'da Nonno

I miss him.  The beauty of being a believer is knowing that God's got it all under control. My family asked me to choose the readings for the Catholic Mass we are having soon.  Touched by this honor and time God was giving me, I was able to reflect in the way I do best - through writing.  So why am I sharing? I believe in God's word and powerful ability it has to heal what has been broken and shed light into what has been dark.

I also want my future husband to know that even though he didn't meet them, I really had the best BEST grandparents a girl could ask for.  So I am writing to virtually document what I hope I get to share with someone someday - the beauty of family - from life to death.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 shows:)

It is woven in my heart that he was a man of steadfast dedication, a man who stood on rocks when the water swirled around him, a man devoted to the things that God entrusted him with. The beauty of his faith was not that it shouted from roof tops but that it was seen in the simple joys of laughter around the table on the deck, the handsome grilling skills of a pork tenderloin, and his perseverance to serve his wife unconditionally.

(1 Corinthians 2: 6-9 shows:) 

Nonno was a provider, a man in a constant state of worrying and I believe that his heart was constantly praying to God for safety, protection, provision, and comfort. I look forward to seeing the ways in which God has provided these for him in heaven.  How beautiful it will be for him to know the wisdom of true peace.

(John 14:1-6 shows:) 

When was Nonno's table not filled with people, laughter, joy, and love? Every table I sat at with him, he was a leader, a listener, and a man who spoke rarely - but when he did, his family heard.  I didn't know him at work, I didn't know him with friends - but I believe that he sat at his friends tables in quiet tones, soaking in the complex beauty of investing in others.  I believe he BELIEVED that his family did not stop with blood but extended into the neighbors around him, the golfers on the greens, and the people that randomly found their way to his and Nonni's table. 

His last couple of years were full of struggles, hardships, pain, and misery - but I find comfort in John's words.  Nonno has a resting place in heaven that is better than any oxygen tank can provide.  Because of his faithfulness - God has prepared a room for him in heaven filled with gentle ambiance of laughter, love, and peace that overwhelmed his troubled his heart during his home stretch here on earth.

Love ya, Nonno.