I wish I could give each of you a big hug and a personal thank you for your prayers, thoughts and love during this time of new beginnings for David and me. You have helped me to not feel so alone and you have honored David .....thank you!!
For 8 days we knew that David was dying and we prayed for his release from the bondage of Alzheimer's, but it was still so hard for us to let him go.....
David died on a Friday, October 5th and Sunday October 7th at 2:00 we had his Memorial Service at our church.
The service was perfect in every way!!!!
I could feel David's sweet and humble spirit not believing how many people attended this awesome service and celebration of his life.
Our best friends gave the Eulogy. Their memories made us laugh and cry....wonderful memories from their hearts to ours. It's so wonderful to have friends who love David so much............!!! What a blessing!!!
A friend from choir sang 'Beyond the Rain' ..... I know David was smiling as he heard Tom sing and play the guitar, it was so beautiful !!!
The choir sang 'I'll Fly Away' .... as I looked at the choir and saw so many of his friends with tears in their eyes...... it warmed my heart.
Our pastor gave a wonderful sermon titled 'Known by the Company we Keep'.....we were touched, as we laughed and cried.
The congregation sang 'A Mighty Fortress is our God'......David's favorite song.
There are moments when I'm 'good to go' and then there are times when I cry. I know this is normal, but right now David's death doesn't feel real. One day at a time.
GOD IS GOOD!
39 comments:
Thanks for sharing this precious time!! What a beautiful service it must have been! You continue to honor your sweet husband! You are definitely in my heart and have been in my prayers! You are always such an encouragement and blessing through each of your posts! I pray for continued peace and strength for you! Big hugs, my friend!
You've been in my thoughts and prayers, Dolores. David's memorial service does sound perfect in every way and a true celebration of his life. How wonderful to have so many friends and family there to share in the celebration.
I have been thinking a lot about you and praying. I think his service sounded wonderful. I love the song I'll Fly Away. I bet his spirit was there and trying to comfort you. I know it is such a loss. Hugs and prayers for you.s andie
what a wonderful celebration of a wonderful life...prayers with you as you move on to the next phase of your life Dolores..
It sounds like Davids service was a real TRIBUTE to him and his life. I am thinking that God had you place David at Alz care so that you would have a time of not having him at the house. Sort of to get ready. Do you know what I mean? I, too, am glad he is free of this disease but sad that he isn't with you. You are ONE STRONG WOMAN and I know you will be OK......with time. Love and hugs to you, Pinky
What a wonderful celebration... Family and friends provide such comfort to us in such times and the Lord is faithful to comfort as well. Grief is an interesting journey and a little different for each one who travels it. I'm thinking of and praying for all of you who are missing David. I think many of your readers are missing him, too.
PS, that first picture of David is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!
I've been thinking and praying for you my sweet friend. How I wish I had been there, in dear David's services as he was our friend too! You made us so part of it dear Dolores, that I really feel I've known you two for quite a while...but maybe that is true, because I FEEL IT IN MY HEART! My heart goes out to you and it's also sad, even though I know, dear David is finally happy, now he's the one who will have to wait for you to revive with the Lord so he can be with you. My eulogy would just be simple: "Thank you so much dear Dolores for teaching us the biggest lesson in love, strength and so much intelligence and wisdom to carry on and Move Forward with Alzheimer's, a truly devastating deasease, very hard for us to grasp. May God bless your new life without your beloved"
Love,
FABBY
I just listened to, I'll Fly Away" and thought of David soaring with the angels free of the bonds of Alzheimer's.. made whole and perfect. You are in my thoughts and prayers Delores. I know that you have been such a wonderful support for me and many others, and hope that although we are far apart you will feel the loving thoughts from all of those you have touched through your blog. Thinking of you... Mary
Wonferful service celebrating David's life. I have learned so much from you and appreciate this blog so much.
Praying for the whole extended family and friends and the days ahead of grieving.
Glad that the Christian looks forward to Heaven where there will be no more death or sorrow.
You were so blessed to have wonderful memories and David was blessed to have you as his lovegiver/caregiver.
I am very touched by this post.
Hugs and prayers,
Carol
If we are known by the company that we keep, I am honored to be in your company, good company. Please keep writing, Dolores ... we don't want to lose that delightful presence of yours. I know this is an overwhelmingly sad time ... take time for yourself now.
Delores, Thanks for continuing to share your journey with us. I love your comment about you and David's new beginnings! I'm so glad the service was all you could wish for. Of course there will be tears; there is a lot of adjusting to be done. Take one day at a time and take extra good care of yourself.
Becky
I wish I could give you a hug, Dolores, but I know that all I can do is offer prayers for David, you and your family and I have been doing that. I know you believe David is in a better place too, free of disease and happy looking down on you all. The service sounds wonderful and I know you and David are so loved by many. take care!...Christine
Dolores, thank you for posting this beautiful description of David's memorial service. It sounds like it was warm and loving and real - just like the man himself. I have never met either of you, but I am grieving with you today for your loss in the same way that I would grieve for a friend or family member that I have known for years.
Thank you for having the strength to describe David's memorial service with your blogging friends, at a time when nobody would expect you to do so.
Love and best wishes,
Gilda
Tears of sadness for you and your family and for Keith and Nelwyn. I can only imagine how much you will miss him. Tears of joy and peace for he is released to sing with the angels. Tears of admiration and blessings as you have honored David in all you have done as you have walked this very private journey so publicly and with so much grace and humility. Tears for the changes you are going to have to go through, but tears of joy that you are filled with the holy spirit and surrounded by the most awesome church family! We miss you and think of you often. God will take care of you.
