"Grandpa"

9-19-'19.  Hard to believe it was 25 years ago TODAY that my Grandfather died, in our home, of cancer.  He died at peace with GOD and with my US (my wife Beth and me)...and before I go on, let me say I will NEVER FORGET the love Beth showed to Grandpa in his final days.  She WILLINGLY agreed to give up the two week vacation we were supposed to take in order to be close by to my Grandparents, as Grandpa was dying.  And, even in his last six days, though a Hospice nurse cared for him in our home, Beth INSISTED on helping out as she was able.  It looks like Grandpa came to know the love and grace of God on his deathbed, and BETH'S love had a lot to do, humanly speaking, with that.

But it wasn't always smooth sailing with Grandpa and me.  25 years before he died, FIFTY years ago, in 1969, I lived in his house as I began to go to Arts High.  He kicked me out of his house because I wanted to grow my hair long and be a Hippie (I used to sneak BELLBOTTOMS to school and put them on, without Grandpa knowing it.) Grandpa was a man of unwavering principles, known for honesty, serving others, being a hard worker and his RELIABILITY.  After he booted me out I became a Christian a few years later, and when he saw that I had REALLY changed (started to WORK, cut my hair, and so on) our relationship gradually thawed.  How ironic that 25 years after he kicked me out of HIS house ('69) I welcomed him into MINE ('94), where the Lord SAVED him and welcomed Grandpa into HIS House...Heaven...25 years ago today.

Grandpa is not in Heaven because of HIS goodness, or Beth's good works, or mine...he's There only because of what JESUS did for him...God gave him Eternal Life because he repented and believed in the finished work of JESUS.

So Grandpa's been in Heaven for 25 years, Beth joined him 2 and a half years ago, and 25 years is only a drop in the bucket, compared to ETERNITY!!