To Sir With Love

My Dad's Eulogy / partial from me.

Maybe you are here for my mom, maybe my sister or maybe for me. I want to thank you for whatever reason in coming to support our family. I know many of you did not know my dad. For in his years of declining health, he did not get out and greet as many of you as he would have liked or would have in his younger years. But in a sense, you have met our dad, for when you see my sister or me, you see him. We are like our dad in so many ways.

Most people do not want to become their parents but I find it an honor. Many times I say to myself (or my husband likes to remind me—sly little smile intended here)—“I have become my dad.” and I just smile back.

You would be proud dad!

For you have taught me well—even in your last days and in the moments when you were most confused, I would answer you with, “Yes sir or No sir” and you would ask me what was up with the “Sir stuff.” I reminded you how you would not answer Lynn and me when we were younger unless “Sir’’ was tacked on when answering you or anyone. And your legacy lives on in your grandchildren. Remember Chyenne as she came running down from a house as she trick or treated yelling, “Momma, momma, I said my good manners.” The homeowners just giggled but it warmed my heart and I thought of you. I owe that to you dad. Thank you for my “good manners.”

Even to the end you took care of Lynn and me. For in your last moments you and God (of course) gave us a gift that we will cherish forever. You had been unresponsive for days and you woke up and looked at us sitting on both sides of you to say, how much you loved us. In a weak but loving voice you called us by name, I now know how special our names were to you because just weeks before (during another anointed time) you told me why we were named Connie and Lynn. You said because they were “Beautiful names like you both.” And then you went on to say, “You are my little girl and you will always be my little girls. I love you both. You take care of your little sister. You take care of each other.” And then you drifted back into a sleep.

I know in my own work of Hospice that not everyone gets these gifts but we did and we know you probably worked out some deal with God to make it happen.

For Jesus was right there in the room. As earlier when I told you how much Jesus loved you, you said, “I love Him, too.” Then you pointed to the corner of the room and said in a whisper, “Jesus is right there.”

Our time with you was beyond even the Supernatural, it was God! I soon had the nurses watching where they walked because Jesus was in the corner. I wished you could have seen their faces!

Ok... so you made us laugh in the midst of crying. There was the little thing with your Pastor ….He came in to see you and “well, Dad you kind of yelled out Holy (a word that can’t be said in this group)….” I think you caught your pastor off guard. We just sort of held our breath; I mean did you just commit some kind of cardinal sin? But only dad would do such a thing. When I finally had the courage to look your Pastor Les in the eye, he said, “Well, at least it was Holy.”

And Mom, I want you to know Dad always told us how lucky he was to have you and how much he loved you. We are lucky to have you too. Thank you for always being there for dad. And I am glad you received the most special gift as dad entered Heaven, his big beautiful smile; for we know he saw Jesus. You were the one to witness this. It was your unique and extraordinary moment with Heaven.

And now we know:
As dad woke, he envisioned stepping onto a shore but found it to be Heaven;
And as he took hold of a hand, he realized it was the hand of GOD, His Papa.
For the first time he breathes new air— that of celestial air.
The invigoration he now feels, well it is immortality
He has walked from the storm to an indescribable calm
Walking …Dad--you have found HOME…

So today, we weep. Even Jesus wept. Not because of death but because our hearts are broken for this season of separation.

But it is only for a season. For tomorrow, there is a promise—that of eternal life.

I love you Dad.

I celebrate your homecoming and your life—to you— To Sir with Love…..

In Memory of My Dad

Bryant Lewis Franklin

October 2, 1939 - January 24, 2008

Bryant Lewis Franklin, 68, of Rome joined his precious Jesus on January 24, 2008 after a courageous battle with illness and his last days at Redmond Regional Medical Center.

Mr. Franklin was born in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, on October 2, 1939, to Luther Gardner Franklin and Margaret Lewis Franklin. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister, Anita Tabor and two brothers, Lee and Herbert Franklin.

Mr. Franklin grew up in Washington, DC and Rome, Georgia. He served briefly in the United States Army and was a veteran of the United States Air Force, obtaining the rank of Airman, Second Class and serving in the famed 17th Bomb Wing. While in the Air Force he received training in aircraft mechanics. He retired from Eastern Air Lines after 25 years service as an aircraft mechanic and avionics technician.

Mr. Franklin loved to fly/pilot airplanes. He also was an accomplished artist, painting portraits, still-life and abstract in oil. Additionally, he loved planning and implementing indoor and outdoor home improvements.

But most of all, he was the best dad and husband.

