I just got back from a wonderful weekend, that involved tons of family and friends and church and driving. It was so awesome to go home and make Christmas cards with my Granddaddy (and yes, I realize it's October!) and eat pancakes with my mom. My Granddaddy turned 78 just last Sunday, and the inspiration for this post actually comes from him.
My Granddaddy is my real-life example of what living a God-centered life looks like. He has been my father figure for most of my life, with my dad's presence being sporadic since my parents' divorce. He is patient, and kind, forgiving in the most real sense of the word, and so generous with all that he has been blessed with. All this awesomeness doesn't come from him though, and that's why I wanted to dedicate this post to him.
My Granddaddy is a man of God. He firmly believes that all he has is a result not only of his hard work, but that it has been given to him by the good Lord. Because of this, he doesn't hoard his money, nor does he waste it on frivolous material goods. He believes in being a responsible guardian of his blessings, and has taught me over the years (though it took him a long time to get it through my head!) that money will never make you happy. He gives generously to my mom and I, and tells me without fail every time I leave his house, to let him know if I need anything, because "I wouldn't want you to go hungry doll!" I don't think I've ever been in danger of going hungry, but the things that I needed, or reasoned with him about wanting, he always provided. Selfish is just not in this old fella's vocabulary! I remember in high school when one of my friends was going to Africa for missions over the summer, I made sure to tell her to send a letter to my Granddaddy, because I knew he'd be glad to give her money to go spread the Good News. Sure enough, he wrote me a check to give to her, and still asks about her to this day.
Another thing that inspires me about my Granddaddy is his faith. I'm sure he's asked questions of the Lord before, and he probably still does. But he knows that the Lord has a plan, and that He is going to take care of everything, in His way and His time. A great example of how I see his faith though is in my grandmother's illness. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in the late 1990s, and has gotten to the point now where she hasn't been out of the hospital bed in three years. Where some would have gotten angry at God for taking their precious one away in such a tough and painful way, Granddaddy never did. He prayed for her healing, and he still does I'm sure. His faith is just as solid now though, and he spends his days taking care of my grandmother; as he puts it, no one could do a better job, and if you ask anyone that knows him and my grandma, they'd agree. He gets up with her in the middle of the night, and rests by her bedside during the day.
That leads me to another thing that I admire so much about my wonderful Granddaddy. His love is endless! He tells my mom and I all how much he loves us all the time, and my grandmother too. Also, anyone that has ever been in his house, including the hospice aides that come to help with my grandmother, knows alllll about me before I even meet them, because he just can't help but tell them about his granddaughter. Even more than telling us that he loves us though, he shows us. He sacrifices his own comfort for me, and for my grandmother. He could easily have put her in a nursing home a long time ago, but when he said he'd love her for better or for worse, he meant it. The way that he shows his love sets quite an example for the rest of us to follow, for sure.
The point of this post was not to glorify my Granddaddy though, even as much as I love and adore him. What I admire so much about this man is that he is the man that he is because of his relationship with his Savior. The One that he's following and using as his example is the One who came and died to atone for his sins. He loves because he is loved by the Lord, he forgives because he is forgiven in Christ, and he is faithful because God is faithful and never fails. His life points me straight to the Lord, and that is the kind of life that I hope to lead. It's like the reason that our pastor said that we are so involved in community outreach: we want to be out there giving and loving so much that people just can't help but ask WHY.
Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised! Psalm 113:2-3
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