A Day of Remembrance

  In many ways this post may not seem like it should be a Mission Year blog, but for me it has everything to do with my year here in Atlanta.

  A year ago today Granddad passed away. This was one of the hardest moments of my life. I didn't believe that I would ever have to say goodbye. He was my hero. It didn't matter what I got into he was there for me. Now sometimes that meant that he wasn't happy with my actions, and he wasn't afraid to tell me that. I always loved that about him. He was honest, but he was gentle and loving with his honesty. I was able to grow from all that he was telling me.

   When I think back to when I was just a kid some of my fondest memories are sitting in his recliner (where he always had on the news or the Braves game) reading a Bernstein Bears book. Or as I got older learning how to play checkers. I hardly ever won, but I learned how to loose gracefully. I learned how to love the Braves sitting in his basement. These details are nothing compared to what he did for my spiritual life. I remember saying when I was younger I want to be a preacher just like Granddad. I don't think that dream was lost. I look back to my life starting in the church, and it starts in the front pew at Rural Hill listening to my Granddad sing every song with everything he had. I learned to love God because he loved God. He baptized me when I was twelve. I can still feel his hands clasp behind my back as I came out of the water.

  As I continued to grow, he continued to teach. He taught me many practical life skills like how to change a lawn mower blade, which he helped me with until a few months before he passed away. He was a wonderful example of a husband and father. He was a leader. And he loved everyone.

    After I made poor life decisions, he and Grandma were there. Offering me a place to live and sleep. I cherish those times that I was living with them. He continued to teach me until he passed, even when I was 22. The lessons kept on coming. We talked about financial establishment, and how to take care of funds. How important it was for me to keep my word. He was always asking me if I had paid my bills. I'm so grateful for all the lessons that I was able to learn from him.

    I don't know if he ever knew this, but he is one of the biggest reasons I'm in Atlanta. His life showed me that God was his love, and from his love for God he loved me. I can't begin to explain how special that is to me. There have been many times since I have gotten here in Atlanta that I have wanted to call him up, and tell him how things are going here. To tell him how much he has influenced my life and my decisions. I don't know that he ever knew that he is one of the biggest reasons I am a Christian. If you asked me why I'm in Atlanta I would have to say because my Granddad lived out Jesus calling to love God and love others, and I want to be like him. I want to love God and others like he did.

My Granddad was a great man. He was a father. He was a husband. He was a Granddad. He was a friend. He was a lover of God. He was a teacher and a leader. He was a lover of people. He was MY Granddad!

Granddad, I love and miss you! I can't wait to see you again. I know you are watching over me. Thanks for everything that you did for me! Love you!

Grace and Peace.