Grampy's Approval

My grandfather is a great man. I tell you, the closest thing I've ever had to an idol is my Grampy. It has always seemed to me that he could do anything. He could find his way through the densest forest without using his compass, could lift his boat on and off of the truck, could find where the mackerel were running, and he knew everyone. My Grampy could never get hurt. Instead, he'd always say, "It's only pain".

Grampy could split the biggest piece of wood with only one swing of his axe, could shoot a deer in the perfect spot to kill it instantly every time, and could take fish off of the hooks faster than my eyes could follow.

I've looked up to my grandfather for as long as I can remember, and I have no doubt that it is due, in part, to the "brainwashing" he put each of us kids through. See, when I was born, Grampy would come to the hospital on his lunch-break, hold me and chant, "Grampy's boy, Grampy's boy" over and over again.

Grampy has always been there for me, always been encouraging, has always been the strong "man's man." Additionally, Grampy has been strong in the faith, and has been an example of always trusting in the Lord.

Because of the great and mighty man that Grampy has always been, I've continued to look up to him through my whole life. Along with my father, he has shown me what a real man is, and that you can trust God even through the hardest times of life.

My Grampy was, and is, a great story-teller. I can't even begin to tell you the stories he's told me; stories of Coony's Ridges, the Scraggly Pine, Kipling's stories about Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, the time when Uncle Russ lost his finger, how when he and Nana were first married they looked through the glass window in the oven to watch cakes rise.

I have spent my life trying to live up to the shadow, to the example that Grampy has made every day of his life. I have tried, and failed at times, to be like Grampy. In him, I've seen a tremendous example of who I should be in Christ. My father claims the same thing; that Grampy taught him how to be a good, Christian man.

I appreciate my father too, and as I said earlier, he also has shown me what a real man is, and that you can trust God even through the hardest times of life. I love my father, but this post is about Grampy.

As the title of this post indicates, what I've searched for in life is Grampy's approval. For anyone who doesn't know my grandfather, that may make it sound as though he's some awful person who can't be pleased. That is not the case at all! Rather, he is such a great man, that all I've wanted is to have him be proud of me. If Grampy is proud of me, then I know I've done well.

I know my grandfather to be a man who seeks to please God, and who strives to be a good Christian. Because of that, I know that following his example will keep me in good stead.

It is wonderful that Grampy has always shown himself to be that Real Man throughout life, but I want to tell you that even when things have been bleak, hard, and downright awful, he has still been that strong man that I've watched growing up.

His authenticity of faith, his honour, his integrity, all these things encourage me, and make me want to be more and more like him. I want to be a man like my grandfather is. When I was a child, that translated into dressing like he did, talking like he did, and even trying to sneeze like he did. Now that I am a man, I realize that the outward trappings are not what makes up my grandfather. No, it is his faith, love, strength, and courage that makes him my Grampy.

What I want is to have my Grampy and my God proud of me. Again, I want others to be proud too (namely my wife, parents, and siblings), but this is about Grampy.

Let me close by saying that my Grampy has done nothing but good to me, and I love him with all of my heart. I only hope that, should the Lord tarry until I have grandchildren, I will know that I've been the same kind of man as my Grampy has been.

I love you Grampy, and I can't even begin to tell you how much I appreciate you.

Benjamin

P.S. The worst thing that Grampy has ever done to me is made me read Kipling's "The Power of the Dog". So, in honour of my Grampy, here it is copied for all of you to sob your eyes out at.


There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.

Buy a pup and your money will buy
Love unflinching that cannot lie--
Perfect passion and worship fed
By a kick in the ribs or a pat on the head.
Nevertheless it is hardly fair
To risk your heart to a dog to tear.

When the fourteen years which Nature permits
Are closing in asthma, or tumour, or fits,
And the vet's unspoken prescription runs
To lethal chambers or loaded guns,
Then you will find--it's your own affair--
But ... you've given your heart to a dog to tear.

When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!)
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone--wherever it goes--for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.

We've sorrow enough in the natural way,
When it comes to burying Christian clay.
Our loves are not given, but only lent,
At compound interest of cent per cent.
Though it is not always the case, I believe,
That the longer we've kept 'em, the more do we grieve:

For, when debts are payable, right or wrong,
A short-term loan is as bad as a long--
So why in--Heaven (before we are there)
Should we give our hearts to a dog to tear?

Preachers of Truth

Maybe this post will come off more as my insane ramblings than anything else, but I feel that it needs to be said.

It seems to me that everywhere I've looked today, I've seen people, groups, websites, and media mocking our Christian beliefs, and misinterpreting the truth that I hold so dear. The thing is, our world has reached the point where it is okay to mock Christians and our faith. At the very least, it's okay to laugh our beliefs off as "old fashioned," "outdated," and "irrelevant."

It truly saddens me to see and hear such things. It bothers and saddens me when I see the truth dragged through the mud, and completely misrepresented. It bothers me, as it should; in fact, it should bother all Bible believing Christians. I wonder though, how much does it bother us? Does it simply miff or perturb us, or does it truly bother us enough to do something about it?

While we need to stand up for what's right, write letters, call those with influence, and simply make sure that we don't sit idly by; I believe that there is something further that we need to do. I believe that each and every one of us need to determine to be Preachers of Truth.

What does it mean to be a Preacher of Truth? Well, a preacher, by definition, is someone who proclaims a message publicly. Note that "preacher" does not mean "pastor." All pastors are preachers, but not all preachers are pastors. You see, every single Christian has been called to be a preacher; to proclaim God's message publicly.

In fact, we are told in Mark 16:15 - And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

So, as Preachers of Truth, we must publicly proclaim God's Message in Truth, and not allow falsehood to reign. Now, I don't know how many who will read this will get a strong desire to go out into town and start preaching, but consider again that preaching is proclaiming the message. You can proclaim the message of God's Truth in how you live your life, in the things that you allow in your life, the way you speak, and the way you act.

Whatever it is that is keeping you from being a Preacher of Truth in every aspect of life needs to be addressed. I know that I have been guilty of not doing everything I could do to spread the Word. For example, I used to record my sermons and upload them to YouTube. Recently though, I've grown lazy in doing so. No, it isn't a lot of work, and I could easily do it, but I had stopped over time.

That is something I plan to change. I want to be a Preacher of Truth on more than just Church days. I want to be sure that each and every day, whether I meet with people or not, there is the opportunity for people to hear the message of God's Truth. I plan to begin loading my sermons onto the Internet again so that people have a greater chance to come across those sermons, and hear the Word of God.

I want to be sure that every time that someone crosses paths with me in the real world, they leave knowing that they've met with a Christian. Now, it's not that I've been a rude, obnoxious person, but I want to be doubly sure to put forward that extra effort to be a Preacher of Truth, and an Ambassador for my King.

That's me though. What about you, dear reader? What will you do to ensure that you fulfill that great call that God has placed on your life? Will you do more than simply copying and pasting someone else's thought or picture? Will you actually be someone who proclaims the Truth of God's Word in your life, for all to see and hear?

Will you determine to become a Preacher of Truth in every part of everyday?