Be Enouraged

We are almost to the 4 month mark of my dad's death. Between the deep heartbreak and grief from that and the other emotional and financial stresses... 2015 has been a rough ride for me.

Having said that, I will continue to trust God. It is not always an easy task but it is paramount to my survival.

If someone out there is reading this and is going through something so hard, remember this.... trust God. It may seem impossible or fruitless but I promise that it works and will help when nothing else will.

Be enouraged.
No Worries
Ray

Happy Birthday Pop

So, this is the first birthday without you. You would have been 64 years old. I imagine the phone call that we would have had today.... it would have included me telling you how old you're getting and asking you what you wanted. Of course, you would tell me that you wanted nothing but you would have had some smart and sarcastic remark about me teasing you about your age.
So, I'm taking Olivia to Niagara Falls today. It was one of the best times I can recall us having and it will serve as a remembrance moment for us in the process.
I pray that God helps my brother and sister through today. We all may put a brave face on but, in all honesty, this entire situation has broken our spirits to the very core.

Happy Birthday Pop...
Love you ❤
Ray

Because I Have No Dad.... That's Why.

The grief is bad enough all by itself. The problem that I am having is the people that ask me questions like.... "So exactly what are you crying about?" I always want to scream, "BECAUSE I NO LONGER HAVE A DAD.... NO MATTER HOW GOOD OUR RELATIONSHIP WAS AND FOR HOW LONG IT WAS.... I JUST CRY BECAUSE HE IS GONE." But, do I say that? No... I try to make up an acceptable reason that they may or may not accept or understand. This would be longer but this is all I have to say for now.

Ray

In The Moment

Since my dad's passing, I have learned some pretty difficult lessons. I have learned things that I never wanted to learn. I have felt pain that I didn't know was possible. Having said that, I have also learned some lessons that were meant to learn in my life.

At first, the grief counselor asked me to find positive things about his death. I thought that she was crazy and insensitive. I remember telling her what I thought of her at that moment as well. She didn't waiver or get upset with me. She encouraged me to look for the positive even if it felt impossible. Now that the 2 month mark is almost here, I have found some positive points about the situation... not his death... but the situation that I found myself in after his death.

I have learned that even though I made HUGE mistakes after his death, I also have shown growth and strength as well. I have found a deeper love for people and God. I have found that I stop more often to look at the trees swaying in the breeze... not because I am planning on being a meteorologist... but because I take the time to appreciate the wind and the trees. I appreciate the moment that I am in. Let me be clear... I do not always LIKE the moment that I am experiencing... but I am learning to appreciate that I am still alive to experience it at all.

I love my dad... and miss him terribly. I also love those people that I come in contact with and cherish the time that I still have with them.

Ray 

Pretending

Living without a portion of your heart is ridiculously difficult. I lost my dad on January 22nd and most of the time it feels like my heart will explode. I have made many mistakes throughout this experience.... who am I kidding? I STILL am making mistakes in how I handle certain situations. Sometimes, I pretend that it didn't happen. Then, there are times that I pick my phone up to tell him something or to check on him and I bust out into tears because that moment of the realization that he is not here all over again is excruciating. 

I don't cry in front of too many people. I have began to smile and laugh again.... usually it is not because I feel like it... it is more because it is a requirement to scare away any attention that would require me to explain the pain that I experience on a regular basis.

I am better in my adjustment than I was before.... but I am pretending that I am doing better than what I really am.

I would love to sign off with the NO WORRIES tag line... but it is too soon to even pretend that I am not thoroughly freaked out in my emotions by this whole thing.

I miss you pop... it is with a heavy heart that I type every word.

Love you...

Ray ♥

Eulogy

Dear Dad,

I have written you what seems to be a thousand times this week. I think I know what to say but then it gets all jumbled up and I have to redo it. Then a countless amount of people tell me how I should remember you in a certain way publicly and I wouldn't feel right doing it that way…. Then some say you would want a celebration and no tears but you’re not here to tell me what to do so I guess I can do this however I want. I have always had a rebellious streak in me. So, I am going to go with this…

Some people have dads that they get along with for their entire lives. It’s almost like some fathers and daughters dance through the tulips their whole lives. You and I were definitely not like that. We fought a lot in my younger years. I was always right, of course.

But, as I got older, I realized that there may have been some times that you were right… you just expressed your point in a way that I couldn't understand at the time. As the grandkids got older, I saw a softer side of you. A side that included a nurturing way about you…. A side that included an unconditional loving way about you. In that, the past 5 years or so have gotten a lot better between you and I. We learned how to appreciate one another for who we were instead of trying to change each other.

