365 Days of Blessings - Day 80, a Memorial

365 Days of Blessings, Day 80 A Memorial

I learned late last week that my Uncle Lloyd had lung and liver cancer. He was given an estimated three weeks to live. I was shocked. Yesterday on my facebook page I asked for prayers for him, his family, and mine. A half hour later I learned he had passed away.

In my growing up years, my parents and I visited Eugene, OR to see our family there on a regular basis. For a time, we visited once a month, then we slowed our visits over the years and it became just an annual visit. As an adult, I've only visited Eugene every 2-3 years.

I've been feeling a need to visit my Aunt Beverly (Aunt B, as my cousins and I were allowed to affectionately call her) and my Uncle Lloyd for a while now, and I thought when I learned of my Uncle Lloyd's illness that I had waited too long. I was scrambling my plans to figure out how to make a visit possible, and now he's gone. I just wanted to give him one last hug, and hear his voice one more time.

So yesterday I sat down and wrote out some of the blessings God gave me through my Uncle Lloyd. It's a little different than most of my blessings posts, but I hope that's ok for today.

My uncle Lloyd

had twinkles in his eyes,

laughter tucked in his pocket with the candy he gave out,

invited us to pick strawberries from his garden, or peas, or whatever was ripe,

was known throughout the neighborhood for his friendly nature, his ability to talk politics or the weather,

helped his neighbors with yardwork,

had amazing Christmas lights,

built a beautiful swing in his yard for his grandchildren,

made his home into a licensed daycare run by my Aunt, so that his grandchildren could have a safe place of care and so that he could love on a few more kids that came their way,

always treated me with kindness, love, and respect – no matter my age. I liked that about him. Kids were always people in his eyes, people who needed love, attention, and just as much conversation as adults.

would watch cartoons with us, or Disney movies, or action movies when we got older. He could talk about Star Wars when we were into that, and sing all the songs in the Jungle Book, one of his favorites.

gave me wonderful memories of great times on sunny days and rainy ones,

had a wonderful voice, and a kind face,

loved his wife, children, and grandchildren.


Scripture for the day:
"There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn, and a time to dance."
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4



The Bare Necessities
Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
Old Mother Nature's recipes
That brings the bare necessities of life

Wherever I wander, wherever I roam
I couldn't be fonder of my big home
The bees are buzzin' in the tree
To make some honey just for me
When you look under the rocks and plants
And take a glance at the fancy ants
Then maybe try a few

The bare necessities of life will come to you
They'll come to you!

Look for the bare necessities
The simple bare necessities
Forget about your worries and your strife
I mean the bare necessities
That's why a bear can rest at ease
With just the bare necessities of life

Now when you pick a pawpaw
Or a prickly pear
And you prick a raw paw
Next time beware
Don't pick the prickly pear by the paw
When you pick a pear
Try to use the claw
But you don't need to use the claw
When you pick a pear of the big pawpaw
Have I given you a clue ?

The bare necessities of life will come to you
They'll come to you!

So just try and relax, yeah cool it
Fall apart in my backyard
'Cause let me tell you something little britches
If you act like that bee acts, uh uh
You're working too hard

And don't spend your time lookin' around
For something you want that can't be found
When you find out you can live without it
And go along not thinkin' about it
I'll tell you something true

The bare necessities of life will come to you