Tribute to Granddady

Rob wrote a special tribute to Granddaddy last week before he passed away on Sunday. I thought I would share these precious words with you all.

Granddaddy-


Although most of my good traits come from you, one that I did not inherit was the ability to express myself on paper as eloquently as you. It pains me to see you hurt. I wish I could help you, but I am powerless. My thoughts are random and scattered...Here is a short list of the things that I have inherited from you..love of family, work ethic, the power of story telling and family history, compassion, integrity, the understanding that our wealth is in who we love and not what is in our pocket, our homes are not ours but God's, and are a place of shelter and peace for our families, it is ok to help folks out and not expect any reciprocity, how to be a father, how to be a friend, to do what is right even if it hurts, commitment, faithfulness, forgiveness, it's worth taking extra time to complete a task correctly, love for a relative does not die ever, tenderness, jokes are powerful and healing, how to get up after you have been knocked down. To be honest, the list goes on and on, and will continue to...

My new favorite song is "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promises" It talks of a place where nothing is owed, deserved or expected, and your life doesn't change by the man that's elected and your loved by someone and never rejected.. It talks about a dream that, like a bird is locked in a cage and he longs to free it. I want you here but I want you to be free. I want our doubts to vanish and be replaced by the fullfillment of a promise that was made on a cross 2000 years ago. I'm not in a hurry to see you leave this world, believe me, I can't imagine it without you, but I have been granted peace by our Heavenly Father about what you are facing. I know none of us are guaranteed tomorrow and I'm not at all trying to be dark. This type of thinking gives me peace.

I know we will all recongnize each other in heaven. We have to be able to or it won't be right. In heaven I look foward to seeing you in your youthful state, meeting your Dad, building with the Billingsleys, gardening with the Tabors, getting beat by you in the 100yd, dash. That's what heaven is like I'm sure. I love and respect you deeply. Your worth to me is immeasurable. You stood in the gap when I needed it and showed me a father's love.

Rob