That would be "Post Clark." Specifically, George Clark as there are certainly many, many other wonderful Clarks left!
Countless people have traversed this way before me and it's a season that I knew would come. One day. At some distant point in the far away future. And Daddy would be terribly, terribly ooooolllllldddd and I would, somehow, be "prepared" whatever that word actually means. To be frank, and I am, I think it's a terrible word to put in the same thought as someone dying. How in the world does someone actually "PREPARE?"
I thought I knew.
I was wrong.
So awfully, terribly, horribly wrong.
It hit me yesterday and it hit hard.
My Daddy died Thanksgiving Eve, November 26, 2014 sometime between 5:30 and 6 pm. At home. On his knees fixing Mama's clogged bathroom sink. Dang it, the man was supposed to be taking a shower before supper! What in the world was he thinking?!
He was thinking, and I know this because I know my Daddy, he was thinking, "I've got my trusty screwdriver and Bettie has a sink that needs my attention IMMEDIATELY! I'll take a shower later when I really need it!"
So he donned his invisible "Super-DIY-er" cape and took tool in hand and got to work. But he never finished the task and really, he probably got no further than getting on his knees. His heart spoke up and said, "Whatcha doing George?" And God spoke up and said, "George, your room is ready. Come with me."
And Daddy went. He didn't get a choice in the matter and neither did Mama when she went to call him for supper and found him. Dead.
And it was Thanksgiving Eve and Mitch and I were at Warren Plains United Methodist Church and I was 15 minutes from starting our service when the call came. THE CALL. It came at approximately 6:45 pm that night. From our son-in-law and he didn't want to tell me. The people who were already at church heard me make noises they probably didn't know I could make (I remember getting really high pitched!)
Did I mention I serve the best people on the face of God's planet and that I was where I needed to be at the moment? Looking back, I can see God at work and His perfect timing but at the time all I could see were tears from Warren Plains until we got to around Weldon. They just couldn't seem to stop. But when they did stop, I didn't cry again until...
Yesterday. The season was calmed and people were gone and life resumed and it hit me.
I now live in a world without my Daddy.
And while it hurts
I am so grateful to have lived for 55 years in a world with him!
charis
