A Christmas gift of Peace....2013

As I sit hidden in my backroom behind a locked door  wrapping carefully chosen gifts for my family I have found my self struggling a bit with the Christmas spirit. As many of may know my Dad was taken from his earthly home this summer after a long illness. I miss him.... I missed his presence this fall as we harvested with out him for the first time.... I miss his advice on daily issues and the list goes on and on. The funny thing is I miss him telling me what to do !  But I want to share with you the last gift that he left me.... it is a great gift...it is the best gift any dad can give....it is the gift of PEACE.
  I have had three big moments in my life....times when God put me in a place that took my breath away and taught me to trust Him. That first GIFT was the gift of SURRENDER.......it is one of the first stories in my blog. A time when God asked me to  surrender my child to Him...tough stuff but it is when God reminded me to "be still and know that I am God"....It taught me to Trust.
   The second gift  is the gift of GRACE......now I have been taught about Grace my whole life but Grace is kind of  hard to understand. I don't think I really understood Grace until a few years ago when I could visibly  SEE it with my eyes and feel it just fill the whole room. Kate and I walked into the Sandfords Childrens hospital to see a little boy named Noah....Noah and his family had touched my heart many times but this was a big one . Noah is an awesome little boy that has had a ton of health issues his whole life and had him hospitalized many times........restricted by tubes.....numerous surgeries.....many complications and the list goes on and on. His mom and dad held his very life in her hands everyday for years. I remember walking in there and feeling surrounded by something....it was warm and made me feel like I was kinda someplace else. As Noah showed us his tubes and as we watched his mom so lovingly care for him and comfort him .....my heart tugged at my chest...it has been such a journey for this family. We made it to the parking lot and we both stuggled with tears...."Mom how do they get through that everyday?" Through my tears I took a hold of her and looked into her eyes and told her "That was GRACE !" I could see it... I could feel it.....it filled the room and it filled our hearts. What a gift ...all we have to do is ask for it ...wow.
    This last gift that I received was just this  year. It is the gift of PEACE. It was as physical and real as be handed a big boxed all beautifully wrapped for Christmas. The last months of my dads life here were mixed with difficult days as his physical health declined but it was also a time of such good things......He had wonderful conversations with all of us..... I am quite sure the Hospice room has never had so much laughter, tears and noise as we all gathered there everyday.  In those last days....dad never complained...he accepted help from us all...he cherished each day....he told me to take good care of mom... he told me over and over that mom was a good wife....he told me he was ready to die and he wasn't afraid......One time after all the kids and grandkids had been there he told me "nothing else is really important ya know"...what do you mean Dad?..." having your faith.....thats what is important...and having all your family right here". We were all gathered by his bedside as he took his last breath.... it was difficult....prolli the hardest moment in my life BUT then a PEACE consumed me... it was like dad had handed it over as he left this life. Dad had taught me how to live but then it didn't stop....he taught me how to die. He died peacefully because he SURRENDERED   .......  He was given GRACE just because he asked .......PEACE comes to those with FAITH....what a great gift....What a great gift to leave to your family...pass it on.