God & His timing

God has amazing timing. He, unlike me, is ALWAYS on time....in the best time. My Grandfather's passing was at the best time, now that I can think about it more.

1. All but a few family members had just been in to visit with him and Grandma, some just hours before.

2. He died in the middle of the night. That is so Grandpa! He wouldn't have wanted a huge crowd in the middle of the day. Most of us had said goodnight and gone home.

3. My cousin Tim's family had plane tickets for the week before but somehow they got changed for them. They ended up being there at the exact right time to say goodbye.

4. One of my best friends Julie was to watch my children Saturday so I could go to the hospital. Saturday morning, she called and said that she knew I was at the hospital until late and that I should just bring church clothes with the kids and she would take them to church in the morning, saving me a trip out to get them that evening. When the call came at 1:16am, I was so thankful that I didn't have to deal with what to do with them in the middle of the night.

5. God and Grandpa removed decisions from our path. The family would have had to have decided his code status, feeding tube or not, breathing machine or not......we are blessed to have had that burden taken from us.

6. Grandpa is no longer in any pain. Asking or begging for more time with him would be selfish. Wanting him to suffer so that I was comfortable....what kind of granddaughter would I be to want that?

7. God's timing was for Grandpa to go home. His time in this world is over and now he is singing with the angels & dancing down the golden streets with a huge bag of M&Ms in his pocket. There is no doubt in my mind that he is also discussing the construction of his mansion with anyone that stops by.

Grandpa's funeral was perfect. Wayne, Steve, Tim, Dwight & Dad did a great job of focusing on what was important: Grandpa's example of how God wants us to live. Simply and contently. I believe Grandpa had it right. His soul was God's which left him able to enjoy and be in awe of everything in this world.

My only regret is the M&Ms. I'm sorry but I have to tell this story. On Friday, while Grandpa was having the endoscope that would revel the cancerous tumor in his esophagus, I was waiting in the waiting room with Grandma. I went downstairs to the snack/vending machine room and got some snacks. I got Grandma some apple juice and a pop for me. Then, I got Grandpa a small bag of regular M&Ms. He was a chocoholic!!! I told Grandma, when I got back, that they were for Grandpa when the sedation had worn off and he could eat again. He would love them. Well, the results were not good and they put him on a full liquid diet. In less than 36 hours, he was gone. He never got to eat them. I didn't think anymore about them until my cousin Jennifer brought up that she had them, she didn't want anyone else opening and eating them. I didn't know what to do with them now. Eat them? Save them? Then, we figured it out. At the funeral, Irmalee and the other women that cooked the wonderful dinner for us, had put out bowls of M&Ms on each of the tables. My sister knew what I had planned and got some in a baggie or Saran wrap or something. Then, before the funeral services started, Jennifer, she & I went up to Grandpa's casket and with tearful eyes and careful hands put the M&Ms in with him. My sister's lay by his right hip and I put that original Friday package tucked under his right arm. Now, we are not pretending to be Egyptian, we know he doesn't actually have them in heaven, but it was the only thing to do.

In my Father's house are many rooms;

if it were not so, I would have told you.

I am going there to prepare a place for you.

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come back and take you to be with me

that you also may be where I am. John 14:2-3 NIV