This morning, a brilliant sky burned away the darkness as I watched, and at 6:18 a.m., my dad entered into full communion with his Father God.
You might prefer this snapshot, Popsy, because you look distinguished and handsome,
but I'm going with this one, instead, because this is who showed up on my doorstep every week.
Gary Alden Johnson
June 8th, 1943 -- November 10, 2014
You weirdly wonderful man, the ache of your absence just now begins, and we look forward to the joyful reunion. All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.
Hurting for you guys and praying for you all.
ReplyDeleteMy heart breaks for you all! Sending so much love & prayers your way!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove~ Mary
Wanted to also say~ You look so much like him in the last pic! If there is anything we can do please let me know!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove~ Mary
Oh Abby, I'm so so sorry for you all.
ReplyDeleteThe man was an institution all by himself. A part of me can't believe he is gone and that I will never see him again in this life.
ReplyDeleteI write this with great emotion. I am so, so sorry my friend. May you feel God's peace during this very hard time. My deepest sympathies to you and your dear family.
ReplyDeleteMuch love,
Molly
Oh Abigail, I am so sorry. May God be Emmanuel as you begin a new chapter, living with the loss of such a dear man.
ReplyDeleteThen I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”
ReplyDelete“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” (Revelation 14:13)
I guess that is all I can find words to say. Your entire family continues in my prayers.
I am so sorry Abigail. Please know my thoughts & prayers are with you & your whole family through this sad time.
ReplyDeleteRenata
Abby~ I rejoice with your father this day as today he truly LIVES- no longer in this shadow of a world or in the pain and suffering of his disease but joy-filled, in the presence of God.
ReplyDeleteBut, oh how I mourn with you and all of those who love him, as you must now learn to live without that grin and those sparkly eyes and those quirky things he was so fond of doing and saying that had you all chuckling at 'that's Dad for ya'.
There will be pain, at the most surprising moments and at the most obvious ones, and I will continue to pray for you, that as you traverse those waters, right alongside will be the laughter and joy of his memories and the hope you have in seeing him again.
He made this world more lovely. His deeds indeed do live on...in each of you.
I'm so sorry for you all.
"All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."
Oh, Abigail. I'm so glad for your father, knowing that he's where we would all like to be, but so sorry for you and your family. All of my love to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteSo very sorry for your loss. From pictures he seemed to be the sweetest. I pray for your heart to know Peace!
ReplyDeleteThank you all, every last one of you, for loving enough to leave a comment here. It's kind of silly, but I feel like your words validate the special man that Dad is, even if you've never met him.
ReplyDeleteAnd, Teman, I had to laugh, because after reading your comment, my initial reaction was to call my Dad to read it to him! He would appreciate it. I think there will be lots of those moments in the future...
Abigail, thank you for this collection of portraits. My remembrance of your father the two(?), brief times I met him is that I wished I had more time to spend around him. We prayed when we read the diagnosis and I wept for you and your family when I read that his spirit had passed out of this life. I know he will be missed and never forgotten. We will continue to pray for your family in the weeks and months to come. I hope for grace and strength for you and your family in the nights and days to come.
ReplyDeleteSonya,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your prayers and words. Knowing that you've been carried through an even more purifying fire of grief, I am grateful for your heart and love to us. I pray in return, that God continues to be your balm. Much love.
p.s. Slightly off-kilter, but every so often when Dad asked about you and Joel, he always referred to Joel as "Crow-Boy." I don't know if Joel will ever escape those raspy birds. :)