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I received word tonight that my precious grandfather - Papa - has been determined "terminal". Althought this is not a shock, it's hard to sort through the feelings of sometime soon losing someone that has been such an instrumental person in my life. He has battled with Alzheimer's for quite some time now and has been cared for by my grandmother (Graney), Uncle Bill, Aunt Gloria and my parents. He has stayed at home all this time even though that has taken its toll on my family. It's hard to imagine life without Papa. There are so many amazing, fun, humorous, and special memories. We have shared much and loved much. Yes, he's not gone physically yet but my "Papa" - the man I knew and grew up with - is no longer here on this earth. The illness has taken over and he is on his way to glory. I'm so very thankful that he knows the Lord and will be with Him soon. I rejoice that he has lived a very full life filled with over 65 years of pastoring and over 70 years of marriage. What a man!
I also am thankful that I was able to go to California just after Christmas for the very purpose of visiting with him. Even though he had definate moments of confusion while I was in town, my visits with him were filled with much recollecting and he knew who I was the whole time I was there. It was a precious time. He even got to meet his newest great-grandson, Nathan - my brother Phil's son born last May.