Just What I Needed...

Just what I needed to hear today...
maybe some of you need to hear it too.

Sunday With My Daddy (Again)

This post showed up in my Facebook feed today as a memory from 3 years ago.

After I read it, I decided to repost it.

So very much has changed in the last 3 years.

Good changes,

not so good changes.

But I definitely enjoyed looking back at this 

day spent with my daddy...

I thought some of you might enjoy it too. 

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Written on Monday, October 28, 2013

Sunday With My Daddy

Psalm 122:1

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."

Yesterday, I spent the day driving my daddy around to all of the places he needed to go.

He was asked to preach Homecoming at a church he served for 12 years.

So we started the day there.

On the way there, he was still looking over his notes, preparing for his sermon while the boys played UNO.

Once there and throughout the day, he was heartily welcomed and loved.

And he loved being where he spent so much of his life belonging...

...in the pulpit.

My brother and his family were there.  Our kids enjoyed being together and roaming around the church.

My mother did not go with us but Mama would have loved hearing Wesley do what she's teaching him on this piano.  She spent so much time making great music at this piano. 

Their next door neighbor (who is not a member at this church) even came over to visit right as we were leaving. They were great neighbors.

We all had a great time - especially my daddy.  

And I did not cry - but I could not stop the memories that came when I sat down and first looked at this empty pulpit.

You see, when I first met my Rob, he wasn't a preacher yet.  He just wanted to be.  He started his candidacy process at this church.  This church is the church that officially sent him into the ministry - the church who officially sent him to the Board of Ordained Ministry.  And this church is the first place I ever heard him preach.  He worked for weeks on that sermon but spent the last 2 days before preaching it locked up and closed away from everybody, even having me bring his food to him in that room.
He was so nervous AND so excited - wanting it to be just right - for, as he told me then, this was the beginning of his dream - the beginning of being where he felt he belonged - in the pulpit.

As I said, I did not cry - but I sure did remember.

And, as I remembered, I just tried to have fun watching the one man left in my life fill that very same pulpit (the one he occupied for 12 years) and do so well what he does best - invite people to taste and enjoy the waters of salvation offered through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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And then last night was Charge Conference for the church we belong to now.

It was held jointly with other churches in another town.
And Daddy was, once again, "happy to go into the house of the Lord." 

Even for Charge Conference.

At the end of the day, I looked back in the car as we were driving into our shared driveway and my daddy was smiling.  I was bringing home one tired but very happy and fulfilled preacher who had gotten to spend his entire day in ministry.

I am blessed to be his daughter.

James William Caviness, Sr., Jr., III, and IV

James William Caviness, IV

(my nephew - Jay)

holding a photo of

James William Caviness, Senior

(my grandpa - James)

and

James William Caviness, Junior

(my dad - Jimmie)

and

James William Caviness, III

(my brother - Jamie).

James William Caviness, Sr. was born on September 11, 1913.

His great-grandson, James IV, was also born on September 11^th,

on what would have been James, Sr.’s 90^th birthday.

James, Sr. passed away 27 years ago today.

(October 23, 1989)

This date never goes by

without me remembering and missing.

We took advantage of our church’s directory photo session yesterday to get a formal photo of the JWC’s with a photo of my Grandpa Caviness.

This is one I took beforehand.

I’m so thankful we had this opportunity to capture this moment!

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This is what I wrote about my grandpa in 

October 2012…

Written on Tuesday, October 23, 2012

23 Years

On October 23, 1989 – 23 years ago – my grandfather died.  

(My Grandpa Caviness and my cousin, Chris)



I was 21 years old.  I sang the song, "Consider The Lillies," at his funeral.  

These are the notes my Grandma Caviness sent me after the funeral.

Before his October 23rd death, my Grandpa Caviness had been in the hospital since August 31, 1989.  He was hooked up to a ventilator.  Although I was working an 8:30-5:30 full-time job in a different town from where I lived at the time and a different town from where he was hospitalized, I visited him often during those almost 2 months.  I crocheted a baby blanket for my yet-to-be-born cousin, Caleb, during the time spent in the ICU waiting room while I was waiting my turn to go in to see Grandpa.  

It has been 23 years and I distinctly remember the sound of the machine that breathed for him.  It has been 23 years and I distinctly remember the look on my Grandma Caviness’ face when she looked down at her husband in that hospital bed.  It has been 23 years and I distinctly remember the feeling in my heart when my Uncle Raymond asked Grandpa if he knew where his granddaughter, Janna, was in the room.  Grandpa Caviness, in answer, turned his head as much as he could and pointed at me where I was standing on the other side of the room from where Raymond was.  I was elated.  Even with all that was going on, he still knew me.  I had been recognized.  The fact that he knew where I was in the room, in that instant – in that moment, validated my very existence.  And, for a moment, it gave me some hope for his recovery. 

I now live in the house that was Grandpa Caviness’ home.  He and my great-grandfather built this house for his life with his new wife – my Grandma Caviness (click The House to see that post). There are times that the memories of him in and around this house are so strong that it feels as if he is here (and the same is true for memories of my Grandma Caviness as well).  I can just never get “his” corner of the living room to look exactly like I want it.  Maybe it’s because I still see him in that corner sitting in his chair reading the newspaper, playing solitaire, smoking his cigarette, or watching t.v.

  

I also have great memories of him outside – “helping” him drive the tractor, walking the chicken houses, moving hay around, swimming in his pond – especially the time he shot and killed the snake that was swimming with us in that pond, going to town with Grandma and Grandpa Caviness to get school supplies each summer, going to Brown’s store to get a soda.  I even remember one time when he took me out of church to spank me – I do NOT remember what I did but I’m sure I didn’t do it again.    

(My Grandpa Caviness and my cousin, Katie)

(My Grandpa Caviness and my cousin, Rebecca)

These are the photos I have from Grandpa's 75th birthday party at his house. September 1988.

It has been 23 years since my Grandpa Caviness died.  Over half of my life. 

And I still miss him so much.