Grandpa's Legacy by Gayle Lawrence
Philippians 3:14
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward
In Christ Jesus.”
A few weeks ago as we celebrated Memorial Day, our choir sang the song, Find Us Faithful by Steve Green. The words have always brought tears to my eyes, but this time I found myself giving a little more thought to the words of the song, and actually meditating on the words.
“We’re pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who’ve gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace.
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize.
But as those who’ve gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us the heritage of faithfulness
Passed on through godly lives.”
As I thought about these words and my heritage, I thought about those in my family who have gone on before me and finished the race. Those dear ones that lived their lives in such a way to set an example of what it means to live a godly life. I’m very thankful for my Christian heritage. I’m thankful that I was brought up in a home that loved the Lord. I’m thankful that I was taught that Sunday was God’s day and we went to church in the morning and in the evening too. If the doors were open, we were there. My Grandpa John MCcarnes’ saw to that! When I turned 18 months my father passed away and Grandpa John became my father and a wonderful father he was.
In the month of June we honor our Father’s, and Grandfather’s. I’d like to take a few moments to honor the memory of my grandfather.
How could I describe his personality in one sentence. Imagine Andy Griffith, Walter Brennan and Red Skelton all rolled into one. However, what I am most proud about my Grandpa was the true depth of his character.
Galatians 5:22-25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”.
That was my Grandpa John. He truly had the gifts of the Spirit. He was such a kind man, a gentle man, he loved to joke , and he was so full of joy. I’ve never seen a more patient man in my life. I never knew him to be angry. He walked with the Spirit. As I read this list I remembered some occasions where I saw these gifts in his character. What a legacy to leave with a child.
I’d like to make it personal and just share a story or two. My grandfather loved my grandmother beyond measure as was evident in the way he cared for her after her massive stroke. He saw to her every need. He fed her, buttoned her clothes, tied her shoes, and combed her hair. All the things she could not do because she was left paralyzed on one side. I remember her being so frustrated trying to tell us something with her speech being affected. She would repeat a word over and over and Grandpa would say, “Keep trying, Minnie, you’ll get it” and wink at her. He used to always tease her about her cooking before her stroke. He’d ask her when she was going to bake some of those hard sugar cookies that he liked so much. If she’d get upset with him, he’d chuckle behind her back and smile at me and wink.
A fisherman he was. There is no doubt in my mind if he had been around in Jesus’ day that John MCcarnes would have been one of THE fishermen—with Peter and James. If the weather was decent Grandpa was fishing and I was with him. He taught me the art of fishing---baiting the hook, casting, removing the fish and hook, cleaning the fish. I did refuse to touch the cat fish. I knew every pond and lake in So. Illinois. I remember walking along in front of him at a pond or lake and he would delight in tapping the back of my leg and yelling “snake” to see my jump! I might add, not only did he take me fishing all the time, but he would bring my friends along too. Just ask one-- Gloria Grimes.
Grandpa was always helping someone. He mowed all the widow ladies lawns in our block, with a non-electric push mower at no charge. As soon as he was finished we’d get our poles and off to the lake unless I could talk him in to taking me to Paul Beyers’ Pony Farm. That was my favorite summer spot growing up. I’d go every day if he would take me. We had other fun places. He loved going to the local fairs, the circus, the movies, hiking at Giant City and Fern Cliff with picnics. Grandpa loved the St. Louis zoo, especially the ape house. He would get such a kick out of the apes if they would shower the crowd with the hose of water. He would always say the monkeys reminded him of grandma. It pulls at my heart strings when I think how much he loved the zoo and that my son, Brad studied there and made a career of the zoo. My prayer is someday he will meet his Grandpa John. Family was everything to my grandpa. Spending time together was a priority. Every summer we drove from Illinois to California to visit his youngest daughter and her family in his old Dodge driving 45 miles an hour with NO AIR! It took us 6 days each way! I have wonderful memories from those trips. One summer we took the train! I really could go on and on. I’m considering writing a book about him with some of his old pictures.
In closing I just want to say, he was a man of God. I remember how worn his old black bible was. I remember him reminding me to say my prayers every night. He always encouraged me to practice my piano, on a daily basis. I was very stubborn when it came to practicing. He and I walked together to church on many Sundays’ since we lived only a few blocks from our church then. After church we always went out for lunch which included our Sunday drive……still at 45 miles an hour, in Grandpa’s old Dodge. I remember often driving to Bob White’s Café. Mom, Aunt Lene, Grandma, Grandpa, myself, we all loved driving down to Vienna after church for Sunday dinner. It was just a special family time.
I pray that my children and grandchildren will have many similar wonderful memories to hold on to of family time, but more importantly, I pray the legacy that I leave for them will inspire them to be faithful and obedient in their Christian walk, just like my Grandpa John was for me.
The closing chorus of the song reads – Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to believe
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.
Grandpa John left those faithful foot prints for me
I pray that I will be leaving them for my children and grandchildren
How about you?
