Glio - It's not a beautiful French Mistress

Glio if you say it quickly and with a little flair on the end of it is sounds almost pretty like a beautiful french name, it conjures up imagines of a gorgeous young french maiden who whispers in a man's ear of secrets to exotic to speak aloud. Of promises only to be shared between the two of them, stolen kisses, secret meetings, hidden love letters....oh if only that were true.....but it isn't a beautiful name. It is ugly it is harsh it is more real and more damaging than any hidden mistress. It is unforgiving, it is not a sin to be washed away, hidden, forgotten or forgiven. It is not stolen kisses, hidden letters or secret pictures to be taken out years later and fawned over. It is harsh cold reality. It is a killer - it is the same type of killer as a reckless driver on a clear spring day that wipes out the life of your only son and daughter-in-law - it comes without warning - it comes without selection - it comes without rhyme or reason - but it will come - just as Jesus said "He would come like a thief in the night,no one will know when but you must be ready" so should we be ready. That's our reality - we must be ready.

Yesterday was another snow day for most of us, we take these as blessings, any day that we get to be together. In the old days, D spent his time in one end of the house and me in the other. Now we stay together - yes we get on each others nerves, he struggles with words, finding the right words for the simplest of things is so hard. Watching a man whose brain was his strong connection to everything he did be diminished to watching TV most days, his inability to read, to write, to find words for things - a remote is a phone, peanut butter is silly salsa, corn is the buzzword for everything. Sometimes we laugh other times we cry. Some days he struggles to walk, most days he uses a walker now but his spirit is strong and his will to get better is stronger.

Here is a man that I have loved for so long that takes times to hold the

"little one" Carter Dean and tell him that "yes I am better" every time he asks"Papaw are you well?" Here is a man that try's to offer support to our son-in-law Jeremy as he works very hard to make sure our businesses stay open and running day to day. He try's to be supportive of him, try's to be there for him and try's to encourage him even when he is unsure of what is going on day to day. Here is a man that loves his daughter more that words can say and his heart breaks to see the pain that she is suffering but the love they have is timeless. Here is a man who's greatest joy is watching Ian spend time at our home, he can't wait for any excuse to have him over here.

Ian steals Papaw's walker and the tease each other right up to and after bedtime. Here is a man who cherishes his Dad and see him or talks to him daily, his love of family, his sister Carol is unbending. Here is a man who cherishes his church and prays for it daily.

Here is a man who when others think he has lost everything has truly found it all. He believes that if he is ever going to get it right now is the time because this is all he has left. He told a very dear friend of his last night that the closer he got to death and the worse the disease got the more deeply he missed his Mother and Bo - that was the two things that hurt the most and would be GOD's gift in the end whenever that was. It could be 2 years, 2 days or 2 minutes none of us know.

Last night was a long night - some nights D is up 4 or 5 times - each time he is up I am up - he is unsteady on his feet, Dr. Haws says it is like having an infant adult Alzehimers patient in someways. I believe that is true. You are on high alert.

Sleepless nights, long days, misunderstood words, spilled drinks all in a days work. What difference does it make in the grand scheme of things.

What I do know is this you can fall deeper in love with someone than in the beginning, you can become closer during difficult times, you can and will experience deep and great sadness in your life - but if you walk through the fire together you will enjoy the rewards of eternal life with those you love someday in HEAVEN.

Today is a new day - another snow day - another day to grow closer learn something new about each other even today and embrace the blessing that GOD has given us.

May GOD BLESS YOU today with someone you love and something special happens to you.!