Ash Wednesday and Happy Birthday Grandaddy

If Grandaddy were alive today, I believe he would be 98 years old. He died September 2007. He always mentioned his birthday being on George Washington's birthday but I never thought about it until today that on some years it fell on Ash Wednesday. It became special to me because my birthday sometimes fell on Easter. The old church calendar celebrates Ash Wednesday as being the last day before Lent. Lent is a time where we sacrifice a little or a lot as a symbol of Christ's sacrifice for us. Easter is the last day of Lent where we all gather and celebrate Christ's sacrifice and rising from death to pay for our sins. My Grandaddy sacrificed a lot not only our family but his brothers, sisters and parents growing up. He quit school when he was in the sixth grade to help his parent's on the farm which, if I'm not mistaken, was around time of the great depression. He never went back to school but married and raised four children, owned a business, owned a large farm, worked as a tobacco farmer, was a landlord, raised cattle, provided a car and a college education for all of his children and more. He sacrificed a lot to provide for all of us. And because of his wise decisions, he is still providing for us even five years after his death. He has always been described as a quiet, small but strong man. He complained very little. He wasn't frightened by much and if you genuinely needed help, he would most certainly help you. He sought the opportunity to sacrifice so we were less likely to suffer when he was gone. The day he died, I was with him. I left before he actually passed but I remember knowing for certain he was going very soon. He had a stroke and couldn't pronounce anything correctly when I saw him so most of what he was saying I couldn't understand. Although, I could see in his face how earnest he was. He was trying to say his goodbyes and trying so hard to tell me he loved me. I just remember how important it was for him that I was left with that. He loved all of us. Our church celebrates Ash Wednesday with a service and at the end we all have black dust smeared on our foreheads into a cross. When they smear it, they say, "Remember you were made from ashes and will return to ashes" Even memories on earth will go away. My grandaddy's memory will pass eventually but his soul lives forever with Christ. Happy Birthday Grandaddy. Miss you. See you soon.