Hello Dear Dolores, Thank you so much for posting David's Memorial Service. As I was reading it , I felt as if I was right there. What a beautiful service for your wonderful husband. I am thinking about you. David's work is done here on earth. I will be praying for you and your family...for strength, guidance and His Holy arms to be wrapped around you with love.
Blessingss and Peace<
Susannah
Hi darling, what a beautiful tribute to David and the love he's instilled in so many lives. He's touched so many these last few years as well as you have. I think of you daily and pray you're doing ok. I know the pain of letting go and what you went through.. I love you darling... sending many hugs.. ~lynne~
Dolores, this service was certainly a CELEBRATION of David's life and his love for family and friends. A Celebration of his love for God and the face that now, he is there with the Lord. This was such a sweet post. I know you are missing him and yet you are glad that he's not suffering any more. You and your family have been in my prayers and will continue. May the Lord bless and keep you and give you that sweet comfort that can only come from Him. Hugs - Vickie
I'm touched and moved by the wonderful tribute to your David. Thank you for keeping us blogging friends, close, by sharing the details of his celebration service. I'm sure the days ahead will have new adjustments for you and it will never be the same without him, but our God IS a mighty fortress, and because you both abide in Him, you'll be fine. We know David is completely fine!
Love and Hugs, Laurie
Stuck for words, but thinking of you. xx Jenny
To be surrounded by so many people, friends & family, who loved David is the perfect way to celebrate his time here on earth. To know there are so many who knew him and love him is an amazing testimony to the kind of man he was.I love the picture of David with your dog.
Dolores, thank your for sharing this journey with us. You have helped me. You will remain in my prayers, and my thoughts. ((Big hugs)) Thank you again! melanie
Delores,
I've been thinking about you and hoping that you would share a little bit about your David's service. It sounds like it was beautiful and a true tribute to the man David was.
Love being sent to you sweet friend. It looked to be a Beautiful and loving ceremony! I know David was there with you...
Sending Love and Hugs and Prayer...
((((HUG))))
Love and peace being sent to you Doloras from Arizona...take your time ...follow your heart each day.xoxo
It sounds like it was a beautiful service, and I wish I could have been there.
It will be hard for a while and then normalcy will enter your life again.
Imagine all the people who never knew David in person got to know him because of your love for him. That's an incredible testament to him.
I love you and think of you all the time.
barbara
Dear Dolores, I am so sorry for your loss. I hope you will grieve and recover at your own pace. Take care. xo
It just takes time. For a while I would catch myself speaking of Jim in the present tense as in, "Jim likes to go here," instead of "Jim liked to go here." And there are so many triggers around the house. The other day I picked up the tea kettle and it hasn't been used for months. Jim used it every day to make his instant coffee. Little things like that can trigger emotions. It does get a little better with time. Hang in there.
The service sounded wonderful. A true celebration of David's life. Thank you for sharing.
What a beatiful service and a loving tribute to David that so many people loved him. I pray for comfort and love for you and your whole family. He will always be with you in your heart and in your memories. I'm so glad you had such a wonderful life with him. My thoughts are with you.
i had gotten behind in reading the blog and just tonight read about David's homegoing and memorial. i know you will have good days and bad but remember that the Lord is always there for comfort, strength and direction. Praying for you and your sweet family tonight. God bless you all!
What a wonderful celebration. He's with the Lord,Whole,at Peace and remembering you and all his loved ones. Thinking of you often.
Tracy
May our good and loving Lord God bless you and comfort you, Delores. I liked that part of the poem that says we are never meant to stay here on this earth--but that's what's so hard, isn't it? We want to keep our loved ones here with us and it is so hard to let them go on to their reward. I know you find comfort in knowing that David is waiting for you. Hugs to you Delores, you are a fine woman who was married to a fine man!
Dearheart, Black Rose and I think of you often and have kept you close to our own hearts.
I have been so fortunate to have met David through your expressive, loving words. The love shared, the photos (each beautiful), an introduction to David here on earth. The gift of Friendship, love and mutual respect are given to us by God.
Delores, your love and continued support speaks volumes of the loving, strong woman that you are and have been in David's life. Remember, God never meant to keep us here - He has even bigger plans for each of us. God bless you. I shall continue to keep you in my prayers.
Delores, I have been away from reading my blogs, so as I returned to yours tonight, I was sad to read of David's passing. My prayers are with you as you move through these next days. Whether they be weeks, months or even years, God is watching over you and your family. I can bet that you are floundering as to fill those times when you would have been visiting with David. I hope that your family and friends will fill those moments and you will find new routines. Hugs from TN.
Beckie
Thank you for sharing the details of David's beautiful service with your readers. I was hoping you would do that, because even though we've never met I felt a grief almost as real as if we had! My heart breaks for your loss of a best friend and partner (although he's been "gone" for awhile already now), and rejoices in the fact that you know where he is and you will be together again! Please keep sharing your wonderful thoughts with us if you can--you have begun a wonderful ministry of your own here in your blog, and have inspired me personally as I marvel at your positive attitute and unwavering faith! My prayers are with you during this time of adjustment! Please know how much others care.
I have never met either David or you but I have followed your tough uphill journey for sometime now. My heart aches for you, I have tears in my eyes, I feel so sad for you both. You are such sweet people, God has blessed you, even though it hurts.
Thank you. I hope you are feeling OK now.
What an amazing man, this world could use more like him. SO very sorry and may GOD ease your sadness.
Miss D...I am brokenhearted for you. I truly am.
I know you are going to be OK...I also know that your beloved is in a better place. I hope knowing he's with Jesus helps ease the pain of him not being with you.
I hope when it comes time for me to leave this earth I will be so loved, respected and remembered.
Thinking of you and praying for you always...
Love, Rebecca
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