My Rule for Life

I would rather live my life as if there is a God, and die to find out there isn't, than live my life as if there isn't, and die to find out there is.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

The End of a Chapter

1 The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
forever.

ABNPOPPA and ABNMOMMA'S Great Adventure began on April 22, 1977. From a very strong discussion about woman's lib in college to the red color she wanted to paint the living room. Always, always a great adventure. At the young age of 21 she took up the challenge of raising a six year son which she was not the birth mother. She blessed me with a daughter and second son, Jacob, the warrior paratrooper.

We honeymooned in a two man pup tent because we couldn't afford a motel and it rained four of the 5 days. Soaked sleeping bags, soaked clothes but never a complaint. Always a smile and it will be better the next time.

She nursed not only the children she raised but in her 32 years as a Registered Nurse gave only the best care she could give to thousands of patients both in the hospital and later as a nurse who went to the patients homes because they couldn't travel to the doctor's office or pay to stay in a nursing home. I had the honor of driving her thru snow and ice to visit patients when the Sheriff''s department said any one on the roads would be arrested because they were so bad. Her patients needed her service and she was going to see they got it. During one winter blizzard the local police department sent out a four wheel drive vehicle to see she got to where she had to go.

She nursed her patients and nursed her family spending hours and hours with her mother when she developed pancreatic cancer. She nursed ABNPOPPA when he had emergency surgery on Christmas eve and she nursed more neighborhood kids than you could count.

She was a nurse's nurse.

She was a mom, grandma and wife to me for the best years of my life. On Tuesday morning she left the world we lived in together for nearly 32 years after a heroic battle against lung cancer. She was 53 years old.

This is not the end to our Great Adventure, only the ending of a chapter in the book. She has gone on to map out our next chapter as she always did finding places to stay, usually with a beach and usually with some historic sites. I will only have to say as I always did, where are we going and when do we leave.

Let not your heart be troubled, she has gone on to prepare the way, the same as our Savior.

ABNMOMMA, I love you Tiger! Thanks for giving me the best years of my life.

Pops


19 comments:

Adrienne said...

I had no idea...this is awful. I am so sorry ...

MightyMom said...

awe Pops.

that was simply beautiful!

My love to all of your family.

ABNPOPPA said...

Thank you ladies. She was a wonderful wonderful mom, grandma, and wife.

Pops

Most Rev. Gregori said...

Dear Pops;
That was a beautiful tribute to a beautiful person. I shall commemorate her in my next Liturgy.

My prayers are with you and your family.

God bless you, your strength is an inspiration.

Rita Loca said...

I am in shock! Your tribute to your lovely Abnmomma left me with tears and yet peace to see the grace of God working in and through you. We are praying for you and your family. My heart huts for you all.

ukok said...

I am so very sorry for your loss. I will pray for you all.

Anne Rettenberg LCSW said...

I am so sorry to hear this.

How is it I knew nothing about it?

elmers brother said...

Beautiful tribute to a wonderful woman.

Our prayers and thoughts are with you.

Subvet said...

Pops, I'm so sorry. The strength of your character shows in the tribute you've given her here. She obviously picked a winner, as did you.

You're both in my prayers.

The Merry Widow said...

A beautiful eulogy to a lovely ezer...may she be waiting at the Gates to greet you and the rest of her clan!
G*D bless and MARANATHA!

tmw
BTW-"Ezer" is Hebrew, it is usually translated as, "helpmate" in Genesis, but about David's warriors, it translated as, "mighty warrior"!

The Local Malcontent said...

Pops, we are so deeply saddened to read of your wife's passing here.
She sounds like a legendary, compassionate nurse and life-mate, a true gift from God.
Now, she's watching over you and your family in a way far greater than she ever did- and preparing for you, that next chapter of your lives.

Our deepest condolences, Pops,

Ron and Leticia

Anonymous said...

A life worth living. G_d Bless!

Z said...

You have me in tears, like JM...who led some of here to read this.... It was a gift to read a loving husband write so beautifully about an obviously wonderful wife.
So sorry for your loss. Blessings to you and your family.

Harry said...

Pops,
I'm very sorry to hear about your wife. You and your family will be in my prayers.

Elmo said...

I humbly and thoughtfully regret your loss, Pops. Sounds like the world lost a great woman. My condolences and prayers to you and your family...

Spitfire said...

ABNPOPPA, I sorry for your loss. I have to admit it sounds like she'll be a wonderful addition to Heaven!!! (Not that she'll have to do any nursing, but such a sweet spirit will be a blessing to Papa!)And what an incredible synopsis of her life! You've made me feel I knew her. I pray Papa comforts you and blesses you greatly. You are a jewel and you both were blessed to have each other. Barucha, Pops. Shalom, joie
Barucha is Hebrew for blessings on you. (I think....my Hebrew is still not real good....that's what I was trying to say at least.)

Rita Loca said...

Still praying for you pops! May you feel the power of the Resurrection at this time and know it wont be long til we are all reunited in a better place.

Tami said...

ABNPOPPA,
I am so sorry for your loss of such a wonderful women and apologize for being so late with my thoughts.

God Bless,
aam

JMB said...

Hi Pops
You do not know me, but I did want you to know that I have been reading and enjoying your blog very much, you seem to me to be a very honest man and I am very sorry for you lose.

Lutheran Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Destruction of the embryo in the mother's womb is a violation of the right to live which God has bestowed upon this nascent life. To raise the question whether we are here concerned already with a human being or not is merely to confuse the issue. The simple fact is that God certainly intended to create a human being and that this nascent human being has been deliberately deprived of his life. And that is nothing but murder.

Read more about this famous Lutheran Pastor at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_Bonhoeffer


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