A daughter’s deathbed vigil.

This is a beautiful tribute by Jill to her father who just recently passed. It is full of love and grace. It’s hard to read in spots because of Jill’s great loss and pain but I encourage you to read it anyway. It many ways it is a Lenten story of faith.

Loss and more loss, but also mercy
The rest of my family left the room as my husband and I said good-bye to Dad. I told him how much I loved him, what a wonderful father he had been and how blessed I felt that he was my dad, how much I will miss him. I asked him, for my own reassurance, whether he believed that he would have eternal life due to Jesus’ saving grace. He nodded emphatically and, despite his breathless, almost complete inability to speak, forced out “Yes!” I cried and said, “I will see you in heaven, Dad, and it will be wonderful. Take care of my babies until I get there.” I leaned over and hugged him, and he smiled and managed to say “Love you.”