Today I read the above chapters in Job, but I am not really going to speak on that. I want to take this opportunity to put some of the thoughts and feelings that are going through my head in regards to the happenings of the previous week.
On Monday January 31st, I got a phone call from my mom telling me my grandpa had passed away. My heart sunk. Mom explained to me what had happened in the final moments of his life. I cried while I listened to her and wanted to immediately get in my car and drive to be with her, but couldn't because of the weather. There was a snow storm going on and it would not have been safe. I had recently wrote my grandpa a note and I was happy to find out the following day that he had read it! It made me so happy that I was able to tell him a small portion of how I felt about him and all he had done for me before he had passed on. I will now take a few moments to write a longer letter for him.
Dear Grandpa~
I love you so much! I will miss you terribly! As much as you will be missed by myself and others here on Earth, I know you are residing in your mansion on the streets of gold with the rest of our family who has gone before! Throughout my childhood you were a man to look up to! Holidays with the family provided us with guaranteed time together in the basement preparing the meat. We would always sneak pieces here and there! Talking about such little meaningless things, but all those talks mean so much to me now! Remembering now the first time you made me put a worm on my own hook in order to fish with you. I was so disgusted, but so proud when I did it! You regularly got frustrated with how loud I was while we fished, but would always allow me to go. You had a never failing faith in God, a faith I have always tried to attain. It is because of this faith, I am confident of where you are now and all the fun you are having without pain or exhaustion or worry. The Christmas you forgot which popcorn tin you didn't put the $25 in so all 6 grandkids had to search through the popcorn looking for their $25. To this day, I think this was done on purpose. You got such a kick out of watching us search and search. The piles of paper in the living room by the chairs. The popcorn with extra butter! Poker with match sticks as our poker chips. Teaching us the rule of "sweating the cards". Telling us stories of your time in the South Pacific. As a woman, I have taken your expectations and rules of respect into consideration when dating. If a man will not remove his hat at the dinner table, I am disappointed. This is one thing you always spoke of in regards to respect for others. The day I was trying to figure out where I got the blessing of a larger chest from and before Grandma could even answer if she had always had a larger chest before children, you said "Oh yes she did!" With that the mystery was solved! The whoopi cushion, the magnetic devices, the "quarter pounder", the big station wagons, the lessons at the acreage, the Freedant gum, the never ending love for Grandma, and your wonderful humor! Grandpa, you embody so many of the things I want in a man... I can only hope that when I find the man for me, he loves me as wonderfully as you have loved Grandma your "beloved". You lived such a long and full life and because of this I was able to know you as a child, teen, young lady, and a woman! I have truly been blessed and now God is blessed to have you with Him! Although I mourn the ending of your life here on Earth, I am comforted knowing you are part of the party in the sky! You will always be with us and your legacy will be one to share with those who were not as lucky as those of us who were in your life! I love you so much Grandpa and am forever indebted to you for all you taught me and gave me!
Love you,
Stephanie
