Happy Heavenly Birthday, Dad

February 9.  My dad's third birthday in Heaven.  How many times do I still, when feeling unsure and needing counsel,  wish I could go to him?  Many, many times.  I trusted his wisdom and his heart so much.  

I love this picture taken when he was in his mid sixties.  Now in a few years I'll be that age.  I wish I had half his wisdom and heart of compassion. 

I know I have a number of readers now whom I did not know when he left this earth on October 1, 2009.  So I'm going to repost what I had written at that time.  Part of me does not want to remember the journey that led to that day.  But there were things in that journey that I never want to forget, especially the beautiful way it ended.  

Reverend Paul M. Witmer went home to meet his precious Lord and Savior face to face on Thursday evening, October 1, 2009.  His passing was the anticipated end of an intense journey that he and his family walked  together the past few months.

In 2008 Paul began having pain and numbness in his left leg, which led to a search for answers and relief.  In September 2008, a surgery to unpinch a nerve in his spine brought welcome improvement.   However, the improvement was short-lived, and along with increasing pain and numbness in his leg came a dramatically increased PSA count and disabling fatigue.

This past summer the search for answers continued with numerous appointments and tests, ever increasing pain and weakness, and added equipment to improve his quality of life.

On August 10 he was given the results of a bone scan which showed cancer throughout his bones.  The search was over, and Paul and his family sadly enlisted the services of Hospice, committed to caring for him at home, doing everything possible to make him comfortable.

The past five weeks the Witmer and Zimmerman families have worked together to help Mary provide around-the-clock care for him.  Paul never ceased to have a grateful spirit.  Mary never ceased to give Paul her most loving care and devotion. Singing together became more precious than ever before. Many times the family felt that they were on Holy Ground as they were in Paul and Mary's  home.

The evening he died was the holiest of all.  As loved ones surrounded him, the hired nurse aid, a sweet Nigerian angel, stood at the foot of his bed and sang a song from the book of Revelation.

I see the Lord,  I see the Lord.

He is high and lifted up, and His train fills the temple.

He is high and lifted up, and His train fills the temple.

And the angels cry, "Holy!"

The angels cry, "Holy!"

The angels cry, "Holy is the Lord!"

Family members joined in song, and as the beautiful harmony ascended to the heavenly throne, Paul's spirit left the room and was received into the arms of Jesus.