Fabulous Friday #4

It's FRIDAY!!! That means it's time for a spotlight on God's fabulous blessings!!

~~~~~

I shared previously of my gratefulness for my Grandpa M, who was a dedicated Christian, army chaplain, pastor, husband, father, and so much more for his 80+ years.

Today, I wanted to share of my gratefulness for my other Grandpa, for whom I am equally grateful yet for different reasons. Grandpa S died just a little over a year ago, after a battle with a geriatric form of leukemia, and I miss him very much. He was a quiet man, but always thinking and learning.

Grandpa S lived in Friona, which is only about 90 miles from my childhood hometown. So we saw him and my Grandma S much more frequently than my Grandparents M in Tucson. My Grandpa S was a watchmaker and a jeweler; for many years, they owned the local jewelry store. I was always so proud when I watched my Grandpa work! Fortunately for them (and unfortunately for me), they retired when I was 10, thus circumventing my developing love for jewelry by selling out their stock. He was definitely a very smart man! I can picture him now wearing his headset loupe as he patiently worked on a watch or other piece of jewelry. When he pierced my ears the first - and second (sorry, Dad!) - times, I remember he approached it with the same calming, methodical patience.

My Grandpa S was also in the army. He fought in World War II, and actually had to hide in a foxhole for several days pretending to be dead after watching almost everyone around him be gunned down. By the time that he was able to escape, he had frost-bitten feet, a problem that plagued him for the rest of his life. I can't imagine the horrors that he faced, the fear he must have felt, the pain that he had to conquer - I didn't even know his real story from World War II until after his death. I knew bits and pieces that I'd heard from my Grandma or my Dad, but never the whole story from my Grandpa's point of view. Shortly after he died, I received from my Grandma a "story of my life" journal that I had begged my Grandpa to write in several years before, never thinking that he would do it ... to my surprise and great pleasure, he did write it, including his experiences in World War II.

Grandpa S was also an atheist. Quite a contrast to my Grandpa M! I never really knew why as a kid, only that he'd had a tough life and that because of that, he struggled to believe that God existed. I know more from his life after reading his journal, and it wasn't an easy life. I remember that the first time I ever saw my Grandpa set foot in a church was for my sister's wedding - even in all the years that my Mom had worked at our church, she'd always meet them in the parking lot when they came to town. Once I got into college and my Grandpa got sick, somehow I managed to sweet talk him into coming to the Candlelight service with us on Christmas Eve. He always seemed worried that he would not be dressed right or would not fit. Always something. A few more years went by, and amazingly, he began to meet my Grandma S at her church for worship service, and then eventually for Sunday School (it could be the other way around). Then came the Sunday I'd held my breath waiting for my whole life - my Grandpa asked Jesus into his heart! I will never forget the immense relief and gratitude I felt in this moment. By this time my Grandpa had already outlived his prognosis for his type of leukemia and was living on "borrowed time." I truly believe that God let him hang on without starting his steady decline until he believed. I miss my Grandpa S so much, but I am also so excited that I know I'll see him again in heaven! What I would have given to see the reunion between my Grandpa M and my Grandpa S in heaven! Two very different men, one shared eternity.

So I am thankful for the blessing of knowing my Grandpa S. He is a forever example to me that God is faithful. God cares, God loves us, and God doesn't give up on bringing us to His feet!!