Eighty

Today, Dad would have turned eighty. Ironically, I woke up feeling sick and spent the morning in bed, something which I never do. I never miss school for illness and I must admit I am not empathetic for those who are constantly ill- I just don't understand. One thing I learned from Dad's ordeal was not to take feeling good for granted. From the day he had his stroke on August 1 to his death on April 15, he never felt good. Some days were better than others and some were horrible. We had to witness our father in constant pain and discomfort. Dad made me more aware of the blessing of being healthy. In honor of his birthday, here is the update I wrote on him one year ago today on his 79th and final birthday:

Thursday Update On Dad
Dad spent his 79th birthday in the hospital. When I called the first time, his supper had just been brought in. When I called back, he told me he ate almost nothing because the food just does not appeal to him; he's lost his appetite. He still does not know when he is going home but he is excited about the painters beginning this weekend. Dad was encouraged by a number of calls and visits today. You may recall my saying Dad bought a stuffed animal for Mom and he was going to deliver it for Valentine's but that did not come about. I may be wrong but this could be their first Valentine's/Dad's birthday spent apart since their wedding in 1949. Dad hopes his next birthday will be in Wichita. I admit I thought all this would be taken care of much sooner. This morning, I bought a spring break plane ticket to St. Louis. I was sure Dad and Mom would be Kansans by now but the Lord's timetable and ours don't always match. In honor of Dad's birthday, I am going to print Mom and Dad's picture below. Thanks for your prayers!
God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1
www.hawleybooks.com
E-mail me (or Dad) at steve@hawleybooks.com