A special man in our family

I just want to share with you about a special man in our lives, my hubby's father, my father-in-love, grandfather to my babies, a special man to each one of us.  He was diagnosed with kidney cancer 5 1/2 yrs ago.  We have watched him fight this battle and now it may be coming to an end.  This has been so hard on our family to watch and we are not ready to let go...........however, we trust in God and trust His plan  and know His will is being done.  Somehow this journey has and will bring glory to God.  Ronnie is 62 yrs young and I want another 20 yrs or more with him, for my mother in love , for my hubby, and especially for my babies.  Sometimes, I am mad that my kids are going to miss out on knowing him as they grow-up, that my hubby is losing not only his father, but his best friend, that his wife is losing the love of her life, but then I must give thanks and praise to the Lord that we have had this time together as a family, that my hubby has had the godly influence of his father for 34 yrs, for a marriage going on 40 yrs that is strong and full of love and how their faith has carried them thru many things in their life together and how that same faith will carry them during the most difficult storm in their lives. 

Ronnie is quite the man, one of the best a person will ever come across.  The baby of 10 children, his father passed away when he was just 14 months old.  Ronnie's mother, whom I knew briefly, but have heard so much about, was an exceptional lady.  A single mother who raised all 10 kids, worked hard, and loved her family. What a woman!  For him not to have a father, he turned out to be an exceptional man and father. Most men who grow up without a father don't turn out so well.  But, with his mother's raising and by God's grace and his relationship with Jesus, he has turned out as one of the best.............no doubt in my mind that I will ever meet another person like him.  Ronnie was a great baseball player and got the nickname, "rabbit", because of his speed.  He is still called that by men who have known him from their playing and school days.  I am proud to say he served our country in Vietnam and he loves this country.  I can't even imagine what all he endured in that war, we have heard some stories, but I am sure not all of it.  I am proud of his service and sacrifice.  Short version here - Ronnie and Sherry met, fell in love, married, and had Brandon.  They are prime examples of what a marriage should be!  Besides my grandparents, who were married 62 yrs, this couple has been an example of what a marriage truly should be.  When my hubby and I married, I never expected that our best friends would be my in-loves.  You just don't imagine that as you think about getting married or hearing the horror stories about in-laws from other people.  Low and behold, they are our best friends, they are just like parents to me, they have treated me as their own flesh and blood since the beginning.  We have spent majority of our time with them and wouldn't change it at all.  They have always gone above and beyond for us. 

My father in love is the most unselfish man you will come across, he has always put others first.  I cannot count the times he has done the things we all wanted to go do.  Even over the past yrs with cancer, he has went to things for the kids, sat thru dance recitals, watched the Nutcracker (you know how hard this is for most men), went to amusement parks, went to Dixie Stampede - several times, vacations - with 2 small kids and evem let them ride on the long trips in their car........and I could list more and more.  This man is a giver, I have seen him give his time or money to help anyone in need, regardless of the situation or how much it cost him, he has a giving heart.  Never expecting anything in return, he just does.  Sometimes, he did things without anyone knowing, just because that is the way he is and it was never for his own benefit or to bring himself glory, just because he wanted to show someone Jesus.  Ronnie is a hard worker, can fix anything, he reminds me of the energizer bunny, always doing, always working.  He would help anyone out, he would work at the church, and get the job done in half the time it might take someone else.  The times I have run over a curb and busted a tire or my battery died, or anything else that I have broken, who did I turn to.....yes, my father-in-love, and here he would come to get me out of a jam.  He never complained about it or got mad, just came and rescued me from my mishap.  He truly has a servants heart!!

Ronnie is an avid hunter and loves being in the woods. We have heard countless hunting stories and the love for the sport has already been passed down to 4yr old Brock.  Last yr, he took Brock out in his hunting thing he built, don't know what to call it.  Brock still talks about that and asks all the time when papaw is going to take him hunting again.  They watch hunting shows together and of course, my son, has 100 questions that papaw answers and explains to him.  Brock also shares Papaw love of Nascar and they happily talk about the races and their drivers.  They like different drivers, so they joke often about that.  Brock is for sure papaw's boy and we think he is a lot like him.  If he grows up to be like Ronnie, what a blessing that will be.  Papaw loves his grandbabies and would do anything for them.  I like the fact that he loves them enough to discipline them.  He doesn't let them get away with behavior that is unacceptable.  That is true love. He has been such a wonderful, Christian influence in their early yrs and I hope they get his servants heart.

So much I could write about, but the most important thing that stands out to me is Ronnie's heart and  his relationship with Jesus.  Our family has watched this man in this fight with cancer and not once complain, even when he was doing the worst treatments that made him so sick, he never complained. He has never questioned why this happened to him, never been mad at God about it, just keeps on keeping on.  What a testimony this is, especially to us , me included, who want and do complain about so many things in this life that are unimportant.  He would even tell you, he is just a sinner saved by grace, nothing on his own, nothing he has done, only saved by the blood of Jesus.  Every day we are with him, and I cannot explain it better to you, but there is a peace about him, even as tired and weak as he is right now, I feel calm and peaceful around him.  He still has his humor and still thinking about putting his family first.  As heartbreaking as this is to watch, I know that one day he will suffer no longer, that his journey on this earth will be over, but he will remain in our hearts always.  He is my hero, in more ways then one..................