He was a member of West Rome United Methodist Church. He was also a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason.

He is survived by his loving wife of 28 years, Bobbie; daughters, Connie (Brad) Barris and Lynn (Keith) White; three grandsons, Taylor and Daniel White and Hogan Barris; three granddaughters, Christa White, Chyenne Abercrombie and Whitney (Ryan) Cleary; great-grandson, Jackson Cleary; brother, Luther (Frances) Franklin; father-in-law, Max Coltrane; sister-in-law, Rebecca (Dennis) Baldwin; brother-in-law, Joseph (Anne) Coltrane; nieces, Tammy (Curtis) Peterson and Dianne (Kent) Southern; nephews, Tim Franklin and Lee Coltrane.

The funeral will be held Sunday, January 27, 2008 at 3:00 pm at the Oaknoll Chapel of Jennings Funeral Home with Rev. Les Connell officiating. Entombment will be in the Garden of the Apostles, John Mausoleum at Oaknoll Memorial Gardens, with military rites provided by the American Legion Shanklin-Attaway Post #5 Honor Guard.

Pallbearers will be Brad Barris, Keith White, Daniel White, Joseph Coltrane, Dennis Baldwin and Lee Coltrane. Honorary pallbearers will be Taylor White and Hogan Barris.

The family will receive friends at the Oaknoll Chapel of the Jennings Funeral Home from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm on Saturday, January 26, 2008. At other times, they may be contacted at their respective residences.

Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to West Rome United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 2247, Rome, GA 30164 or to Heyman Hospice Care, P.O.Box 163, Rome, GA 30162-0163

The family extends special appreciation to Dr. Stephen Finn, M.D. and Marla Teat, P.A.; to Shirley Griggs, RN, Betty Bischoff, RN and other staff of Heyman Hospice; and to the fifth floor nursing staff of Redmond Regional Medical Center for the Loving care and support provided to Bryant and his family at this time.

Please join the family in honoring Mr. Franklin by visiting www.jenningsfuneralhome.com and share your memories and post your tributes.

Imagine

thank you Denise.... I needed this...

We Are Home

My sweet daddy has been healed.... today, he walked into the hands of Jesus.


He will never shed another tear, nor feel pain for Jesus paved a beautiful road for us all.

Those of us left behind, such as myself, weep uncontrollably at this moment. So I seek the Papa's lap and my friends prayers.

My daddy smiled big before he took his last breath. Who wouldn't as they are about to be embraced by the Father Himself!

Grief Goggles

On Thursday, Jan 24th, I will be hosting over at Laced With Grace.

Because of my journey at the moment, I am doing a devotional on Grief.
I hope you will join me.

Also, I want to thank everyone. Your comments, your prayers, your thoughts have meant the world to me. You are like family and I just cannot say enough about all your support. When this is over, I will visit you all and and let you know how much I so appreciate you. I'm sorry I have not been able to get around to you lately but I have thought about you and prayed for you all.

I love you all dearly...

Boot Camp 08

To my precious nephew... William Taylor White...

Monday January 21st, he will be leaving home to serve our country in the Air Force. He is going to be following his grandaddy's and his dad's footsteps. Even as to the job chosen in the Air Force (although his dad went into medicine). Both are so much alike. Artistic, computer savvy and well, good-looking and witty.

My sister, Lynn is going to really need our prayers. She will be losing not only our dad at this time but her little baby boy to the service. Both are hard enough in itself.

I know that Taylor will do well and it will make a future for he and his fiance Candace as she stays back and finishes nursing school.

Needless to say, I am so very proud of Taylor. BTW, he is the one that redid the design on my blog...

So Taylor, I love you with all my heart and will be praying for you every day.
Thank you ahead for what you are about to do.

My Dad

I live this job... Hospice that is... but when it hits me in the face it is different. I can't see it.

We admitted my dad last night to the hospital for terminal care. He became combative and we couldn't control him. So basically that means he is in his last two weeks of life. All the signs are there but I can't accept what is happening.

I am in the most vulnerable state of my life. It's like one of those dreams where you are standing out in a crowd naked.

Is this God's way of preparing me to let him go?

Even so, it hurts more than ever.

I'll be taking some days off to be with my dad...

I'll have you all close to my heart

Are You A Lighthouse?

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life."

John 8:12

I have a passion for lighthouses. There is something very intriguing about them. As a child, growing up around the ocean, I was enamored by the stories of lighthouses and how they helped guide the sailors and their ships through treacherous waters to safety.

