Our Boehler Christmas is tomorrow. It's been a little over seven years ago since dad passed away. I still think about him everyday and miss him so much! I was going through some old papers and found the following. It brought tears to my eyes and I thought I would share it.
Janet, my wife, gave a devotional at her women's Church group shortly after dad passed away. She centered it on the "Purpose Driven Life's" Chapter 16. Her topic was "The Best Time to Love is Now". It says the best time to love is now because you don't know how long you will have the opportunity. The best use of life is love. The best expression of love is time. The best time to love is now.
Here's what Janet said,
"In September my father-in-law (Connie) was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Needless to say the family was not expecting to hear such devastating news. But since the day of diagnosis my husband and his siblings were with their father every day (literally). John would make trips daily to Kearney, Alma, and Lincoln. Family would stay at the hospital in Lincoln several days at a time. The expression of love to their father would be envious of anyone that could have witnessed it. Connie was sent home from Bryan LGH in Lincoln on Tuesday because there was nothing else that could be done in Lincoln. Connie was ready to go back to the Alma Hospital. He even stopped and bought chocolate malts for Bryce, June, his wife and himself in York. That night was the best Connie had since his bad news a few weeks ago. He laughed with old friends, told jokes to his kids and even told June to go home and have a good night's rest. Well, the next day Connie took a turn for the worse and by 5:00 that afternoon the family was joined around the bed. Connie was coming in and out of consciousness but I honestly believe he was waiting for his last son, Scott, to arrive before going home to be with the Lord. Scott arrived around 6:00 p.m. from Lincoln and as he hugged his dad, Connie briefly opened his eyes as if he knew everyone was there. The last hour of Connie's life was bittersweet. After the arrival of Scott, John leaned over to his dad and said it's time to go home; we are all here now. We all held hands and prayed the Lord's Prayer and as we finished the last word of the prayer, Connie took his last breath. I have never felt more compassion and love as I did that moment. Our prayers had been answered and Connie was at a place he had been on earth preparing for."
Janet continued, " I look back now at the sacrifices each one of Connie's children and June made to spend every single moment with him they could, not knowing how much longer they would have with him here on earth. They had absolutely no regrets. That kind of love is what God intended us to share everyday and not when it's convenient for us or when it works in our schedule."
Janet said that when she finished there wasn't anybody that didn't have tears in their eyes. Dad was always proud of our close family.
So during this Christmas season dad is very much on our minds! We do miss him dearly.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
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