We met Doug Jones about 12 years ago. His youngest son, Dwayne began dating our daughter and we knew it was the real thing. Through their courtship and many discussions with Dwayne, we quickly learned of the wonderful Christian heritage and strong family bonds that Doug had established for his family. Dwayne was a reflection of the honestly, loyalty and wholesome values he had learned from his parents. As our families interact we began to know Doug personally. He was a quiet man but when he spoke there was wisdom in what he said. He was a devoted husband, loving father and grandfather. Always observing when others had needs and making those unspoken requests a reality. He was benevolent almost to a fault. A few years before I (Mary) met Doug, I worked for a company that employed line design engineers who had previously worked with and alongside Doug at Georgia Power. He was always spoken of with the highest respect and honor. He was well known in his business circles and just as respected years after he retired as he was during his employment. Even as his illness became known in the community, former business peers would call me and keep up with him and forward their wishes and prayer to his family. Two of our grandchildren are also his youngest grandchildren. They dearly loved their “Paw Paw”. Aubry the youngest (3yr) was born about the time Doug began his fight against Alzheimer’s and Prostrate Cancer. They seemed to have a special bond. I thought it might be because she was so fresh from heaven and somehow he might have known he was going there soon. As his illness began taking a toll, the oldest, Carter (5yr) would pray that when Paw Paw went to heaven Jesus would give him back his voice and let him run and play again. Well, Jesus has answered Carter’s prayer and although we will all miss Doug, we can take comfort in the fact that he is most certainly walking streets of gold with his Lord and Savior today. The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35, it says “Jesus wept”. When one first reads this you think that Jesus was weeping because He was moved by the death of His friend Lazarus. After reading all that way back to the beginning of John 11:1, we begin to see that Jesus knew His friend was sick and He actually waited for Him to have time to die so that Jesus could perform a miracle and show the glory of God. He purposely waited until Lazarus has been dead and buried four days. The main thing that we learn from this verse is not that Jesus was crying for His loved one because Lazarus was dead but that Jesus was crying because Lazarus had been in Heaven for at least four days. Jesus knew how awesome and wonderful heaven is and he was crying because He would have to bring a loved one OUT OF Heaven back to this earth of sin. As we go forward from today, it is OK to weep for our loss but when we think of Doug – we know that he is in a place so special that our Lord cried when he had to ask His friend to leave it to show the glory of God. And we also know that through Doug’s legacy, his entire family will join him one day in heaven. Gene & Mary Flowers

Daddy, I know you can hear me so I am writing this as if you are here with me right now. I was totally amazed that in the midst of all your pain and suffering, and only a few days before you met Jesus, when I crawled in that hospital bed with you and told you "I love you"... that you opened your eyes which had been closed for many days and said..."I certainly do love you too".... That was the last words I heard you speak as the disease began to progress and take away your ability to speak. I know that you are talking up a storm in heaven but please save a few more of those "I certainly do love you's" for when I get there to be with you again because.....I certainly do miss you Daddy......