February 13, 2014

Thank You

That's all I can say. Thank you. Thank you for each and every comment, email, and message. Thank you for your prayers and kind words and love. Please, please know that I read every single one...more than once. Please know that they held me up. They steadied me. They consoled me, and gave me hope in the darkest of days.

We laid my dear, sweet father to rest. And now the reality of life without him begins. I will be spending the weekend with my family, writing thank you cards and sharing stories and crying tears, I am sure. I will be back to Blogging next week. But in the meantime, I pray you know how much you have helped me and filled my aching heart with love. Below, I am sharing the most beautiful poem that the wonderful Hospice workers shared with us.




Gone From My Sightby Henry Van Dyke
 
 
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone"

Gone where?

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"

And that is dying...
 
 
Holding my sweet Daddy's hand...one of the last times I visited with him...
 
 
 
 
 

 

14 comments:

  1. May God continue to bless you and your family in this time of grief.
    With love,
    Mildred

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  2. {{Billie Jo}} Please know we love you dearly. Keeping you in prayer dear friend..Blessings

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  3. Holding you close in thought and prayer all week Billie Jo. Peace and blessings to you and your family.

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  4. I will continue to lift you and yours in prayer, BIllie Jo. Hugs...

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  5. Thinking of you often. What a beautiful poem.

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  6. Continued prayers for you and your family.

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  7. Prayers for peace at this sad time. Wish I could give you a hug, just know you are in our thoughts.

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  8. I just now am catching up in blogworld and I am so very sad for your loss. I wish I had checked in sooner to pass along my condolences! I know your heart must be breaking and now you have the tough job of living life w/o him…but just know what a beautiful tribute you have given him just through who you are!!! You are so blessed Billie Jo. I'll be praying for Heaven's newest Saint.

    Love,
    Valerie

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  9. May you feel God's arms wrap around you with His precious, sweet comfort. May you find strength in Him.

    Sending you love, prayers, and hugs, my dear Billie Jo!

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  10. Oh Billie Jo, you have been on my mind and in my prayers this week. I am so happy that you have a close family, and that you will have that support going forward. I can just feel how much you miss him in your beautiful words.

    On this Valentines Day, may God bless you with the love of friends and family. And special signs from The Lord that help you know that your father is at home with him.
    Love and a huge hug,
    Ceil

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  11. Oh, Billie Jo, I've been thinking about you all week long. I've been praying for you constantly. I pray that next Valentine's day you can look back only with happy memories of a wonderful loving father. Where he is now, he is perfect. He can think clear and remember every moment he had with you and your children. He is happy. He wants to be where he is.

    Love and ((((hugs))) across the miles....

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  12. I've been thinking about you this weekend and hope you all are hanging in there. Lots of prayers for peace and strength during this time. xoxo

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  13. Somehow through the storm, I missed this post. I am so sorry. I know how hard it has been for you to be away from him. The photo of your hands is one that you will treasure forever. I'm sure those precious valentines of yours have helped to make his passing easier, but never easy! My heart and thoughts are with you. Grief is a process and pain is personal so take your time and grieve as you need to and hurt when it hurts. Prayers for you, my friend.

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  14. Billie Jo, I pray that you will continue to feel God's love and peace. You are precious in His sight.

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Thanks so much for saying hello!

Billie Jo