My Grandpa - July 2, 2008

Today at the nursing home while I was feeding my Grandpa breakfast I noticed something.  He had a special spoon that is curved to make it easier for him to feed himself.  On the spoon was written in black marker his name.  I could see underneath it was the scrubbed off name of the person who needed that spoon before him.  When my Grandpa is gone they will scrub off Frank and write someone else’s name.  Just like that.  Gone.  I don’t want to go there and see Frank scrubbed off.  However, I know that he is not doing well at all.  He has deteriorated so much in the last few weeks.  He is such an amazing man.  I spent a lot of time with him growing up.  He and my Grandma would watch my sister and me after school.  He would take us fishing, and always say, “Whoever gets the first fish will get a treat from Doc’s when we are done.”  And every time he would take both of us for treats-usually a Charleston Chew, or a Laffy Taffy.  We would eat dinner there on Sundays after church, sit on the couch and read the Chicago Sun Times, and then watch old black and white movies like Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy.  He would begin every meal by singing “Thank you Lord.”    Times when the whole family would be gathered his eyes would fill up with tears as he prayed and thanked the Lord for all of us.  He treasured us all and always made friends and families a priority.  Grandma and he would drive all over to visit friends and families and offer whatever help they could.  He volunteered at the hospital for many years along with helping out at the Christian League for the Handicapped.  I knew he was one of my greatest prayer warriors as he and Grandma would spend every morning in prayer.  Last night I was looking through some of his photo albums at pictures from my childhood and it reminds me how blessed I am.  I have an incredible family-they love the Lord and love me and have always been there to support me.  Grandpa has always been a wonderful example to me of how to live in faith as a Christian.  I know he is ready to go to Heaven and get out of this worn-out body and see my Grandma again.  I am so glad that I had him in my life.  I am a better person just from being around him.

 

Rachel