Some Hard News

by ~Aunt Mae (~Mrs. R) on November 16, 2011

Just a quick note today…

Daddy-J, my step-dad, was back in the hospital again.  He had his first chemo treatment and it nearly killed him.  It didn’t kill the cancer at all and it continues to spread quickly.  His doctor gave him only a few weeks to live.

My mom & he are leaving for Michigan on Friday so they can spend his last days near the rest of his family and friends.

He has become so precious to me this past year.  He spent more individual time with me over the past year helping me with my soap business than I have had with my own biological father in the last 35 years.

And he doesn’t try to make me someone I am not, but loves me for who I am.  He never tried to push me with my business farther or faster than I could go.  He completely understood I have other obligations!!

A funny story from their last visit.  Daddy-J and I had spent a day and half talking about my soap business, making plans for next year and especially discussing my other time commitments  – homeschooling Arrow, the home front, church commitment, state homeschool organization commitment, and piano lessons.   We also talked about the things that were hindrances to my business progress – a lack of a reliable source of beef fat and my own lack of organization (time and clutter). That last bit isn’t the funny part so stop laughing!  Anyway… later that evening my mom was ‘showering’ me with gifts.  These were things she found in her home that she thought I would like.  Daddy-J said she was so excited about these things and was collecting them for months prior to their visit.  And we had been talking about my soap business and the things Daddy-J and I talked about earlier that day.  And I got to listing some ‘other’ things I said I would like to do… and then mo would give me another gift… and so I piped up with “OH and I can start a such-and-such business” (based on whatever the gift was)!!  Daddy-J & I laughed, with the rest joining in our merriment.  At one point we laughed so hard our sides ached.  So the next day he told me that mom asked him if I was really serious about starting one of those businesses and he laughed and said no!

Eight things I am thankful for:

#1 – that Daddy-J & I had the time we did to spend together on the phone and face-to-face, just the two of us

#2 – his patience with my mom

#3 – his politeness while in the hospital, even when very uncomfortable or in lost of pain

#4 – his encouragement to me in the things he knew were important to me, my family, homeschooling, piano, my soap business, and church and homeschooling commitments

#5 – his deep love for Arrow

#6 – his encouragement of Arrow in his chores and schoolwork

#7 – his encouragement for mom to respect our family policies

#8 – his funny childhood stories

I will cherish the time we still have, short as it will seem!  Please pray with me for his & mom’s salvation.

Blessings,  ~Mrs. R

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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Charlotte Moore November 16, 2011 at 4:26 pm

Oh, yes, Salvation by all means. GOD knows how to get our attention and HE works in mysterious ways.

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~Mrs. R November 17, 2011 at 11:24 am

Yes He sure does!

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Jill November 17, 2011 at 6:09 pm

Yes, praying, Mrs. R!!

So glad you’ve had that precious time with him, and still have some ahead of you. Sounds like this latest visit in particular was a great blessing.

What a peaceful, sad photo, too. Thank you for sharing your story with us.

Reply

~Mrs. R November 17, 2011 at 6:24 pm

Hello Jill,
Yes this last visit was one of the best visits we ever had! There was an emotional closeness that developed between all parties. And John & I realized how special we each were to the other. I will miss him dearly!
Blessings,
~Mrs. R

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