My Tribute to Mom and Dad Part 3

We moved from the Keys in 1984 due to

the change that came about in fishing. The

state had set a cost on saltwater fishing by

having to get a license. I remember, in the past

dad saying the day that came, he would move.

We moved from south Florida to central Florida.

It was the first house I had ever lived in. We had

always lived in trailers. I had never given it any

thought until we moved into our new home.

Wow! The space was so big.

*

The years moved along pretty quickly with

contentment until February 1991. Dad had

exploratory surgery, which brought about

our greatest fears; pancreatic cancer. It was

so advanced the doctors just closed him back up

and gave him 3 -4 months to live. Because of

his strong heart and lungs due to all of the

skin diving he had done for years in the Keys,

he lived for thirteen months. During this time

mom was the prominent person in his life.

Day in and day out, she spent every moment

with dad. If she wasn't there, he was asking

for her. When I came home from work, I'd

take over caring for dad so mom could go to

work at the church (she was the bookkeeper)

sometimes working on into the evening hours

after others had left and gone home.

*

While in my care, dad would wander to his

work building looking for things he thought

he needed to do. He just knew something

wasn't right (although it was) with the

tractor mower's carburetor. There was

nothing I could do but let him take it apart

right down to the engine block. When mom

would get home, I went to work on the

carburetor reassembling the parts back to

its original whole again. It was like putting

a three dimensional puzzle together.

Soon my brother had to disconnect the table

saws, band saws, and drill presses by taking

out the microchips to prevent any catastrophes

from happening.

*

The weight of the load began to take toll on mom.

She had placed a pallet on the floor by the bed to

sleep due to dad's thrashing. The LORD began

His work in dad. Dad continually asked us to

pray for him. He continually asked us to forgive

him for things he did in his life. The LORD was

Spiritually getting our house in order.

Dad's pain became so unbearable, the doctors

had to do a nerve block to give him relief. The

process brought about paralysis from his

waist down. It was at this time the LORD's

presence was so close. Sitting in the living

room, (right next to the bedroom's door)

when family and visitors alike would be in

conversation we would get a peripheral

vision of someone passing toward the

bedroom where dad rested. When we

would turn our head in natural response,

there was no one there. The angels were

busily taking care of their tasks.

*

Mom now stayed by dad's side continually.

Then it happened. Dad asked for us. I

called my brother and Nellie and told them

dad's time had come. Dad's sight was now

gone. He called for me. I took his hand and

told him, "I'm here, dad." He asked for mom.

She touched his feet and said she was there.

He asked for my brother and Nellie. I told him

they were on their way. The water began to

pour out through his pores. He began to have

visions of the angels coming to get him, even to the

point of counting them! His eyes pinpointed

them as mom and I looked to the ceiling longing

to see what he saw! Then Heaven opened up to

him! The sparkle in his eyes was like diamonds

reflecting the Pure Light of Glory! He pushed

us away, no longer wanting the comfort of our

touch. His Joy became verbal, but the LORD

only allowed a gleeful outcry like a young

toddler seeing his mom first thing in the

morning coming in to release him from his crib.

It was at this point dad's eyes closed, his head

turned aside, and he went into a deep coma.

I clung onto mom feeling such a loss, but in

turn feeling a release of dad's pain as well as

wishing for the Joy he had begun to experience.

*

Dad died March 5, 1992. An empty void hit me

like a black hole in my heart. I attached myself

to mom as I had never done before. The loss

of dad was worse than any waterspout,

hurricane, or tornado in my life.

*

Dad was a 20 year Navy veteran. He was

given a military funeral and now; he is

in the presence of our Awesome, Holy, Almighty,

Creator, Savior God!

I love you, dad.

More to come...