Words can't explain

We owe a huge THANKS to so many people.
First to our church family:
There is no way for us to express the comfort that our church family has provided us. It is not a feeling that we are accustomed to having. So many of you went above and beyond to make sure that we knew that we were not alone and that is priceless. It is wonderful to know that there are people who care this much about us. With you and God a situation that would have been unbearable became a lesson for us about what can happen if you just lean on others. Thanks can in no way communicate what we feel right now. God Bless you all.
To my family:
I want to thank you all for helping Mike and me through this rough time. Mom, Thanks so much for keeping the kids and doing everything you could to help. Dad, Thanks for being there when we needed you. For coming to the nursing home to check Priscillia when I knew things weren't right and for being a sounding board for me when I had questions I couldn't ask anyone else. Daniel, Thanks for braving watching the boys and for being a good listener. Christy, Thanks for being there on one of the toughest days of our lives. Elaine, Thanks for calling to check on me, I know that you live far away and that we have never been very close but it meant the world to me that you called to see how we were. You all are a great family and a great support.
To all of our friends:
Thanks for all of the calls of encouragement, the letters and messages, the food, the flowers and the laughs. Thanks especially to all of you who showed up to lend your support and a shoulder to cry on. It was greatly appreciated and will not be forgotten.

Guilt, How are some exempt?

I have such guilt over things undone. My head knows that I did all that I could but my heart feels that there must have been more. There are always times in our life that we don't have as much time to spend with family as we would like, that is part of life. It is not something that anyone could ever hold against us, as long as we try. When she needed someone, we were there, without question. Yet it seems there should have been more that we could do; what I do not know. So where do the people who did not try ever begin to deal with that? Luckily I can never know myself, I can only wonder and imagine. More than that though, how do you portray to people that you tried when inside you know that you didn't? How do you down the people who did help your mother on her death bed? Why would you turn on the people who nursed her in her last hours? I continue to be amazed at the things that people are capable of, the things that they can convince themselves are reasonable and the things that they will do to get what they want. I hold out hope that at some point they will have to pay for the things that they have done but for now all that I see is that they are just thrilled to "have their lives back". I am convinced that with the way this world works I will be alone on my death bed while they will be surrounded by people that they would never have been there for, if their circumstances were reversed. I must live with myself and only myself though; I do not look forward to rewards in this life but peace that surpasses all understanding and the reward of life everlasting.

Priscillia J. Dickens

Priscilla J. Dickens, 60, of Naoma, passed away Wednesday, April 9, 2008, at Appalachian Regional Hospital in Beckley after a long illness.
She was born Dec. 3, 1947, in Raleigh County, a daughter of the late Aubrey Minnis Vealey and Agnes Dickens.
She was a member of Naoma Freewill Baptist Church.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by two sisters, Louise Gunnoe and Lillian Vealey; and a brother, Harless Vealey.
She is survived by her husband of 44 years, Leota Dickens; a daughter, Shannon R. Smerecansky and her husband, Howard, of Naoma; five sons, Aubrey Ray and his wife, Linda, of Beckley, Leota Jr. and his wife, Judy, of Beckley, Wesley Lee and his wife, Misty, of Clear Fork, Mike N. and his wife, Melanie, of Naoma, and Shawn and his wife, Debbie, of Beckley; a brother, Scotty Vealey and his wife, Daisy, of Cleveland, Ohio; 18 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Service will be 1 p.m. Saturday, April 12, at Armstrong Funeral Home, Whitesville, with the Rev. Larry Kinder officiating. The singers will be The Turner Family. Interment will follow in Vealey Cemetery, Naoma.
Visitation will be two hours before service at the funeral home.Armstrong Funeral Home, Whitesville, is in charge of arrangements.

