Thinking of you...

I always think of my dad this time of year... he always made Christmas special... wishing you a Merry Christmas in Heaven Dad.... Love you

Happy Heavenly 3rd Birthday

Happy 3rd Birthday, Dad

Bryant L Franklin

October 2, 1939 - January 24, 2008

I love you

Happy Birthday Dad

Happy Birthday ---71 years...
hard to believe you have been gone for almost 3 years.



Dad... May your day in Heaven be wonderful... We will celebrate your life here today as we remember how special you were to us... and how much you remain in our life through your memories...

btw... your flowers are blooming today...



To Sir--with love---your little girl.

Happy Father's Day 2010

To My Dad


Dear Jesus,

Will you please give this letter to my Dad…

I want to thank him on this beautiful Father’s Day….for chosing me to be his daughter. And out of all the little girls in the world, he chose to give life to my sister and I.

So this year, I would please ask that you tell him thank you for these things and the million other ones I will forget.

When I was four years-old, Dad, you came to the hospital to visit me (this was the era where parents couldn’t stay with their children), and you had spent your lunch money to buy me a gift. You and I played for as long as they would let you stay. We played with the little army men you bought your little girl. They were treasures to me for I was born on a military base and this is something we often did. You and I had a special appreciation and love for planes.

So thank you for the nights we drove to the airport and watched the "Big" planes land and take off. How exhilirating it was. It was not suprise then that you would later become a pilot and I your co-pilot! So thank you for letting me fly your plane but loving me enough to respect it’s dangers. And my little sis just slept away in the back.

Thank you for all the nights you sat by my bed because I was too frightened to go to sleep. You always waited til I was secure and in happy dreamland.

Thank you for all the wonderful “dinners” of cheese eggs and cheese hotdogs. No one comes close to making them like you do.

Thank you for all the trips to Krispy kreme and then to the Key Largo to fish and snorkel.

Thank you for helping me become the best fisher girl. To love the ocean and respect it’s sacredness. Thank you for teaching me to drive a boat and not fall out.

Thank you for not making me ever eat baked beans (again) after I returned them to you the first time you tried.

Thank you for telling me about “boys”.

Thank you for being young and handsome and making all my girlfriends jealous.

Most of all, thank you for helping to encourage my dreams no matter how big.

I was always your little girl, even as you took your last breathe, you reminded Lynn and I of this with these very words, “You will always be my little girls, take care of each other. I love you and always will.”

Thank you for loving me, for loving us.

Happy Father’s Day… as you sit next to our Heavenly Father….God Almighty.

As your life bestowed life...


To My Husband

And I wish for my husband, the father of my children God's Blessings... as he teaches our children wisdom and knowledge, kindness and love.

Life is short, we are but a vapor (James 4:14)... I am so proud of how you have provided for our family.

Thank you for receiving your son into the kingdom of God through Baptism.. And me, your wife. I will always cherish this memory.

Thank you for your never ending support and unconditional love.

And at times, the prodigal father, friend and disciple that stands at the road and waits. Never giving up.

Happy Father's Day to you, Brad.

Happy Birthday in Heaven Dad

Psalm 23

1-3 God, my shepherd! I don't need a thing.

You have bedded me down in lush meadows,

you find me quiet pools to drink from.

True to your word,

you let me catch my breath

and send me in the right direction.

4 Even when the way goes through

Death Valley, I'm not afraid when you walk at my side.

Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure.

5 You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies.

You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.

6 Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.

I'm back home in the house of God

for the rest of my life.

Bryant L. Franklin (October 2nd 1939 - January 24, 2008)

Thinking Of You... Love Dad

This is a special week... For one year ago, my dad went Home.



A lot of roads have been traveled and I can tell you ...



"God is good, God is Great!"



Oh, I miss my dad, dearly... but I would never have learned or seen what I have seen had this road not been traveled. Don't get me wrong. I would have rather learned another way but God being resourceful as He is... uses every opportunity to teach us of His love.


You see... "I was blind and now I see"

Hours before my dad passed away this time last year, in this devotional last year, I woke to a military plane flying over my home. It shook the foundation. Never before nor since have I experienced this sound or sight.

