Remembering Daddy

Two years ago today (January 22) my precious Daddy went to Heaven. Although he had been quite ill, we all expected him to recover, as he had always done in the past. He was a survivor, and we expected him to survive his health issues that had begun just a matter of weeks before his passing. Over the years, he had overcome some major heart problems, prostate cancer, and other serious conditions. I firmly believe one reason is because he wanted to be here for us: He was ALWAYS the Daddy! He felt his job was to take care of his family, no matter how old his daughters were. When we'd do things for him, he would always say: "It's not your job to do for me; I'm the daddy---I'm supposed to do things for you!" ~ A graduate of Georgia Tech, my Daddy was the smartest man I've ever known, and as a hospital volunteer said shortly before his death: "Your father is a walking encyclopedia of knowledge." I couldn't agree more.~ By the world's standards, my Daddy wasn't a wealthy man, but by his standards, he was. He loved his family so much, and he also loved animals. (He had five cats at the time of his death). It was very hard after my sweet Mama passed away (they'd been married almost 64 years!) but Daddy's cats were his companions. Over the years, whenever a stray cat or dog wandered into the yard, Daddy made sure the animal was fed and cared for. He loved wildlife too, and sent many donations to help care for sick or injured wild animals, in addition to the Humane Society. ~ But the most important thing about my Daddy was that he truly loved the Lord, and so now we have the comfort and peace of knowing Daddy is in Heaven, and we'll see him (and Mama!) again one day.

Happy New Year!!!

Wow! I've heard lots of folks commenting about how quickly 2008 flew by, and I agree. Although my days are not nearly as hectic as they used to be since I'm no longer teaching school, the time still seems to slip away too fast. ~ It's really made me stop and think lately about where my time "goes." As Christians, we are called to be good stewards of our time, and I'll be the first to admit that time management is something I've struggled with for quite a while. As we welcome a brand-new year, I'm praying for the Lord to help me use my time wisely. Due to my back condition, routine tasks often take longer than they used to, and that is frustrating at times. But I want to focus on the most important tasks this year, and do those things first. ~ I pray that all my family and friends are blessed with a safe, healthy, happy 2009, and that we'll always put the Lord first in our actions and thoughts. Happy New Year!! ~ (I'm including a picture of Sweetums as she celebrated New Year's Eve last year!).