I have a very dear friend that has been a lighthouse to me for some years now. And the past several weeks he has been on my heart. I have really felt that I owe him my life has he guided me through treacherous waters in a difficult time in my life. His beaming light shown in my life, giving me a path to follow where I would experience God's grace, love and mercy as never before.

When we are in troubled waters, we can experience peace, strength, and guidance in knowing that our Papa is there, wanting to show us the way. When we see a lighthouse beacon cast its wide circle of light, it can remind us of God's radiant love that surrounds and embraces us. God invites us into the light that leads to everlasting life.

As Christians, we can be a lighthouse to those traveling through troubled waters.

Are you a beacon of light for someone now?

It's The Best Day Of My Life

On Sunday January 13th, I will be hosting over at Laced with Grace. Please come and join me... Bring a hot cup of Tea or Jo.. and find out how to have the Best Day of Your Life...

Thanks for bearing with me this week, I have been out of pocket most of the week... I will hopefully catch up with everyone this weekend....

I love you all and I really appreciate your friendship and your prayers...

Love you all,

Wordless Wednesday

Embrace your Little Red Hearts today.

They are all around us.... As our Papa sends them our way...




Living the Supernatural,

Are You Living A Kamikaze Life For Christ

picture: Kugisho Ohka 22 Flying Bomb

(Matthew 16:25) “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it…”

Today, I sat with my dad and looked through one of his Aviation books with him. He is a pilot, always will be in my heart (He thinks he is still flying anyway). He took me flying when I was a little girl and I was proud to be his co-pilot. Now I sit next to him guiding him into a new realm; a place of great riches, heartfelt memories and the holy of holies in our relationship. There are regrettably days of great turbulence as I along with my family fly him Home to His Heavenly Father. My heart grieves beyond anything I ever thought possible. Maybe I am not as strong as I once thought, but then I doubt I was made to be, “For in my weakness…” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

But Papa continues to show me His love, His plan and His presence even in the midst of my pain. As we flipped through the pages of my daddies book, we came upon an airplane that flew in the WWll against Japan. It was called the Hugisho Ohka 22 Flying Bomb. It had one mission and only one. It was a kamikaze bomb. And over the life of these bombs, 5000 men gave their life for the emperor of their country. Can you imagine giving your all for something you believed in?

These men did.

What about the Disciples of Christ day and even some of today? They too gave their life for a cause; the cause of Jesus Christ. Do you think they would have gone to their death if His Life, Death and Resurrection were not so? Beheaded, stoned and hung all because they knew without a doubt that Jesus was the Son of God. They had a cause to fight for.

The Kamikaze bombers were only taught how to take off and never taught how to land their aviation device. They had one mission. And they went forward with total abandonment. I cannot imagine that kind of passion or even what was going through their minds as they started out on their way that morning knowing today would be their last day on earth!

Why is it that we as Christians must know where we are going, why we are going, how we are going and well, in essence how to land?

Sure it’s easy to talk about Christ around other Christians, but what about in the midst of non-believers? “Oh, what might they think about me?”

And what if someone made fun of your Savior in public, would you have the courage to stand up for Him? Not enough of us are taking a stand anymore, just look at the school systems.

What about the strongholds in your life? Can you hand them over to the Papa? Or do you still wrestle with those on your own? I for one think I can do it myself. Probably a control issue for me. And well, I’m going nowhere with it either.

Can we have a life and still live in a world of total unrelenting abandoned love and passion that calls us to our Papa’s cause. Are we willing to give up the life as we know it in exchange for maybe a crash landing? Are we willing to lose our life daily?(Matt 16:25) (So many times when I have let go, I have been amazed by the beauty of what God has given back to me.)

Each person’s call will be different, so don’t look at your neighbor. Keep your eyes on Papa!

Would you be willing to fly a kamikaze life for Christ?

And as long as He is our Air-traffic controller, I feel confident about the landing….

(Thanks Dad….I love you....)

Living the Supernatural,

The Daily Dose Award

What a special award from my friend Suzanne over at Truly Captivating. I have known Suzanne forever and then not really.

For we are kindred spirits in Christ just as so many of you are. We can go a while and not talk but pick up right where we left off without missing a beat.

Her name, Captivating reminds of the book, Captivating by Stasi Eldredge. If you haven't read it, you should. It is awesome just like you are Suzanne.

This award and it's originator are special. I always love to find out where something comes from and why. What is the heart and soul behind it. So, I am glad that I can give you the information to go back and read. It's not just about who's who but about passing the torch of love.