That was until today.

As I was preparing to write this post, my home shook and that all-to-familiar sound brought tears to my eyes. I ran outside to witness this sacred moment.

No one really understanding the significance but that is OK. This can be just between me, dad and God. Well, OK now you guys!!

As I stood in the winter cold, shivering from the gray clouds promising its own tears, I searched the sky but there was not a plane to be found--anywhere! The sound had appeared to be coming from directly over my home. But the sound left as quickly as it came.

I am left with a transcending peace:
Almost as if my dad were saying, "Here I am...thinking of you!"

And a Papa saying... I will never leave you nor forsake you...

Even in the midst of a terrible storm...

Happy Heavenly Birthday

Happy Heavenly Birthday Dad...

As we celebrate your birthday here, I can only imagine what a beautiful celebration Jesus must have for you there...

We all love you so much and miss you....

"your special little girls"

The Perfect Landing Part ll

This is a part two of my devotional from: What is Your Flight Plan?

(2 Peter 1:13) “I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body,”


I shared the perfect flight plan with my dad even to the end of his life.

I had been up all night and most of the morning with my dad on his last day of life.
We were all sitting vigil with him. We knew it would not be long before he took his last breath. It was my time to go home and rest.

Let me back up a little here. A few nights before, I had prayed to our Papa, giving Him a very important decision. As with many people in my line of Hospice work, I watch them take their last breath, but I just did not know if I could watch my dad take his last. So as I prayed, I asked God to take over and do whatever He thought best.

Now back to my story. I had been asleep for a few hours when a very loud military plane flew over our home and shook the foundation of our home waking me up. First, we do not have planes fly over our home. And if we do, they never fly this low. Thirdly, I have never felt one shake my home.

The moment I woke up, I knew. This was it, this was my daddy’s home going. I got up and showered. As soon as I was walking out the door, the phone rang and my sister said, “Come quick.”

I knew it had already happened. My poor husband tried to console me but I was not prepared. I will spare you of the ride and emotions that took place. I had just lost my daddy.

Somewhere I remembered along the way my prayer. God had answered me. I could not watch my dad take his last breath. When I arrived to the hospital, I just held my dad. He looked like a little boy sleeping.

The military plane—I am always telling you that I live in the Supernatural, right?!

Well, I truly believe that it was my dad making his last flight over my house telling me good-bye. Actually, I have no doubt. This is the memory I can live with.

My dad made the perfect landing into his Papa’s arms.

And well for us, we will await our flight!

What Is Your Flight Plan? Part 1

(Psalm 104:7) “at the sound of your thunder they took to flight”


Many years have passed but I will never forget the memories with my dad. One special memory is when I was young and spent my Saturday’s flying Cessna airplanes with him (or so he led me to believe I was flying the plane...wink). One of my favorite flight plans were when he would do what they (they being the so –called flight people-whoever that is) called “touch and goes.” He would let the landing gear touch the runway and then take off again. We would do this over and over again. (Just a side note: Sis, did you ever wake up from your nap in the back seat to experience this? Or were you praying? He He)

Little did I know how valuable a lesson this would become in my life.

So many times since then, I have sat across from the doctor just to hear him say, “I am sorry but you cannot have children.” –Touchdown of flight.

But God had other plans. –“GO”, the Papa whispered.

And I remember the doctor saying to me, “Your daughter has hearing loss…. She has a learning disability…. She has…” ---Touchdown of flight.

God had other plans. –“GO”. The Papa whispered once again… (Our daughter is a junior in college and working … she is thriving beyond words.) p.s. She hears better than I do!

And then two years ago, the doctor gathered us up in a private room. I could see it in the doctor’s face. He didn’t want to be there either. My heart was in my throat. My sister said, “Connie, please start praying.” There we held hands and prayed. I wanted to leave. His words sounded like they were so very far away. “I don’t think your dad is going to make it, he has had a stroke and is having seizures.” This was hours after open heart surgery. And the warm tears of my heart fell from my soul. Someone just please stop this so-called “touchdown of flight.”

But God has other plans.—“GO” whispered my Papa.

