Saturday, January 9, 2010

The grace to carry on

One of the things that has struck our family the most about how dad has handled his sickness is the absolute GRACE with which he has accepted every circumstance put in front of him. Dad was a self-made business man, straight off the farm of Oklahoma. He struggled to succeed, but succeed he did. He rose to a top CEO of a business, and when that fell through cooked up his own business, which he managed from home.
However, with the diagnosis of brain cancer, his limitations were soon realized. The tumor affects things like his ability to speak, balance, and reason. In the beginning he pushed through, trying to keep up with "business as usual", but surrendering when communication proved too difficult. This did not get him down because he soon designated our home as his new mission. He has worked, and hired others to work, to update our 20 year-old home to look like new. He began saving mom's grocery store receipts so that when we were able to drive him to the store he would know just what to buy. He loved providing for us. As his reasoning and balance became more difficult he realized he needed to surrender house work as well.
He has since taken up the responsibility of, "fun", which is such a blessing to our family. He justifiably could have taken up "anger", "despondency", or "depression", but he has submitted to God's grace working within him and continues through this process with laughter, kindness, joy, and the single-minded intent to spread the love.

9 comments:

  1. I'm praying for you and your family. It is good to hear the stories of strength and grace in the midst of all of this.

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  2. Thank you Luke. I will pass your sentiments along :-)

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  3. Your dad is amazing! Praying for all of you.

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  4. Your dad is also a very very strong person.

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  5. vince and i are BIG fans of one mr. larry. I've rarely met a more encouraging person... and the encouragements always come just when you need them. Thank you for being God's person, Larry!!!

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  6. Being the only cousins on the Sparks side in Oklahoma and growing up only 20 miles apart, I consider Larry and I to be pretty close. He has always been a fun cousin. His middle name of J--try joyful or jubilant or jovial. Don't tell the rest of the fam, but he is my favorite cousin.

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  7. thanks for the inspiration in daily living...

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  8. thanks for stopping by and sharing! dad loves the contact!!

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