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| My Uncle Frank - A Favorite Photo of Him |
My family just lost a great soul. A soul that was wrapped in
a man who was strong both emotionally and physically, a man who could be as
soft and warm as the biggest teddy bear or as fierce as a great grizzly. From
my experiences and of the stories I’ve heard of my Uncle Frank Stephenson, that
fierceness only appeared when he felt he was threatened or (worse) when his
family and friends, those closest to him, felt threatened, whether by
enemy-like individuals or life’s perils.
My Uncle Frank was a very strong man. I’ve heard many people
tell stories of his Goliath strength. Some say he was one of the strongest men
in the county. I don’t doubt that a bit. I watched him farm, ride horses, chop
wood, and throw and roll hay bales like he was flicking a feather and with an
ease that would put any Schwarzenegger-like physique to shame. But coupled with
that solid exterior, there was a deep, profound, loving heart inside. He was a
gentle giant… in every sense of the term.
His massive hands could provide the gentlest touch or hug.
His voice, which could boom, would weave words of encouragement and love. His
smile… ugh…it would absolutely light up the darkest of rooms. And his eyes…
they sparkled so. Was it happiness? Love? Enchantment? It could have been any
of the above, but his eyes were a gateway into the soul that you knew offered
unconditional love and support to those he watched over.
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| Uncle Frank and David - Look at Those Eyes and That Smile |
Although my Uncle Frank recently left us and ran to Jesus,
we know he is watching over us now more than ever – the shepherd of his flock.
It was a big hit for our family, but as Maya Angelou says: A good soul brings
us together again and again. And Uncle Frank did and continues to do so. Most
of the time it may have been indirectly or unintentionally, but he is one of
the big reasons my cousins, (Uncle Frank’s children) Erica and David, grew up
to be the amazing, loving, kind, tender, and supportive people they are. His
love, generosity, and kindness flowed into them and still lives there. As a
result, the bond with my cousins is unbreakable. Whether it was intentional or
not (and it was probably a little of both), Uncle Frank planted a seed inside
of his children as well as myself and other members of my family to hold tight
to each other, to love hard and long, and to be compassionate and openly loving.
He will live on forever in the bond I have with my cousins, all of my cousins,
and the bond we have with each other.
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| Erica, David, and I - Two Very Special People in my Life |
Now I am not saying my Uncle Frank was like a father to me.
He wasn’t. He truly was my uncle, and
a good one at that. I never had any real
deep conversations with him, but I was blessed to get his advice every once in
a while. Advice I knew came from rough and tough personal experience. I was and
am blessed to be one of his flock. He has watched out for me many times,
probably whether I knew it or not. I wouldn’t say I was extremely close with my
Uncle Frank, but I didn’t need to be. I didn’t need to have deep conversations
with him to know how much he loved me. It showed in SO many actions. And I
didn’t need to know him well to know how much Erica and David meant to him
either. It was evident in his eyes – those beautiful eyes.
My heart aches because I know he is gone from us for a
while, but I rejoice knowing he is watching us and waiting on us because one
day, it will be our time, too. No one wants to think of death, but I, honestly,
find it a bit more bearable to think about knowing I will have those kind arms
to run into when it is my time to pass through the pearly gates. I also know
Uncle Frank is in heaven now preparing the heaven-version of our family farm
for us. And I find comfort in knowing that as our Stephenson clan passes on to the
next world, Uncle Frank will welcome us to that family farm in heaven where
peace will reign and where tension, heartache, anger, frustration, and sadness
are banned with a heavy, strong fist. It will be a place where we will relive
our childhood. We will sit in the back yard telling stories and laughing. We
will explore the creeks and mountains again, and we will all gather in love’s
light on a happy, mild summer day. Oh, what a heaven it will be.
My Uncle Frank’s great soul will never die. It is watching
over us, guiding us, and continues to comfort us more so than he ever has
before. His soul continues to serve us and it will, in fact, continue to bring
us together… again and again. Until next we meet, Uncle Frank… *kisses from
earth*
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| A Little Piece of Our Heaven on Earth - The Stephenson Farm |
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