Revelation 21:4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
I decided to change the format of my weekly blog this week because of the death of my paternal grandfather last Friday. We had our youth retreat this past weekend and I did not preach as I normally do. The retreat was wonderful and there are plenty of incredible things that happened this past weekend that really encouraged me. God is good and the evidence can be found in all the ways that our youth really experienced Him in a deeper way. But this entry is dedicated to my grandfather. I want to tell you a few stories about him because that is the best way that I can remember him.
I remember when I was around 5 years old. I was living in Salinas with my parents and my grandparents. I had gotten into trouble with my father and I knew that if he found me that I would get a pretty serious spanking. I ran and hid in the backseat of my parent's big blue Oldsmobile. I heard the front door open and someone sat down in the front seat. I thought I was in big trouble. I heard my grandfather's voice tell me, "Stay down and don't move." My father eventually came by and I heard him talking to my grandfather. I don't remember what they said but all I know is that my dad eventually went away and it was only my grandfather and I in the car. He told me it was okay to come out and had me jump in the front seat with him. I remembering feeling so safe as I sat there with him.
My grandfather loved to fish. When I was 10 years old, we went down to LA to visit my grandparents who had relocated there. My grandfather, father, and I went fishing one day off some pier in LA. I used to think my dad was a fast walker but my grandfather was something else. Even though he was over 70 years old at the time, he was in such a hurry to get on the pier to fish. He was walking yards in front of us while my dad and I struggled to keep up. I remember my dad telling me that grandpa was a strong and proud man who never waited around for the things that he enjoyed. As I looked over at my dad as he talked, I could sense the pride in his voice as he spoke those words. It turned out to be an amazing day to catch fish. We would literally get a bit within seconds of throwing out our line. We easily caught over 100 fish that day. My dad and grandfather were so excited by the amount of fish that we caught but my fondest memory is just being there with the two of them.
My grandfather passed away peacefully in his sleep last friday morning. He was 101 years old. He lived a long and prosperous life and I will certainly miss him.
