I never knew that Elephant Ears bloomed!

Dr. Charles Lewis, Dothan Community Church, Pastor Ray Jones, Ridgecrest Baptist Church and Mayor Mike Schmitz along with a multitude of Dothan Christian Leaders gathered together with a great fellowship of Christian Believers on Wednesday evening at the Dothan Civic Center for a city-wide prayer meeting.

2 Chronicles 7:14

If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Tonight we have an overnight guest...Charlie Brown.

It has been too long.

Dear Dad,

I miss you!

I heard all the advice…“Time heals”, “It’ll get better each day.”…etcetera, etcetera after you passed away but I found that those words were just hogwash.

I see our picture every night as I slip into bed and every morning I rise. There's a mint bowl...I know how you loved mints or hard candy. Yes, I have good days, now more than ever, just because I know it is what you would expect of me. 

You taught me love & respect. You showed me how to live life at the fullest measure. You showed me how to have fun, and taught me to be happy…and happy for others. You showed me by example, generosity. What great memories I have stored in my treasure chest!

There is not a day that goes by that you are not in my thoughts. 

I hear your voice as I work in the yard. Perhaps I fixed that leak because you taught me as you worked on a leak at the house. “GET UP!!! It’s time to pick those butterbeans/peas!” ………..I can hear you now. What about the times that you said, “C’mon, let’s go outside!” It was always a surprise journey with you. Oh to ride on the back of your truck. What joy!

Oh how I miss you!

Remember the Labor Day weekend before you passed away. I do. I remember how your cruel disease was capturing your moments more than I, or your family. The week before Labor Day I arrived to spend a couple of weeks with you & mom. That week is ingrained in my mind because you were “my dad”…the one who knew your daughter, me. Labor Day 2011 is forefront.

We spent time just wandering around the home property and driving around in the country on roads where you lived & traveled as a child, lad & young man. We had some wonderful days, and it felt so good knowing that we were having fun. 

My penguin you found on the land.

We were amazed at the size of this nut.

Then life began slowing sucking the breath from me. It became unbearable. I couldn’t breathe. I was suffocating. You were gone. I couldn’t…

Now here it’s almost five years later…

I still miss you like crazy. You know what though…Jesus carried me when I could not live. Thank you for teaching me Jesus.

I live because He, my Savior Jesus Christ, provides His love & strength to me every single day. He brings to my mind those special memories to show He cares for me, and that His provision of a wonderful earthly father to me was His love. He chose you for me. I love you dad.

Mel

P.S. I still roam the land talking to you & search for the unusual. Look at the snake I found in 2012.