My heart is entirely broken

My heart is entirely broken. I had no idea that I would miss her this much. I keep thinking of those last few days. I can still feel her hand in mine. She was such a strong woman, in so many ways. She was so loving but fearsome with her protection of her boys. Her love for her husband surpassed anything that I have ever seen; she was undeniably passionate about that man. She was a worrier but a very reasonable person who knew what had to be done. No one is perfect and there were times when I didn't agree with her but she still did what she could for me when I needed it and I did the same for her. There are so many things that I don't understand at this point and time but my respect for her is helping me push all of that aside for the time being. I just want this time to be about her and nothing else. She deserved it and even if others aren't willing to give her that, I am.

William Connie Cook

William Connie Cook
MOUNT HOPE — William Connie Cook, 76, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 9, 2008, after a long illness.Born at Munition on Sept. 9, 1931, he was the son of the late William Mansfield Cook and Lura L. Vealey Cook.Mr. Cook was a four-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, having served during the Korean War. He was a graduate of Marsh Fork High School and West Virginia Institute of Technology where he received a B.S. degree in business education.He was the former secretary of the Mount Hope Kiwanis Club and former treasurer of Cast Inc. of Beckley. He was a retired employee of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.Mr. Cook was preceded in death by a brother, James Hubert Cook.He is survived by three sisters, Mrs. Jean Gunnoe of Illinois, Mrs. Shirley Morrison and husband, Dempsey, of Ripley and Mrs. Orpha Kostas and husband, John, of San Diego, Calif.; and several nephews and nieces.Service will be 1 p.m. Thursday at Armstrong Funeral Home, Whitesville, with the Rev. David Cook officiating. Burial will follow in Vealey Cemetery, Pine Knob.Friends may call one hour before service Thursday at the funeral home.Military graveside rites will be conducted by VFW Post No. 4326 of Midway.

The death of someone we know always reminds us that we're still alive.

There have been so many things in the last week that have given me a reason to stop and think about life that I am just utterly tired of thinking. Life is so fragile and unpredictable that it is, at times, exhausting. Many things in life are anticipated yet there are still so many surprises. We expect heartache, illness and death but we don't expect Alzheimer's or to lose our spouse at a young age. We know that these things can happen but no matter how realistic you're being no one honestly believes it will ever happen to them.
To see someone who did everything for their family and worked so hard at life fall apart before you is truly an eye-opening event. It makes me want to do everything that I can to keep my mind sharp and young. It also makes me worry about what will happen to me if I am ever in that position. So I have decided that I want to die young….as late as possible.
To see someone who is just starting to build a life with someone lose that person is a tragedy. To watch them push through that loss and come out stronger is delightful and inspiring.
To lose someone in your family that you weren't close to but could have or should have been makes you search your soul to see just how short you are falling. We all live such hectic lives and tend to walk around so unaware of each other that it is hard to see what is needed.
As I mentioned I have done a little too much thinking this week. I think we all need that at times though. The death of someone we know always reminds us that we are still alive - perhaps for some purpose which we ought to re-examine.

True Love

To be able to see true love is a rare thing. It is usually something that is only felt and that is very hard to let somebody see. When that love can be felt by so many people and can actually be tangibly seen, it is truly amazing. That happened today at Cornerstone FWB Church. An amazing man died a few days ago and the love that this church had for him and has for each other was not only felt but also seen by everyone that entered that church today. I knew already that this church was an amazing place to be, even though we haven't been there for long, but the power and the love that they showed today was truly amazing. Only God can create this kind of love but the people also have to be in his will and willing before he can bestow it.
I would not be comfortable trying to explain how great a person he was because I would not want to diminish what he meant to all of those that he was so close to. I cannot know how much he meant to them but I can imagine and I feel that they are the ones that have the right to talk about what a great man he was. I can however say that from the minute you met Jesse you knew that God was the most important thing in his life. I know that the class that he was part of and which held by-far the closest place in his heart is in my prayers, as they are in the prayers of everyone at the church. This church is an amazing FAMILY to be a part of.