Funeral

Funeral 

Saturday February 18, 2023

Ever since the last Huddle we have been planning to go to a funeral of one of our switch crew. We met Tom at the last meet and greet, and again at a Huddle and learned of his wife's passing. She was very good friends with Cindy and Billy. I never did get to meet Tammy. But we wanted to go to support Tom, Cindy and Billy and our switch crew family. 

We planned on meeting Cindy and Billy at the funeral which was in Auburndale. About an hour and a half from where we are now, in Kissimmee area in Lake Magic an Encore Park. 

The funeral started at 11:00, we planned to arrive at 10:30. We got on the turnpike to save time. 

It's right across from Adelaide Shores RV Park, Beautiful park, we know Mike and Candy have a cute park model in there. I texted her, thought we could stop and say hi on the way out, but I never heard back. Also my friend Dee stayed there and loved it. I even texted her. There it is.

Arrived just after 10:30, Billy and Cindy were already inside. We sat  with them. There was 6 of the Switch Crew total. 

 There's so many things I could talk about in today's post. Tom has such a strong faith and did an amazing job talking about his wife, Tammy and the last year of her life. How her faith grew. It's hard to explain but the switch crew really changed my life.

I just feel so moved and blessed to have become part of the switch crew and to be involved in their mission and movement to help others and change the world. Even if it's in our own small way and to share the faith. 

First Tom and Tammy's daughter spoke. She did such an amazing job talking about her mother. And then we listened to Tom speak of her. How God was in her life and took care of her all the way till she passed. He did an amazing job of explaining  what I call God winks. 

When we were at the Huddle he told us about a few of them. He repeated them here and there was so many more. I can tell about a few. Her body was full of cancer, everywhere. She needed radiation, and she was about to go for a procedure, but he told us of how they moved her from one table to another and broke her arm.  So then she was never able to get the radiation treatment. 

 Tammy wanted to be an organ donor. After she passed. They called to ask Tom a million questions to see if she would qualify. He said they asked him all kinds of questions and a lot of them were ones they asked for blood donation. And then they talked about the procedures she had, and when they asked about radiation. Tom said NO she was supposed to get it but never did.

 He said there was a long pause and he thought they were disconnected. But the man said if she would have had the radiation anywhere on her head they wouldn't have been able to donate her corneas. So he feels that she was not able to get that treatment for a reason, and she could still help two people have sight even after she passed. 

It was a very special and powerful moment. The other moment that was incredible, their Pastor that spoke today, his mother had just passed away. A week before Tammy. Apparently she was very good friends of Tammy, who  was only 65 years old.  Even with such an age differences. After the pastor's mother died, Tammy said I wish I could be with her Saturday. Meaning to go to her funeral, Tammy was still in the hospital, and couldn't go, so a few days later after she passed they were able to be together on Saturday in heaven.

After the funeral we are all invited to go to the building next door for a funeral luncheon. It was probably the best  funeral lunch I've ever been to. This has been Tom and Tammy's church for I think he said 13 years at least. The congregation was so sweet and brought the most delicious and varied hot food items. It was such a lovely meal. The room had big round tables and all six of us switch crew sat together. There we are sitting there enjoying this lovely meal. The room is filled with his friends and family, and he comes and sits with the switch crew, 

It really moved me that he sat with us. I was Constantly fighting back the tears, well  ever since we arrived. That didn't work for long.

 At the end right before we left I was so compelled to go over and give him a hug. Tell him I wished I would have known her what a wonderful job his daughter and he did speaking of his faith and his wife.  I told him how the switch crew family changed my life, he was a big part of that, and I've never felt so spiritual or so  moved, since our very first Huddle in Texas just over a year ago. 

 I always need pictures for this blog, I told Jim it would be so weird to take pictures at a funeral. Jim agreed.. But I really wanted a picture of the six of us.

 As I felt that feeling a few times throughout the morning and afternoon. As we sat there Tom said,  loudly, WE should get a picture together, with our Switch Crew Banner. Billy had there's in the Jeep..

So we all went outside and after we got out to the parking lot his daughter took a picture of the six of us.

 We said our goodbyes to Tom and his daughter.  Goodbye to Billy and Cindy, we will see them soon when we go to Orlando. 

Then we headed out for a drive to Arcadia Florida, to go to K & J meat and produce. 

It was a beautiful sunny day today, but not too hot. We got to the meat store and loaded up. I bought six T-bone steaks, four New York strips, three huge packs of chicken boneless skinless thighs, two packs, what  I thought were ribs, found out later they were pork chops. A huge pack of ground sirloin. All the beef was for Jim but I eat the chicken and pork. I also bought strawberries, peppers, zucchini, Bananas,  Etc. ALL for $135.00. Thought that was GREAT. 

After we packed up all the meat we headed back home. It was a good hour drive and arrived after 5:00 I think. I repacked all the meat, and got it in the freezer out front and Jim grilled  chicken we had dinner a bit later. 

What a day. AMEN