Happy Birthday Stuart!

Birthdays are for celebrating! Today, we celebrate Stuart! It’s hard to believe he would be 38 years old. Thirty-eight years since he came into this world and changed mine forever.

He was and is a gift I never deserved, but am thankful God blessed me with anyway. He was funny, adorable, sweet, and ridiculously smart. His smile could win any heart and brighten an otherwise dreary day. His blue eyes twinkled – especially when he smiled.

We grew up together since I was barely 17 when he was born. Those are words I found in his writings after he went to heaven. He was right. It’s a good thing he was a good kid because I certainly messed up a lot. He became a fine man despite my failures.

He wasn’t perfect; I don’t mean to claim that he was. No, he was just like the rest of us — flawed. However, he was pretty awesome!

One thing I love most about Stuart is that he admitted he was flawed. He knew he was a sinner, saved by grace. He didn’t claim to be someone without sin, without blemish. He was well aware of his strong points and was completely happy to remind us about them, ? but he knew the Truth. He knew his Savior, and his Savior knew him.

In his last few years on this earth, he shared Christ with anyone who would listen and to some who had no interest. He was thankful for being redeemed, and he wanted to share his Redeemer with others.

Stuart was stubborn. Gloriously, aggravatingly stubborn. He usually led the conversations, and we merely followed along with his thought process (the best we could)!

I miss that!

I long for him to pull me into one of his conversations. I ache to watch him throw his head back as he laughs. I wish I could see him stick out his tongue as he concentrates on something. I wish I could look into the back seat of my vehicle and see him all wrapped up in a book. I wish I could watch him play baseball one more time. I even wish I could hear him pester his siblings again.

What I wouldn’t give to play the game he and I played with first Mimi and then Cozie. He would be holding one of them, and he would say, ” Who is that? That’s my mom, I’m her baby, just like you’re my baby.”

Then I would tell them that he was my baby boy, that he always would be!

We’d do that almost every time we were together. It always made Mimi and Cozie giggle that I called him my baby boy.

He still is. Always will be!

Thirty-eight years and still my baby.

He wouldn’t mind that I call him that. He was proud of it.

I’m proud of him!

We all are.

Stuart loved his family, and his presence is missed in ways I can’t explain. He was proud of his family and held family values in high esteem. Stuart would’ve stood up for any of us for any reason. He would have our backs. He, being the oldest, was the self-proclaimed leader and keeper of the “kids!” He fully believed it was his job (and birthright) to keep them on the straight and narrow. He loved having a close-knit family of origin, and he loved his girls, Mimi and Cozie, more than anything.

Stuart loved his brothers and sisters!

Thank you again to so many who’ve called, texted, emailed, sent gifts, and prayed for us since April 1, 2014. Thank you to Stuart’s friends who have broken bread with us while telling “Stuart Stories” and making us laugh (and cry)! What a blessing to know how much you all love him and what he means to you.

Happy birthday in heaven, Stuart Lee Sims.

Happy Birthday, Stuart

We miss you more than you could ever know. We will be celebrating you with the traditional cookie cake! We will be celebrating the gift you are to all of us. We will be celebrating the life you lived and lives you touched. We will be longing for the day we can be together again.

Go Rest High On That Mountain! We will see you soon!

Vince Gill – Go Rest High On That Mountain

Stuart and his girls