrounded by a bunch of "stuff," Dad died awash in love, and surrounded by his family - with calls, texts and e...

I heard a story today that made me think of 4 photos that are hanging at the Frego family farm.    Each of the photos was taken from the same spot, and each captures the vineyard in a different season. In the winter, the vines are gray-brown, and any leaf that had once been on them has since fallen off or turned brown.    If you were only to see the vines in winter, it would be hard to imagine them ever bearing fruit. In early spring, Jim and the other Frego men spend a weekend going through the vineyard and cutting off all of the old growth.    What remains of the vines are barren stumps.    However, shortly thereafter, new green tendrils begin to reach out, and leaves and buds make their first appearance.     Spring is a season of anxious hope.    Since late frosts can kill new buds, each night we watch the forecast.    If cold weather is predicted, we consider the possibility of a lost crop.   ...

  As Mom was signing the papers to move Dad from the hospital into hospice care, the nurse who was talking with us spoke about this being "sacred time". I've thought a lot about that. Miriam Webster says the definition of "sacred" is: dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity...devoted exclusively to one service or use. We are heading over to see Dad soon, but as I look out at this morning's sunrise, I think about Psalm 19:1 - "To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.  The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." These days, I am acutely aware of how the "things" of life will lead us away from spending meaningful time with God.  And yet, as the creator of the universe, provider of life, giver of hope - shouldn't we at least remember to thank Him?  Sadly - I recognize that at least for me, when I prioritize my day, "thanking God" so often gets left of the list.   That'...

The earliest memories I have of my dad are when he was a young man.   Back then he shaved his head like Telly Savalas, and his dark eyes and eyebrows stood out on his handsome face.   Dad was always tan, well-muscled, and one of the coolest guys I knew.  He enjoys people and parties, and he and mom used to throw some awesome ones complete with themes, parlor games, and ice cream drinks served in tall skinny glasses.  Many times I remember sneaking down the stairs so I could watch the party goers through the spindles... I also remember the ice rink dad built in the backyard, and the giant dollhouse he made from scratch.  I remember listening to him tell stories about flying as we drifted off to sleep, and how he looked when he was shaving in the morning. Back then on the weekends, if Dad watched TV, he liked watching the Pittsburgh Steelers, war movies, and car races, and I can remember more than once - crawling up on his chest and falling asleep while ...