Happy Birthday Peatie!

  Although you are not here for us to share this day with you, we know you are in Heaven with momma having a wonderful birthday. One day soon we will be there sharing many birthdays with you. You are rememered and in our hearts everyday not just on your birthdays.

Gwendolen

we have all lost someone we love and will always love and miss them. They are the blessed because we are all  left behind to weap over our loss. They are happy and finally at peace, no more fighting and drama in their lives. It is too bad that it takes a death to wake us up to the fact that life is short and we should make the very best of our lives while we are here on earth. It seems so petty when you stop to think about all we fight about.  Rest in Peace and know that We are Okay. Rachael needs you now, so be her guardian in death as well as when you were alive here. Love,Fran

All the things written about my big brother are true.  He truly was a gentle giant as one sister said.  Like our mother, he too was full of life and enjoyed it to its fullest.  He, like her never met a stranger.  Loved talking with and cutting up with all he met.  He was able and did rise above his circumstances and enjoy the blessigns and goodness (manna) of each day.  

Some of my best memeories are of the family gathering for a meal and Jr. enjoying the meal as much and probably better than anyone.  Him and the seafood sald in a mound on his plate, snickering as he sat down knowing everyone was looking at that saltwater mound.  Then of course, there was the talking about GROSS things at meal time just to see us gross out.  

My most cherished memorie will forever be our conversations over the last year of his life.  We talked about our Lord and His goodness.  About how a Savior so pure and holy, so full of love and compassion for us that would allow lowly us into His incomprehensible kingdom.  

Our last conversation was no different.  

Jr. wondered if we would recognize God our father and the face of Jesus.  If we would be able to comprehend who He is.  I reminded him that God word says that we shall know Him as He is.  He was in awe of that fact.

Jr. also spoke prophectically, of his last wishes.  He said that he didn't want an open casket because that body was not him but the cacoon of who he was.  He wanted me or someone to do like Sonny did us and let everyone know not to remember him in a casket or his funeral but, doing and being who he was every day.  He wanted "IT IS WELL" played at his funera because, no matter if his body is battered and broken; or raveged with disease, that the troubles of this life would be over and It Would Be Well then with his soul.  He said, it will all be well then.  

So today, on the anniversay of his death, I CELEBRATE his LIFE that he and mama are living now, with Christ and all those loved ones gone before.  As he whispered to me as I gazed into his casket; "Sister, you know that is not me, I am not here."  His wish is that we all go on in Christ until we meet again real soon.