Love Is An Action Word

Troy and I received a call on New Year's Day, that would shape our 2014.....

and forever change our lives.

Papa George had been taken to the hospital by EMS.  We arrived shortly after, and sat at his side for the next 22 hours.....  when he then went home to be with the Lord.

The moment he took his last breath was both the most tragic, and the most beautiful thing that I've ever experienced.

Tragic in that Troy and I were saying goodbye to our Father.  Tragic in that, I don't know that I'll ever escape the grief that came with watching my husband say his final goodbyes to his dad.   Tragic in that we had no idea how we would make it without him.  The moment he passed instantly became our saddest, most heart breaking day to date.

But among all of the grief and sadness, remained something beautiful.  Papa George had been a pastor his entire teenage/adult life.  Despite his health problems (which were numerous), he continued to spread the word of God.  Even losing a leg and being wheelchair bound, didn't hold him back.  Just a few short weeks ago, he was still preaching to the inmates in the prison.  He was still working to change lives with the message of salvation and eternity.  Even though we know he was tired and worn out, he continued to serve his maker. 

And in his final hours here on Earth....  when his mind began to fail him and he could no longer communicate clearly with Troy and I....   he still cried out to the Lord.  He did this for hours.... over and over again.  Though most other things he said no longer made sense at this point, his final prayers did.  There was no doubting where he was headed.

When he took his last breath, I couldn't help but to think of all he had done on Earth to prepare for this moment.  His entire life had been dedicated to this very second.  I kept thinking of what he was experiencing right then, what he was seeing, and feeling..... and that I've never known anyone who deserved to dance on the streets of gold..... more than he did.

I can not tell you the number of people that over the next week, shared with us of the impact he had on their life.  Dozens of people told us of things he had done to influence their life and walk with the Lord.  Some even used the word changed.  Can you imagine?  It's one thing to say that someone left their mark on you.....  but its another to say that they completely changed the direction of your life.  And to think that these were only a small fraction of the people he touched.  I could spend the rest of my life attempting to change and impact lives the way he did....  and it wouldn't compare to the volumes of work he has done.  

As much as we loved hearing of all the ways he had influenced others....  and though we know that this was his true calling.....   to his sons, he'll always be just Dad.  Millions of people could have shared what he had done for them.....   but to these boys....and myself....   it doesn't compare to the fact that he's Dad to us.

And what a proud Dad he was.

I don't know that I've ever met a man more proud of his family.

 Every friend, church member, .......(and even every waitress and cashier in town!)....  knew of his family and all that they had accomplished.

He bragged on all of us so often.

There were many people that visited the funeral home that we had never met.  But they all knew of us.  They knew what we did, where we lived....   and they told us repeatedly of how proud he was of his family.

And that included me.


He was my father in law, but nothing about the way he treated me or loved me felt like an in law.  He introduced me to everyone as his own, telling them that he had waited many years to finally have a girl.

And in the hours before he passed....   when his mind had faded....  the nurse (trying to gauge how fast his mind was slipping away), pointed to me and asked him who I was.  He lifted his head, looked my direction and proudly said...  "that's my daughter."

And not only was he a father to me......   but he was part of my family.

He was loved and adored by every member .....

and future holiday dinners will no longer be the same without him.

As my mom said it best "his seat at the table could never possibly be filled or replaced."

I think we all know that life could never be the same without him.


And I already think of all of the moments he'll never see.


Like the day his youngest son takes his forever bride.....

Or the day we welcome his first grandbaby.......

With a new baby and a beautiful wedding....  July will be such a special month for the Davis family.  We keep saying "if only he could have held on a few more months."

But really.....  these are only a fraction of the moments we'll wish we had him for.


But I know that Papa George will forever live on in his sons.

They have stories, memories and laughs to last a lifetime.

The moment I had to stand behind these three boys and watch them say their final goodbye to their father..... is a moment that will forever be etched in my heart.  I've never experienced grief and sadness so strong.

And I still wonder how they did it.....how they made it through that final farewell.

But among all the sadness and tears, still remains something beautiful to me.

A love so strong....  and a goodbye so sad....  that it can almost crumble three strong men... to me, says everything about the love they had for him.

We all know how proud this man was of his sons.  And though we wanted to tell him often to please not tell the waitress of the latest list of everyone's accomplishments ;-)  ....  I never could tell him not to.

Because I was just as proud as he was.


And being married to a sweet, loving, handsome doctor...   has brought MANY moments of pride for me.  In the 14 years that Troy and I have been together, there have been countless times that I thought I would literally burst from pride.

But I must say.....   that even with all of his life accomplishments ...   never.....  ever...    have I been more proud to be his wife as I was in the moment that he stood next to his father ...and watched him take his last breath.

I will never forget how beautiful Troy made this final moment for his dad.  I will never forget the things he said and the time they shared.  I will never forget the beautiful sadness that filled the room as Troy sent his father home.

And I will always remember, how in that moment, I knew I had never been more proud to be Troy's wife.




So much of who Troy is, I owe to his father.

Which was my final goodbye to Papa George.

I thanked him for not only loving me the way he did....  but for giving me a lifetime of happiness in Troy.  For helping to build Troy into the man he is.

For giving me my life's greatest love.

If I heard Papa George say it once, I heard him say it a million times....

"Love is an action word.  You don't just say it....  you show it."


Whether to a church member.... a prison inmate..... a friend, or even a stranger......this man practiced what he preached.  He shared more love than some of us will ever know.

But I know.

I'll always know of his love.

I'll see it when I watch his sons embrace one another and laugh for hours around the dinner table......

I'll see it when I watch my own family missing him at our gatherings....

I'll see it when I run into a dear friend of his in Sam's Club, and we both stand in the middle of the aisle and cry for him.....

And I'll see it one day when my husband tells his own child about love.... and of how their Grandfather always said...."if you love someone...show it."

Papa George's love will live on forever.




I want to thank all of my family and friends for being a pillar of support to us over the last month.  To my parents for never leaving our side and sitting with us at the funeral home from morning to night.... to my girls for catering the food at the funeral home, and providing Troy and I with dinner for a week....  to our sweet friends who left casseroles on the front porch, without even knocking....  to all of you who sent flowers and cards and plants ......and even a movie and restaurant gift card with the sentiment of "when this is all over, have an evening out on us to relax."  For the countless church members who brought food, and more importantly, shared with us of how George was constantly speaking of the love he had for us.  And to all of those who came by the funeral home on a blustery 0 degree day.  We just can't thank you enough, and are so honored to have each and every one of you in our lives.


Love,

Kristin & Troy


"Up To The Mountain"

I went up to the mountain
Because you asked me to
Up over the clouds
To where the sky was blue
I could see all around me
Everywhere
I could see all around me
Everywhere

Sometimes I feel like
I've never been nothing but tired
And I'll be walking
Till the day I expire
Sometimes I lay down
No more can I do
But then I go on again
Because you ask me to

Some days I look down
Afraid I will fall
And though the sun shines
I see nothing at all
Then I hear your sweet voice, oh
Oh, come and then go, come and then go
Telling me softly
You love me so

The peaceful valley
Just over the mountain
The peaceful valley
Few come to know
I may never get there
Ever in this lifetime
But sooner or later
It's there I will go
Sooner or later
It's there I will go