Words cannot truly express how grateful Thomas and I were to have some special time with Granddaddy yesterday evening. After returning from dinner, we found ourselves in his room with no distractions. Some cousins had taken the kids to the complimentary playroom that the Hospice Center offers. It was just me, “Jay”, and Granddaddy Thomas. You should know that Thomas is referred to as Jay in the Rose family. Since Granddaddy is the first Thomas Rose in the family, he gets to use the name rightfully so.
Often during these two days, Granddaddy wakes and talks to those of us in the room. Some of what he says is incoherent, confusing, and doesn’t quite make sense. Other times, he says things you would normally expect from someone who is tired of being in a hospital. “Get me out of here” “Take me home”. He usually lifts his head a few inches off the pillow only to lay it right back down. He is so weak and in much pain so he keeps his legs curled up toward his chest and keeps his eyes closed sometimes when he talks.
As he began to talk, we slowly began to understand some of what he was explaining to us. He was talking about making choices and that some choose to the right thing and others choose to the wrong thing. He referred to the Bible once or twice and began leading into an interesting conversation about Aladdin. (This part was confusing). He then said “That’s why I’m here. I’m sick because I chose to do the wrong thing.” I couldn’t believe he had truly said that. I of course told him that wasn’t true. He was sick but it was not a punishment from God by any means. Thomas began to talk to him about forgiveness and told Granddaddy that it was his faith that Thomas had looked up to as a child. The fact that Granddaddy is a believer and ready for a better place is no secret. He is a faithful man who has lived a life as so. He agreed with Thomas and started to talk some again.
Soon he began to talk about Jacob’s ladder in the Bible. He talked about where it was in the Bible and so Thomas took Granddaddy’s Bible off the shelf nearby and found the reference. Genesis 28. Thomas asked me to read the chapter aloud and I gladly accepted the honor. I began to read aloud the story of Jacob and Esau. Pretty quickly, the scripture begin to describe a dream that Jacob had.
He dreamed of a ladder. At the top of the ladder was the Heavenly Father and angels were going up and down the ladder. He spoke to Jacob and said he would bless Jacob and his descendants and would grant them the ground on which he was sleeping. God even says “I’ll stick with you until I’ve done everything I promised you.”
When Jacob awoke, he proclaimed that God was “in this very place” and was awestruck. He declared “This is God’s House” and “This is the Gate of Heaven.” Jacob vowed to God that he will be faithful and he will return a tenth of all that he is given back to God.”
Through tears I read the story and tried hard not to weep too loudly. I certainly don’t want Granddaddy to be saddened. However, it was a very sweet and holy moment. It felt as if Granddaddy knew he is near the end of life. Of course, Granddaddy is 82 and knows that his time on earth is nearing the finish line. However, just how soon the Father will choose to take him home no one knows.
From this conversation, we can rest in the truth that Granddaddy knows his maker. He is endeared to God and his family is (like Jacob) blessed. He has many children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to be spoken for. I am not born into the Rose family, but I also like to think of Granddaddy as my own flesh and blood.
Thomas Rose I is a man of faith, love, truth, honor, courage, bravery, and uprightness. He has lived an example of these in every sense and loves the Lord with all of his heart. He desires to do right by the Savior and prays for his descendants to also believe with a full heart. When the Father chooses to reunite Granddaddy with his beloved wife Sarah, we will truly be saddened and broken for the loss of such an amazing man. However, we may rejoice in knowing that he is with his loved ones that have “gone on before him.” He will no longer be in pain. He will regain the youthful and strong body that he once owned. Walking and playing the organ (some of his favorite things to do) will be but a glance into the glorious life he looks forward to.
He will be with Jesus. The One who gave His life for all. A ransom for us to redeem us from our sinful state so that we may be rejoined with the Holy Father as He created us to be.
May we all take the advice of this man and choose to live a forthright and faithful life. May we choose to make the right choices and to follow God’s commands. May you know the love of God and may you truly grasp how wide, how high, how long, and how deep the love of Christ is. (Ephesians 3:14-21). And may we trust in the Father’s love and strength to help us through the days ahead.
We pray now for peace with the future. We also trust that God can perform miracles and healing. He is not ruled by time, tradition, law, or popularity. He is our Father and He is faithful to answer us when we pursue Him.
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