The Aroma of Memories

A few weeks ago, I was walking through Granny White Park and I was struck by the scent coming from a man smoking a pipe. I've never particularly enjoyed the smell of smoke, but this time it brought back a flood of memories and I immediately began to tear up. My dad smoked a pipe for a very short time, but during that time, he took it on all our family vacations. At night, after all the malls were closed, we would be back at the hotel swimming and dad would be sitting by the pool smoking his pipe. Somehow, that smell, on that day, took me back to some wonderful memories of our family being together.

My dad is still battling against a terrible disease. I posted about it several months ago. I have had the privilege of visiting him in Texas with Joshua and Andi a few times in the last months. He is still losing weight and becoming more and more frail. He also has very few times when he is coherent of time and place. Every now and then, he will surprise me with a chuckle at a story or whisper a quick rebuttal to something I say. In those moments, I feel like my dad is with me again. But more often, when I get the chance to sit with him, it just makes me miss him all the more. Much like the smell of the pipe, it makes me wish we were still making memories of family vacations and talking about the next bike race he was planning to enter. 

My mom, my sisters, and their families live close to dad and I am so thankful they are there to visit often and keep me up to date on how he is doing. Today, there is no particular reason for me to ask this, but will you pray for him? I know you have done it so many times for us before, but please pray that he is comforted in the midst of this. That his body will have fewer aches today and that his mind will allow him to remember happier times. Also, pray for the endurance of my family as they continue to be a day to day part of his well-being. Thank you once again.