"So here's to all the blogs that you've discovered that you can't possibly live without. They make you laugh, cry, think and feel connected every time you read a post. They give you a thrill as you see them loading into your browser and you get an equally satisfying thrill when you see that they have commented on your blog".

From Xandra: creator, The Daily Dose Award

This will be hard to do because there are many that touch me in some way. And by not including you, that doesn't mean that you don't touch my life in some way. But here we go....

Denise Shortybears - you are my encourager and my prayer warrior.
Cheryl - you have become a wonderful friend and prayer warrior.
Melli - you keep me laughing til I cry. And we love the Lord together
Linda - Girl, you need to write for stand up comedians... you kill me.
Lynn - your passion for marriages to not just make it but reach new heights, amaze me.
Bev - there is something so tender about our friendship. I just love ya girl
Sharon - always there as an encourager, even when you are struggling through your own struggles. I appreciate you.
Jaye - The world has had it's way with you but you keep coming back up and your heart is one of gold. You love with such tender mercy.
Grams - I want you to be my grandma...You are full of love
Dori - you could be a bestfriend if we lived closer to each other
Patty- I love ya girl, even if you are orange!!
Sandy- You are down to earth, tender hearted. I love to come and read about what is going on in your life.
Donetta - the girl can cook...and pray... and she has great advice...
Denise / Good Samaritan -- big heart, big tears...this is who I want praying for me, of course, you all do which is awesome...
Nise - you are such a sweetheart... I love you to pieces
Deb - i will get on the back of my hubbies harley and we will ride for Jesus together...
Susan - I always learn something from you.. .either about a book or how to find scallops...love it!
Sharon Little Lessons - we started blogging together... so we are like k'garten buddies...

And one blog I read daily without fail because she is such an inspiration but doesn't realize it, is my little princess Ivey. A special girl sent to wonderful parents and brothers to teach us all how to live. Thank you sweet one!

So come on girls, share the love!! (But don't forget to visit Xandra at Heart of Service to sign Mr. Linky!! ;-))

And thank you for being a part of my life...

PS... if you have received this award.. please don't stress over it... I find it an honor to give it to you again...I don't want to dilute the meaning... so don't feel you have to post this again...

Tea-Time

Psalm 95:7 "Today, if you hear His voice..."




Today, I met a friend.

“Tea?”

“Excuse me?” I asked.

“Would you care to join me for some tea?”

(There went my grocery list of to-do’s. Quickly the list began to add up. Surely the world would come to a halt without me--sly little smile. I just don’t have time for this, “Tea-time”. It will make me late getting to my next appointment which will make me late getting home which will make me late for dinner which will make me late for... you get it…)

Do people really do tea anymore? I pondered.

Well, the Rapture did not occur during my fleeting seconds of tug-of-war over the issue of—time, Tea-time! And I did come to a decision to his question.

“Sure, I guess it couldn’t hurt to have a little tea.”

And so it was tea, and just the two of us.

What a beautiful day in those moments common between two spirits. The exuding love shared as we follow the call of the Papa evident as the dance of life began all around us in twirls of magic. Tiny bursts of warmth crackled through our hearts as time no longer mattered. Understanding eternity as something with no boundaries, no limits, and no end. The choirs of our desires sang gloriously without ever moving our lips. Anytime two people take the time to share, I mean really share with another spirit, we will find something beneath all the defenses and all the walls we have built. We will find their beauty.

And the world went on—there was not a backlog of the events of my life that day or any of the days that followed. I became more alive than ever. A new breath of a fresh spirit was present.

And the days became weeks, the weeks became months as we shared over “Tea-time.”

And we shared Jesus.

Knowing for why I came, our days were numbered, they were short. And so our Tea-time together was drawing to an end. He would soon be sharing his Tea-time with Jesus.

And the day came.

I was on my way to my patient’s house to pronounce his death, he lives near an airport. He was also a pilot. I had never seen a plane in all the times I drove to his home during our visits. On this day, a large plane flew very low and dipped his right wing as if saying “Hi, how about Tea-time.”

I will miss you my friend, but I know you wouldn’t come back for "All the tea in Heaven?”… smile… I love you….

Today, I lost a friend.


Living the Supernatural

Our Superhero Moments

Wednesday, January 2nd, I will be at Laced with Grace (yes, Bev, right down the street having tea) so for those of you that aren't sure what to do: smile...

just click here: Laced with Grace and it will take you into cyberblogsville to my post.

Find out about our very own Superhero moments and how our Savior uses those to make memories in the lives of others.

Living the Supernatural,