Many people had those “perfect” dads… but let’s not blow smoke… those dads have their quirks, faults, and failures too. One thing that I can say is that when I was young, you did something for me that many dads do not take the time to do… you taught me to trust God. I did not understand what that meant when you taught that to me. So many things had went wrong in life… but you would just remind me to trust God. Even when I would get mad at God, you would tell me to trust Him… and quite frankly, I thought you were losing it. But, as I have grown to trust God in all things… I am faced with learning this lesson with this situation too. I don’t like it. But, when people ask me, “What would your dad want you to do?” I know your answer… “He would want me to trust God.”

So, we may both have had some rough patches in our relationship… we may have had some times that we felt disconnected… but there will always be the connection in this… you taught me to serve God before anyone or anything else. I am not perfect in that… but, in my eyes, you were perfect for teaching that to me.

I love you…. Always have…. Always will….

Ray

Smaller Portions Is The Trick.... I Think....

I am reading all these books that are making me continually be in an attitude of self-introspection. It makes me look at my motives and intentions. I am trying to do what I can to live my life but somehow, this has been very hard on me. It is difficult to admit fault in any area of my life. I suppose that would be my pride rearing its head up in my life. On the other hand, I do try and change what I can when confronted with something that wouldn’t be pleasing to God. As I read these books, I feel like each book has 10 or more things that I must master or, at the very least, get out of my life completely. I feel like there are many good things that these books can convey but maybe in a smaller portion.

No Worries

Ray

Teenage Years... Here They Come!

Well, tomorrow is the day. My daughter will be turning 13! I walked outside the other day and just sobbed. I sobbed for many reasons. I cried because I am scared. Why am I scared? This is the only time in my parenting duties that I have felt that I am so ill-prepared. She likes boys now... the cooties left them and I had no idea when that happened. I know it is natural in the progression of life but GEEZE.... 

I also think that I am always going to do something wrong and screw it all up. So, my question to you today is this.....

Will you say a prayer for me? The next decade might just kill me.

No Worries

Ray

Needing A Nap On The Battlefield

I am not perfect. I do not claim to be in any area of my life. Lately, I have noticed that there has been some areas of my life that I took pride in and I have let those areas either suffer or die all together. I guess life has just got the best of me in those areas. 

I am finally not having issues with my daughter.... she seems to be doing what she needs to do correctly. I can say that I have been able to take a breath of fresh air in the parenting area. 

The issues that have crept up now are all me. I cannot blame anyone else. I cannot say that anyone else has had a hand in the demise of these areas. What areas? My spiritual life. I am NOT saying that I don't believe in Jesus or God. I am NOT saying that I am turning my back on the entire Christian life... I am saying that I feel like I wounded soldier and I feel like laying on the battlefield of life and just taking a nap.... 

Yeah, I know... I am not being a giant of faith.... maybe not... what I DO know is that I am being human. 

No Worries

Ray

Hurt...

Hurt.... what exactly is it? Is it expectations that weren't met? Is it the possibility that whatever you wanted.... whatever you needed will never be fulfilled?

I don't know exactly how to put my finger on it... I can't exactly describe what it is... I can't even find the words to convey why it won't go away... I just know that it sucks... and yes, generally speaking, it hurts.

No Worries
Ray

Angelo and Paula Musicaro

So, there he is. Pastor Angelo Musicaro (of Oasis Christian Fellowship) in a casket. He decided this was a good way to get people to think about what really counts... and as the Facebook comments will show: He did exactly that. Usually, I try and write about myself... but this time, I am going to write about him and his wife.

This is a guy that won't quit on people. He doesn't throw people away. How do I know? Because he never threw me away! His wife, Paula, and him are such incredible people. I normally am not one to brag on other's... probably because I am not a fan of blowing smoke, ya know? But, in this case, I have no smoke to blow! They both make an impact of lives everyday and expect nothing back. They both just want people to be OK and want them to go on with God.

They have counseled with me countless times... at the church, at their house, on the phone, and through the Internet. They don't care what time it is... (well, I think they do a little because they need sleep too!!)... but they are there to help no matter when... even IF their tired.

I know that Angelo gets a lot of praise from many individuals... and he deserves every bit of it. The person that I see that should openly get insane amounts of praise is his wife, Paula. I speak with her far more than Angelo. When he is unavailable- she'll talk to me and just be encouraging. We can laugh and joke... or cry and pray. It doesn't matter to her if I'm confessing my faults, if I am smokin' mad at something, or if I just want to laugh a bit at crazy things that I saw that day. They don't ever judge the package... they are only worried about the contents of the package.

So, this is my "scratch-the-surface" tribute to them. I could write all day about them... but, that's not something that they would want. They are some of the most caring individuals I know... and I am privileged to call them my Pastors... and my friends.

No Worries

Ray