A couple weeks ago, on Monday, November 7 Kathy and I left Batavia for Greenville, SC. We had heard that our daughter, Elizabeth was in the hospital. We were expecting this call because she was nine months pregnant. We finally reached Greenville General Hospital and as we stepped off the elevator Kathy received a call on her cell phone - Ava had just been born!
We had reminisced about a similar incident that happened 31 years ago when Kathy went into labor for our first child and when the beautiful baby was born we named her Elizabeth Anne. One generation follows on the heel of the previous. As parents we do our best to provide our children with the best we can offer. As young parents we didn't have much materially and couldn't offer much. In retrospect, it didn't warp our kids in the least. If anything, it helped them realize that society doesn't owe them a thing. They have all grown to be hard-working, law-abiding, honest citizens, and I am proud of each one. But I digress...
Ava Kathleen is our second grandchild. Two years ago Brian and Elizabeth had a son, Garrett. He is doing his best to adjust to life with a baby sister. As grandparents we will do everything to make sure our grandchildren do not go without, but I view my most important role as what I can impart to these children of my offspring. I am impressed first of all that these little ones have eternal souls, and it is my sacred duty to pray daily for their salvation. What a tragic shame if any of my children's children were to turn their backs on the Savior! Then I view my role as one of assisting the parents in leading these little ones to be followers of Jesus. I was not blessed with a great deal of intelligence. I look at my three brothers: a missionary with a PhD, an attorney, and an accountant. I'm just a scrap dealer whom God has been pleased to bless. But after all these years, surely I have gained some knowledge and wisdom. It is this that I wish to pass on to those who come after.
I have a wonderful heritage. On my father's side, my great-grandparents came from Sweden in the 1880's, settled in Minnesota, received Jesus as their savior, and on that side I am a 4th generation Christian. On my mother's side, we can trace our roots back to 1640 when my ancestor landed in Boston as a preacher. As proud as I may be of my heritage, God isn't looking at my ancestry; He is looking at my heart. It is the same for my grandchildren. I Sam. 13:14 'The Lord has sought out for Himself a man after His own heart.'
As soon as a baby is born there is the discussion of who he or she looks like. We are generally pleased if they have some of our genetic characteristics. As parents and grandparents may we do all we can to instill our 'spiritual genes' in our offspring; may we be known to our descendents as men and women of God.
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