The Viewing

My brother and I made it down to Texas this afternoon. It was a great opportunity to spend time with him...one on one, uninterrupted, face to face, heart to heart!

Today was the viewing of my uncle. It was so very hard for me to see his body...still, lifeless, breathless, motionless...so skinny and frail, so pale, so very unlike the picture I posted with his other post. It wasn't my Uncle Bubba at all...I could tell he wasn't there, not in that body. My aunt said he looked so much better (that they had done a wonderful wonderful job of preparing his body) than he did on Tuesday night. Everyone that was there on Tuesday as he passed said the same thing, that they made him look so much better. That was hard to hear because, man, it was just NOT what I expected. Death isn't pretty. It is hard. The body without the soul, its so...I don't know what the word is I want to put there...but its just hard.

All the tears and crying and hugging and crying and tears and ALL the emotions flowing were difficult, but good. It was truly amazing to see how many people showed up for his viewing, and I think tomorrow it will be packed. He touched so many lives. That is something I left out of the previous post about him. Even though he didn't know Christ in such a way till recently, he ALWAYS welcomed everyone with love and took everyone and anyone in to his home. They were so good about this. That is one thing I did remember and always know. They always brought "random" people to family events...I wish I would have learned sooner about that kind of hospitality and love...a love that I am not sure even he knew he knew how to do...until recently. That is one thing he is very good at! And so is his family still!

There were hundreds of people there and it lasted for over 3 hours. Then we all went to eat. It was good to see family and friends that we don't get the opportunity to see very often if ever. I saw some people I hadn't seen since I was very little and some I had never met before, but all blood in some way or another...that was neat. It was tiring, but very cool.

I heard lots of stories about me as a child which I find fascinating! I met my Papaw's siblings and they were a riot! I adore the elderly people...and I love hearing stories...especially when i am the subject! Some of these things I had heard and some of them not...I will cherish that!

Tomorrow is the funeral and it will be interesting. I will have to prepare myself for that. I know it will be very hard for so many people to say their final goodbyes. Seeing him, his body, is just very difficult for me...

Continue to pray for the family please because the time tomorrow will be especially hard for them. The littlest one is struggling. There are also some health concerns with my Aunt Trish which at a time like this is the worst thing everyone wants to hear. Hopefully it isn't too big a deal and is just stress related.