Jesus said:
"But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead.” ~ Matthew 22:31-32
On January 22nd, the night Dad died, I sent this text to our distant family members:
At 1:28AM, my dear father flew away to Jesus. His homegoing was peaceful & without pain. Praise the God of all mercies.
We had been with him all day and into the night. Everyone was exhausted and numb with grief. Even now, I can't add much to the account of his final hours though I was there for all of them. But Brian has more to share, so I'll turn this post over to him by reprinting an email he sent to two of his friends whose spiritual guidance and opinions he respects:
Bob passed last night about 1:30, and he was surrounded by Evelyn, Diana, Jennifer (Diana's youngest sister), Casey and Mariah (Jennifer's children) all day. Throughout the day Bob was resting comfortably, and someone was always with him telling him how much he was loved. At the end Bob was struggling to breathe, but he wasn't in pain and he passed very peacefully.
Before that, we had called the Hospice nurse, and were expecting the nurse to arrive at any time. I had gone into the living room so that I could hear her when she arrived. As I sat there I suddenly heard 2 male voices just outside the door. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but they sounded like they were greeting each other with joy and excitement. I glanced out the window thinking that it might be the nurse, but there was no one there. Then I heard Evelyn saying how she was so thankful that Bob had passed peacefully, and I went back into the bedroom. The nurse didn't get there for another 20 minutes.
It may have been just my imagination, but I am not usually prone to auditory delusions. Maybe my hearing aides picked up a random radio signal for a second.
Please also be in prayer for Casey. He was with his grandpa helping him on Saturday night when Bob fell. Casey blames himself for letting Bob fall, and feels like it caused Bob's condition to worsen. Please pray that I can find the right words to alleviate Casey's fears, and help him understand that it wasn't the fall, but that what Bob was going through was unavoidable.
Thank you for your love and support to the entire family.
Brian
Our pastor responded immediately:
Thank you for sharing that. I don't believe it was just your imagination. I believe you had a very personal experience with grace. I also had a very personal experience with grace when my dad died.
You all will be in my prayers continually in the coming days. Please let us know if there is anything we can do for you all.
Andy
And from Brian's friend Geoff:
So sorry to hear of Bob's passing, but happy for his complete liberation. That doesn't make it any easier for all of you who are grieving, we know.
Celtic Christian expression, Christian mysticism, and other spiritual paths of following Jesus talk about "thin places." Western European thought tends to assume a hard and fast wall between existence as we measure it by our senses and intellect and the "beyond." Other traditions see it more as a gray area. I've had enough experiences and heard enough reports/testimonies like yours that I believe the latter is true. I think we are graced with thin places sometimes. You probably heard a sound-byte of the home-going party starting on the other side!
Prayers rising for all of you, and for Casey's particular struggle.
From Diana again:
I have been comforted by both scripture and Brian's experience immediately after Dad breathed his last. I hope you will be too.
I'd like to close out this blog with Dad's obituary:
Robert Tapscott
July 4, 1935-January 22,
2024
At the age of 88, Robert Tapscott of West Plains,
Missouri, ended his earthly journey and went home to Jesus on January 22, 2024.
He was born on the Fourth of July, 1935 to Margaret and Farrell Tapscott of
Trenton, MO. After graduating from Trenton High School, where he was co-captain
of the football team, he married the love of his life, Evelyn Holt, on
Christmas Day 1953. The couple celebrated 70 years together last Christmas.
They each would always say the other was the best gift they have ever received.
Robert was a loving father to four daughters and
sons-in-law: Diana and Brian Groe of West Plains, MO; Cindy and Warren
Christopherson of Ogallala, NE; Linda and Rick Renteria of Keystone, SD; and Jennifer
and Justin Cropper of North Platte, NE. The couple was blessed with fourteen
grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren.
They praise God that they have never buried a child.
Robert worked on the railroad for 42 years, ending his
career as an engineer with the Burlington Northern in Sheridan, WY. He loved
his job, loved the romance of the rails, loved seeing the aurora borealis on
cold winter nights or the fields ripe for harvest as summer days turned to
autumn. He always took reading material in case he had to wait in a siding—the
Book of Rules, so he could study for the frequent tests he had to take to keep
railroading, and his Bible. He often used the long runs over the road to share
his faith with his co-workers, and more than a few came to know the Savior. One
man called him 20 years after the fact to thank Robert for telling him about
the Lord. Even though he didn’t come to faith when Robert worked with him, the
seeds had been planted and he found Jesus later.
Robert was adventurous and well-traveled. He earned his
private pilot’s license and had a Cessna 152 and later, a Piper Warrior which
he and Evelyn enjoyed flying over the sandhills of Nebraska and back to
Missouri to visit family. He took his wife and daughters on numerous camping
trips throughout the American West. He was an avid Kansas City Chiefs and
Missouri Tigers fan and always said, with hope in his heart, that each game was
“gonna be a good game!” He was also a 32nd degree Mason, though one
of his granddaughters thought the “G” on his Masonic ring stood for
“Grandpa.”
Robert was preceded in death by his parents, his sister
Shirley Trainer, his brother Rick Tapscott, and his brother-in-law Charles
Holt. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn, and all his children and
grandchildren; his brother and sister in law, Ron and Doris Tapscott of
Franklin, TN; his brother-in-law Thomas Trainer of Oskaloosa, IA; his
sister-in-law Barb Tapscott of Des Moines, IA; his brother-in-law and
sister-in-law, Edward and Mary Holt of Trenton, MO, his sister-in-law, Pat Holt
of Des Moines, and numerous nieces and nephews.
In the last days of his life, Robert’s attitude was one
of total gratitude for all the blessings he’d experienced and the length of
days he’d been granted. He was ready and excited to meet his Savior. But his
family and friends will miss him sorely until we are reunited in that land
where God will wipe away all tears.
There will be a graveside service in
Trenton, MO at a later date.
