Free at Last, Free at Last

Berry Gibbons,96 years old, no longer bound by a mind and body that would not do his bidding, left us today for greener pastures.

He and my Aunt Lois ( Daddy's sister) married when she was fourteen and he was an old man- twenty. So hard to wrap my my mind around such a thing. I've always been curious about their life before me. After me, I know about because I enjoyed making them my business. They got married after seven dates, over seven weeks, just three days before Christmas. The knot was barely tied before Aunt Lois came down with a terrible flu and she wasn't over it before he was seriously injured in a mining accident that broke his pelvic bone, tore up his shoulder and left him in a body cast for three months. I can't imagine folks of a more worldly mature nature managing that well, but at fourteen- have mercy!!

He was one of the hardest working men I've ever known. I married the other one. He was always working.

My dad's parents died before I was one. My Mom's mom when I was sixteen and Mom's dad when I was twenty three. Berry had red hair and Aunt Lois always had a heart for red heads. I blessed her with three. She and Uncle Berry stepped up and filled the roll of grandparents in my heart and life. She came and stayed when the twins were born. After they moved to the lake, most of my children's vacations were spent at their house. I can only imagine how thrilled Uncle Berry was to be descended on by three children with the oldest being two and a half. Always though, I was met with a warm hug, a big smile, and an offer of something cold drink, and a helping hand with whatever needed doing.

It was so difficult for him these last days, as his thinking was cloudy, to not be able to go to work. That's all he wanted was to do his work.

I am so thankful that he was able to stay at home under the care of his son and Aunt Lois and not have to be separated from the two people he loved so very much.

I hope the Good Lord had a hammer and drill and something that needed fixing waiting on him when he showed up this morning.

Thankful for the peace that is now his. After humming Just a Closer Walk Thee for years, how wonderful picturing him getting as close to Jesus as he's been praying and wishing for these past several months.

Ahh, blessed peace.