Philippians 3:14
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward
In Christ Jesus.”
A few weeks ago as we celebrated Memorial Day, our choir sang the song, Find Us Faithful by Steve Green. The words have always brought tears to my eyes, but this time I found myself giving a little more thought to the words of the song, and actually meditating on the words.
“We’re pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who’ve gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace.
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize.
But as those who’ve gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us the heritage of faithfulness
Passed on through godly lives.”
As I thought about these words and my heritage, I thought about those in my family who have gone on before me and finished the race. Those dear ones that lived their lives in such a way to set an example of what it means to live a godly life. I’m very thankful for my Christian heritage. I’m thankful that I was brought up in a home that loved the Lord. I’m thankful that I was taught that Sunday was God’s day and we went to church in the morning and in the evening too. If the doors were open, we were there. My Grandpa John MCcarnes’ saw to that! When I turned 18 months my father passed away and Grandpa John became my father and a wonderful father he was.
In the month of June we honor our Father’s, and Grandfather’s. I’d like to take a few moments to honor the memory of my grandfather.
How could I describe his personality in one sentence. Imagine Andy Griffith, Walter Brennan and Red Skelton all rolled into one. However, what I am most proud about my Grandpa was the true depth of his character.
Galatians 5:22-25 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”.
That was my Grandpa John. He truly had the gifts of the Spirit. He was such a kind man, a gentle man, he loved to joke , and he was so full of joy. I’ve never seen a more patient man in my life. I never knew him to be angry. He walked with the Spirit. As I read this list I remembered some occasions where I saw these gifts in his character. What a legacy to leave with a child.
I’d like to make it personal and just share a story or two. My grandfather loved my grandmother beyond measure as was evident in the way he cared for her after her massive stroke. He saw to her every need. He fed her, buttoned her clothes, tied her shoes, and combed her hair. All the things she could not do because she was left paralyzed on one side. I remember her being so frustrated trying to tell us something with her speech being affected. She would repeat a word over and over and Grandpa would say, “Keep trying, Minnie, you’ll get it” and wink at her. He used to always tease her about her cooking before her stroke. He’d ask her when she was going to bake some of those hard sugar cookies that he liked so much. If she’d get upset with him, he’d chuckle behind her back and smile at me and wink.
A fisherman he was. There is no doubt in my mind if he had been around in Jesus’ day that John MCcarnes would have been one of THE fishermen—with Peter and James. If the weather was decent Grandpa was fishing and I was with him. He taught me the art of fishing---baiting the hook, casting, removing the fish and hook, cleaning the fish. I did refuse to touch the cat fish. I knew every pond and lake in So. Illinois. I remember walking along in front of him at a pond or lake and he would delight in tapping the back of my leg and yelling “snake” to see my jump! I might add, not only did he take me fishing all the time, but he would bring my friends along too. Just ask one-- Gloria Grimes.
Grandpa was always helping someone. He mowed all the widow ladies lawns in our block, with a non-electric push mower at no charge. As soon as he was finished we’d get our poles and off to the lake unless I could talk him in to taking me to Paul Beyers’ Pony Farm. That was my favorite summer spot growing up. I’d go every day if he would take me. We had other fun places. He loved going to the local fairs, the circus, the movies, hiking at Giant City and Fern Cliff with picnics. Grandpa loved the St. Louis zoo, especially the ape house. He would get such a kick out of the apes if they would shower the crowd with the hose of water. He would always say the monkeys reminded him of grandma. It pulls at my heart strings when I think how much he loved the zoo and that my son, Brad studied there and made a career of the zoo. My prayer is someday he will meet his Grandpa John. Family was everything to my grandpa. Spending time together was a priority. Every summer we drove from Illinois to California to visit his youngest daughter and her family in his old Dodge driving 45 miles an hour with NO AIR! It took us 6 days each way! I have wonderful memories from those trips. One summer we took the train! I really could go on and on. I’m considering writing a book about him with some of his old pictures.
In closing I just want to say, he was a man of God. I remember how worn his old black bible was. I remember him reminding me to say my prayers every night. He always encouraged me to practice my piano, on a daily basis. I was very stubborn when it came to practicing. He and I walked together to church on many Sundays’ since we lived only a few blocks from our church then. After church we always went out for lunch which included our Sunday drive……still at 45 miles an hour, in Grandpa’s old Dodge. I remember often driving to Bob White’s Café. Mom, Aunt Lene, Grandma, Grandpa, myself, we all loved driving down to Vienna after church for Sunday dinner. It was just a special family time.
I pray that my children and grandchildren will have many similar wonderful memories to hold on to of family time, but more importantly, I pray the legacy that I leave for them will inspire them to be faithful and obedient in their Christian walk, just like my Grandpa John was for me.
The closing chorus of the song reads – Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to believe
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.
Grandpa John left those faithful foot prints for me
I pray that I will be leaving them for my children and grandchildren
How about you?
