HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY

When I woke this morning I sang "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" to my daddy.  Had he lived he would of been "82" today (March 6).  On March 13 he will have been in Heaven for 11 years.  I had to wonder if you celebrate birthdays in Heaven... if so, I'm sure he requested a Molasses "Lassy" Cake made with my mom's homemade applebutter between each layer :)

Junior B. Pack - 3/6/29 - 3/13/2000

Ceramic squirrels running up the wall, neatly lined cans of nails and screws saved, buildings full of rummage that nothing in were worth selling without a little "dickering," your favorite recliner with the electric heated throw where you napped holding your head in your hand, sheepish grins when you stuck your cold hands on one of us and heard our shrieks, the smell of "Mennen aftershave," blue eyes that deepened bluer when you wore a blue shirt, sandy brown hair with just a hint of gray, the twinkle in your eye when you looked at momma, loving to do little pranks on those you cared for, longing to be in attendance at the old white Primitive Baptist Church in Jumping Branch, baptisms in the creek at Streeter, watching you wipe tears as you were blessed by the preaching of men called of God whom you loved, church dinners and company for dinner brought joy to your heart, serving communion at church in your role as a "deacon" or bowing yourself to wash a brother's feet seemed to cause your bent frame to straighten and you to stand even taller, your tender parenting with the two girls who were the "apples of your eye" and who adored their daddy, a love for your son-in-laws as if they were truly the sons you never had of your own, a pride for the grandchildren and great grandchildren that you loved deeply and who loved you back all the same, pain that for years racked your body but no complaints were uttered from your lips, feet and hands drawn with arthritis but never slowed you down, a gentle meekness that in no way could be judged as weakness... these are only a few of the things I've thought of today as I've celebrated your birthday in my own special way. 

In all the tears I've shed... I've also laughed at some of your fun ways, at the time you told me I was serving you "cake" with your brown beans because I used yellow corn meal and a little sugar in the cornbread... the time you and mom came to visit and I fixed you the custard pie that you said was good but weak (still not sure what that meant)... the days I stayed with you when mom had surgery and had to tell you several times - I wasn't momma because of you telling me she didn't do things the way that I was... at the time you put on mom's housecoat and wig and went into the men's bathhouse at Bass Lake... at you telling us you wanted your funeral at the funeral home in Shady and not at the church - because you were expecting a big crowd (and you had one)!

I don't think there will ever be a day that I don't think of you and miss you... but days when I can celebrate your memory with tears and laughter are definitely "GOOD DAYS!"

LOVE AND MISS YOU DADDY... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!