AUNTIE I AM HAVING A HARD TIME ACCEPTING YOU ARE GONE.
I HAVE A SAYING THAT WHEN THE DALLAS COWBOYS WIN A FOOTBALL GAME, THE SUN SHINES THE WHOLE WHOLE WEEK AND THE SUN SHINES. WELL THE DAY AFTER THEY LOST THE FOOTBALL GAME, THE SKY WAS CLOUDY AND THE SUN WAS NO WHERE IN SIGHT. WHILE DUDLEY AND I WAS OUT RIDING, WE NOTICED THE SKY WAS CLEARING UP MORE WITH LESSER DARKNESS OF THE CLOUDS AS WE DROVE AROUND THE LOOP OF DALLAS. LAST WEEK I PHOTOGRAPHED A STRANGE LOOKING CLOUD WITH A SMALL BREAK OF THE SUN WITH THE STRANGEST YELLOW HUE I HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE. I TOLD DUDLEY THE SUN CAME OUT THEN REALIZED MY COWBOYS HAD NOT WON THE GAME AND REALIZED IT CAME OUT BY ACCIDENT. I THOUGHT THE SUN WAS COMING OUT TO STAY. THEN I NOTICED IT JUST LOOKED LIKE IT WAS OPENING LONG ENOUGH THAT SOMETHING WAS HAPPENING, ALLOF A SUDDEN THE CLOUD SEEMED TO BE WHAT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS TRYING TO CLOSE WITH SOME DIFFICULTY. I HURRIED UP TO GRAB MY TABLET TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH BECAUSE THE CLOUD WAS STARTING TO CLOSE FAST. AT FIRST I DID NOT THINK ANYTHING OF THE CLOUD UNTIL I REALIZED THE SUN WAS NOT SHINING ANYWHERE EXCEPT THIS ONE PARTICULAR CLOUD. I TOLD DUDLEY THAT WAS GOD OPENING HEAVENS DOOR TO LET AN ANGEL COME OUT. I GOT SPEECHLESS AND DUDLEY GAVE ME A FUNNY STARE. THEN I SAID IT MUST BE AN ANGEL COMING DOWN TO TAKE AN ANGEL UP TO HEAVEN. AUNT LOUISE, THAT MUST HAVE BEEN GOD CALLING YOU TO COME HOME. SOON AFTER THAT DAY, YOU LEFT US. I CAN NOT QUESTION GOD WHY HE TOOK YOU SO SOON. WHEN GOD CALLS, READY OR NOT, WE MUST ANSWER. I THANK YOU FOR BEING A MOTHER AND AND AUNT TO ME, I AM SORRY THAT I CAN NOT BE THERE FOR YOUR HOMEGOING. FOR I KNOW WE SHALL MEET AGAIN. GOD CALLED YOU HOME WITH YOUR SON THOMAS, MY GRANDPARENTS, YOUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS, AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. I NEVER KNEW YOU TO BE STILL. GOD KEPT YOU BUSY UNTIL HE SAID, “WELL DONE MY FAITHFUL SERVANT, NOW IT IS TIME TO COME HOME.” AUNTIE I AM GOING TO MISS YOU. THANKS FOR BEING THERE FOR ME. I LOVE YOU AUNTIE.
MARSHA LYNN NAPIER-BUTLER
