I first of all want to thank you for all your prayers during this time and the prayers that I know you will continue to lift up in the days to come. My father Jimmie Lee White went home to be with the Lord this morning April the 25th at 2:45 am. While it is painful it is also a relief knowing that he will suffer no more. While we will miss him greatly we know that he is so much better off and we will see him again soon. We know that the Lord has a purpose in whatever comes our way and I think it is still yet to be seen what God will do through this but I can say that the Lord has been there with us and has been working in my life during this time. One of the things that has come to my mind often is wishing I could go back and spend many of the times that we had together again. We often say that life is short and fragile and that we shouldn’t take it for granted, but too often we do. A few weeks ago I wrote a letter to my dad telling him how thankful that I was for him. I was able to read it to him before he got too bad off where he couldn’t respond. It was one of the hardest things that I have ever done but when I finished he looked at me and with tears in his eyes he stretched out his arms and gave me the biggest hug I think he ever has. It was a very special time for me and I am so thankful that I was able to do it. The one thing that I keep thinking though is I wish I would have done it sooner. If I can encourage you in anything it would be don’t wait to spend that extra time with someone. Don’t wait to tell someone how much you love and appreciate them. Don’t wait until it is too late to make so many special memories that you will carry with you for a lifetime. Here is the letter that I wrote him.
To My Dad,
Dear dad I want to say that I am very thankful to the Lord that you are my dad. I have been blessed to grow up with you as my father and have enjoyed the times that I have been able to come home and spend with you. I have so many memories of those times that we have had together that I will carry with me as long as I live. There are so many things that you have taught me, that have helped me become the man that I am today. First I am thankful that I grew up in a Christian home and was raised in church. That was where I was able to hear the word of God and trust Jesus as my Savior and learn the Christian principles that have shaped my life. I learned from you the value of a hard work ethic. From the times as a young boy that I would go out and help you bale hay to the times we worked at the shop long, hot, exhausting hours. You taught me to be a man of honor and of my word. You taught me to enjoy life. I can remember so many times when we went rabbit hunting and you would not let me go after the rabbit and someone else would shoot it before it got back to us. Many times my hands would be so cold that they would ache when they began to thaw out. I am thankful to have grown up on the farm. We were always free to get out and play and explore giving us a healthy clean place to grow up. I know you spent many a backbreaking hour working to provide this place for us. I can say that I have had a great example to follow of someone who had so little and so many struggles starting out in life yet you gave everything for your family. I hope that one day my children will be able to say the same thing that I am saying to you. I thank God for my Dad.