My Dad, Arend 'Odee' Lenderink, was buried today. We gathered today with many loved ones to honor this amazing treasure from above.
Today we celebrated our Papa, a great man of faith, a most blessed gift that somehow we were honored to be the recipients of...oh how we will always remain in awe-like wonder of "Odee's" earthly dance with God.
We will never forget the eternally upward direction that he steadfastly blazed a trail for our own lives to follow.
Today was his funeral...and it was beautiful...and he would have been proud.
I smiled today, amidst my tears...and my broken heart momentarily healed and dramatically swelled with such "PapAmore" pride.
Today PapAmore was so LOVED, so APPRECIATED, so HONORED, so RESPECTED, so ADMIRED and so CHERISHED.
(Almost as much as he surely should have been each and every day of his life...amongst us mere mortals with whom he all too briefly shared this land.)
And as I longingly wished that he too could be there today, to see how much we had listened, had noticed, did believe and forever and always will love...PapAmore...I heard him whisper...he was.
3 comments:
per program, please add grandson, Trenton Vander Kuyl
4 Comments
Comment by Justme 5 hours ago
Delete Comment Sara, you have such a way with words. It felt like just for a moment, we were there with you. Thank you for sharing your father with us. I am truly humbled and can't help but to think how proud he must be of you even now. with much love, justme
Comment by Missing April Wiss's Mother 5 hours ago
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i love you i am with you always
Comment by Sue Ollis 33 seconds ago
Delete Comment Sara I imagined it would have been a beautiful memorial service for Odee, I a virtual stranger and living acrosss the seas have felt his presence and his spirit through the wonderful written words here. May your heart continue to heal and be full of hope for what Jehovah has in his plan for you and your family. This is just another chapter in the life of Otee and of all your lives there will be still more installments to come. Take heart with this promise made by God himself. Death is not the end its just that moment when your turning the page. hugs and thoughts of you all Sue
Comment by Maggie's Rose just now
Delete Comment Oh, thank you all, I continue to be pleasantly comforted by all of you, these friends that I've never met "in real life" it is a true blessing for which I am so thankful.
As it should, so much goes in to saying goodbye, it is emotionally wearing, yet as (I can't remember who right now) someone important told my Mom, it's also important to "drink this time in" because this time is also a part of their life. And it's true, as we see and feel all this love pouring out towards our Papa...such a gift from above.
My sweet little (recently 7 years) Anna's heart is so broken right now, which is "good" in that I know that she is grieving/not keeping it within and yet difficult to watch and hold my baby as she cries herself to sleep each night and walks around so sad for much of the day...
He is a great loss for us all, but his great gain...how could we even think of wishing to take that away from someone we so truly love...
SO MUCH LOVE to YOU ALL!
xoxoxoxoxoxo
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