Lent- Day 29: Before one of them came to be.

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Momma Kathy is busy, with the help of Monica, arranging Daddy’s funeral.

I don’t know how she’s doing it. I haven’t been sleeping well for over a week, and combined with migraines and sinus pain, CIDP is kicking my butt right now.

I was thinking about a time we were riding back from seeing Dad at the nursing home in October. It was late, she was driving and wanted some conversation. I started asking her conversations about her life as a teen- how was it like being one of only a handful of Black kids in a nearly all White high school in 1960s Milwaukee? Who was your first boyfriend? How did you get so good at doing makeup?

As she talked about her past, I got the chance to see her in another light, to know a different side of her.

Finally I asked her, “What did you see in my dad? Like… what made you fall for him?” She blushed. “Larry… he made me laugh. He keeps me from being too serious.” I watched her face as she talked about him. Her eyes brightened and a smile spread across her face.

In the past few days, people have shared stories about my dad. Larry as organist, funny guy, big brother, silly uncle, choir director, joking grandpa- it seems everyone has a tale that reveals yet another piece of the whole man.

Scripture tells us there is One who knows the entirety of us all. In fact, Psalm 139:16 says, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” 

Reflection for the day: God knows all of our stories, from cover to cover.