As of late, I have not had one single thing that has prompted me to blog...I have not been in much of a mood to blog...or to do anything much, really. I never knew how affected I would be by the passing of my father-in-law, Larry. We, for the past 21 years, have had a love-hate relationship...mostly love, mind you...it has just been a bumpy road. For those of you "in the loop", you know of what I speak. For the rest of you, well, let's just say, Larry and I didn't always jeehaw!
Now, I must say for the record...I loved Larry Wayne Morse. For one, he was my husband's father...he was my children's granddaddy...he was terribly funny...he loved us all to pieces! I was not shocked at the hundreds of people who came through the funeral home to pay their respects. He knew just about everyone, and I know the rest...haha...His death, even though we knew it was inevitable, came as a shock to us.
We had met with hospice and were preparing for his passing. We honestly thought we would watch him die under hospice care! We never dreamed he would be taken so quickly. But, God's timing is not ours. Something, as I grow older I find to be so true! Brent was with him when it happened and he considers it a blessing that he was able to tell his daddy over and over that he loved him. God bless, Brent.
Larry was blessed to have many friends, Angie and Jessie, were two in particular that were such a Godsend to Larry and to the entire family. They tended to his needs, they helped him when the family couldn't be there. We could not have done it without them! One night, Jessie, was with Larry and they had the most incredible heart-to-heart. So, with every ounce of strength and bravery, Jessie shared that night with the rest of us...
You had to know Larry really well to know he was filled with demons...they stemmed from his abusive childhood which culminated into an addiction to alcohol. He carried on the abusiveness he learned into his adult life and unfortunately his family experienced it as well. He was a kind of smart-butt...and I am sort of a smart-butt and well,there's part of the reason we didn't jive!
However, when Jessie told of the night she and "Pops" read from John 3...Larry became softer and kinder...he had started to soften up over the last 3 years since his diagnosis of lung cancer. But this testimony from Jessie was truly amazing...What I learned from what she said and what I have learned from the past 21 years are as follows:
- Say I love you and mean it
- Never take your family for granted
- Never abuse your body
- Never abuse others
- Love your babies with all your heart
- Love your mate and respect him
- Don't work your life away
- Money isn't everything
- Alcohol is dangerous
- Ask for forgiveness
- Don't wait til it's almost too late to ask for forgiveness
- Remember God is always in control
- You can not control others
- Your friends are very important
- Your family is the most important
- God loves you no matter what
This list isn't complete...there are so many other things I have learned...but there is not enough time and I don't want to bore you...I just wanted you all to know that even though it seemed his life was spent in vain...chasing the almighty dollar...trying to escape a past that always nipped at his heels...he was still a man who loved his family fiercely and only wanted the best for them! End of story...
I wish I could impart all of the wisdom, but I just can't, But I can rest assured that my father-in-law is running on Heaven's streets of gold, in the presence of God...and he has finally found pure happiness!
We will miss you Larry Wayne!
All my love,
Monica
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