I’m still reading (and loving) Tim and Darcy Kimmel’s book Extreme Grand Parenting, The Ride of Your Life.
I love their encouragement to grandparents. I love their admonition to our generation to be torchbearers, legacy builders, standard-setters for the generation and yes even generations to come. One of the best parts is, just like it’s never too late to come to Christ, it’s never too late to start afresh to be the person God has called you to be to your children and to your grandchildren. I love their straight forward and yet grace-filled instructions on how to live the Christian life.
One example in their book was about 2 different individuals in the same ICU ward. Both were parents and grandparents and yet polar opposites. She was a woman of meager circumstances; he a man of industry. But the most important way that they were polar opposites was the way they left their world when they left it. She had invested her whole life in nurturing her family, being that torchbearer for them to follow, he on the other hand had invested his life in building wealth and success. There in the ICU each of her family near and distant came to say their goodbyes, he had few to come to his bedside—most only coming after he was gone to hear the reading of the will. The world may have thought that she left nothing to her family and yet she left everything. He left much wealth but nothing of eternal value to his family.
This story touched my heart. Just this week my dear great aunt came to my mind. At 94 she still lives alone in her home in Odessa, Texas where she retired a number of years ago. But when I was growing up in Tempe, AZ she lived next door to my family most of my childhood. Aunt “Bill”, as we called her, is the sister of my departed grandmother who passed on 10 years ago. Although I dearly loved my sweet little Mamaw Jewel I only saw her once a year, so truthfully my great aunt had a bigger impact on my life.
I have beautiful memories of living next door to this wonderful woman of God. I remember running next door to see my Aunt Bill. I remember her garden of vegetables and vines of teeny lush grapes. I remember the aromatic sweet pea flowers that grew on the fence between our houses. I remember seeing her sitting on her porch quilting on the huge frame that rolled down from the ceiling of the porch to make it easy for her to quilt. I remember her taking us to church and Sunday school. I remember the neighborhood Bible Class that she taught in her home. Most importantly I remember the day that I accepted Jesus as my Savior in her driveway. What a precious gift.
A few years ago, as I was praying for my dear aunt and thinking about her going to be with God sometime in the near future, the Lord spoke clearly to me. He said that my Aunt Bill would receive the same crowns in glory as Billy Graham. Both are evangelists, both love God and the Word of God with all their hearts, both allowed God to win others to Christ through them. What a very cool thing. Billy spoke to all who came across his path about Jesus and so did Aunt Bill.
When my Aunt enters into those gates of heaven she will leave behind a legacy of truth, servant hood and evangelism. Many have been touched by her, in her neighborhood, the school where she worked for so many years and her church. She will leave behind very little wealth in worldly terms but a fortune in eternal things of God.
It reminds me that as I now have the privilege of being a grandmother, I also have an important responsibility to be the torch bearer, the legacy builder and the standard setter for my grandchildren and the generations to come. It is a sacred honor, one that I cherish and look forward to over whatever time I have here.
Lord, guide us and direct us, let us take seriously and joyously the path you have set before us. May the generations that follow, know and love you with all their hearts and minds.
Tim Kimmel's website http://www.familymatters.net
No comments:
Post a Comment