Virtual Coffee: Two

Friday, June 10th, 2011 | Random Thoughts

“How grateful we are, our Heavenly Father…”

That’s how my Grandpa Wallace started every prayer.

Then he would go into all the things he was grateful for:

“…For Your kindness to us; for Your mercy; for Your grace; for our family….”

He would often say, “Sara, God is so good to me.  He has given me so much in my life and I don’t deserve it.”  In my eyes, Grandpa was such a good man, God-fearing, wise, and full of grace himself.  If anyone deserved God’s love and goodness, it was him.

But, Grandpa knew himself.  He knew that on his own, he was not good or loving.  He knew that it was only by God’s grace and mercy that he was blessed.  He understood that everything he had was a gift…not earned or deserved.

I am humbled when I think of my Grandpa Wallace.  His father died when he was four years old and Grandpa started working at a young age to help support his mother and brother and sister.  He used to tell me about life in Brooklyn.  He told of the times he and his friends would hop the fence onto someone else’s property, just because they could.

He told of the time he and his friends were smoking cigarettes (as teenagers) when one of their teachers walked past them.  He said they quickly stuffed the cigs in their pockets as they didn’t want her to know they were smoking.  Looking back on it, he would laugh, realizing that the smoke wafting from their pockets was probably a dead giveaway as to what they were up to.

He told of the evening he went to a revival service and met my Grandma for the first time.  It wasn’t long before he fell in love with and wanted to marry her.  Knowing she was a Christian and that he had better get his act together if he wanted such a woman’s hand, he gave his life to the Lord and quit smoking.  Just like that.  He knew what was right and did it.

He told me of their first few years of marriage.  How they lived in a small apartment on the second floor of someone’s house.  He told of how they both got off of work from the factories late into the evening and would go out to dinner together.  Steak and coffee…I think that’s what they ate together.

My grandpa graduated from High School much later in his life (I think my dad was a kid at the time).  He never talked about his regrets or wished he had lived differently.

He was faithful.  After my grandma died, he never had a desire to remarry.  He led singing, taught Sunday School, and gave faithfully to his church.  He lived on very little and gave to several organizations.  And he always did it joyfully.  He never told anyone how much he gave and he never let his generosity and servanthood bring him glory.  Everything he did, he did unto the Lord.

My Grandpa spent countless hours reading the Bible. He bought himself a word processor and then a computer so that he could type up his Bible studies. He prayed without ceasing. Oh, how he prayed. I know he prayed for his children and grandchildren daily. He prayed for his church. He prayed for his city, our country, our leaders.

My Grandpa Wallace was a good man.  I was thinking about him this morning.  I wish he could have met Molly.  He would be so happy to see his great-granddaughter. These days, I see so much of my Grandpa in my Dad.  I am so grateful his legacy continues.

How grateful I am, Heavenly Father, for blessing me with such a wonderful grandpa.  How I pray that my life will reflect your goodness and mercy as well.

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