Eventually as with us all, the time finally came for the plane to set down. Several weeks ago, my dad’s flight plan had come to an end and he finally landed safely home. But rejoice for it was the most perfect landing ever.

His journey is complete and his flight plan was perfectly executed.

I am now living my own flight plan. A week ago, the doctor said, “You have an abnormal spot in your left breast that we need to look at.”— Touchdown of life.

Papa?

We all have our “touch and go” moments, do we not?

I thank my dad for teaching me the exhilarating love of that final landing and the excitement and anticipation of those final moments preceding it.

For eventually, we all have to land.

We will all be called Home.

What is your flight plan?

In Loving Memory of my sweet Daddy... Bryant Franklin

Are You A Daddy's Girl?

Are You A Daddy's Girl?

I sure was....am...

Gregory Lang contacted me through my blog sometime ago when he read something that I had written about my dad and asked permission to use it in his book.. soooooo of course, I am interested in his book...

But I would be anyway, anything that has to do with being a Daddy's little girl, catches my eye.

This book will be available on May 8th, 2008.

You can check out Greg's blog over here.

The Wind In My Sail

To my dear friends, I so appreciate your continued prayers and support.

I must say, the wind has been taken out of my sail. My ship is not sailing these days. My heart is broken and I am just trying to make it day to day. I never dreamed losing my dad would be so hard. His life was so intertwined in my daily living that everything I do reminds me of him.

I am getting better and I know the winds will once again pick back up. But for now, I'm stuck on the shore. I'm waiting for the winds of my Savior to lift me back up and carry me into the new waters I will be sailing. For I will be traveling in new waters now.

In the deep blue sea, where my dad taught me to appreciate its' beauty, I embrace the 'Sonshine' as it sparkles across the top of the peaks of waves that rise and fall giving us a glimpse of tiny diamonds bouncing around the ocean's rhythmic dance to the wind and tide. Guided by its very presence of a Saviors voice and command. Never once questioning but intuned to the assured.

For now, the winds are quiet in my sail. I am heartbroken. But soon, very soon my Savior will gently blow and cast my sail into new waters.

Today, I will rest in the quiet....

Thank You

To all of my friends, I want to thank you. Your prayers, your emails,snail mail cards, your calls and I could go on-- have been overwhelming to me.

The love you have shown my family and me have just melted my heart. Thank you would be such an understatement.

We are doing pretty well all considering. We miss my dad greatly but know he is so happy and finally healed. I say this to make "me" feel better.... smile... but it is the truth.

You are an incredible group of people and I wouldn't trade you for lima beans.... snicker...as in 2 Corinthians 1:3-5, "Father of all comfort... that one day I may comfort you...."

I just pray not too soon

Thank you so much my dear friends.... I can't express my love for you in words for they are just too weak...

Let us walk the journey together,

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...

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 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,

We Will Kiss The Sky

Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons (Jeremiah 8:7)

This Christmas has been one of the most spiritual times I can ever recall. I will long remember this moment.

Even though my shopping is not completed and my cooking remains undone—I embrace the magic that exudes my world during this extraordinary season.

My dreams sparkle in the night through the reflection of my precious loved ones as if my fallen tears had just graced a recently fallen snow; diamonds brilliant in the horizon, making known its worth.

As with my sweet daddy, the moments that his eyes and mine connect, our spirits dance. I love his eyes. They speak volumes to me. They tell his story. They share his love.

So is with my husband. I love his eyes. I can read his emotions through his eyes although he wishes that I did not.

But there is an endless life within the spirits that have come together. Without words and only with the spirits of our soul we can sway quietly to the music and we will find “rest quietly in the arms of the Son.” (Words of my daddy this week as he was completely unaware—it was as if our Lord was speaking)

As the music plays and only heard by those connected to the spirit, the wind brushes by warming our hearts, bringing in new hope and our Papa, Our Lord, will pick us up and guide us to the clouds in our journey. There we will kiss the sky. There some will go on with Papa; some will stay to complete their earthly tasks.

It is our passage to walk loved ones into His arms, is it not?

One day, however, we will all reunite as one….

But for now, take flight… and kiss the sky with those we love…


Happy Birthday Jesus,