Grandpa
This week I had two blessings (I know, hokey Christian word)…
I had the blessing of friendship this week when one of our dear friends was available to come to the house and watch the kids for a while for me to get over and see my dying grandpa, not knowing whether my visit with him on Monday was my last. When I arrived, he was weak, jaundiced, slumped. He was diagnosed with an infection and very low cardiac output. Sunday he was drowsy, slurring, nearly out of it the whole time.
I put on my gown and gloves I reached out and touched his hand and said, “Grandpa, it’s me, Nate.” He lit up, turned to me and said in a raspy, gurgly voice, “Oh Nate, I am so glad you are here, everyone is here.”
I had the blessing of family this week as well, as we all wept, knowing that this might be the last time we’d all be there together and he was aware of it. We prayed, we read scripture, we sang songs, we told stories. We laughed at each other’s identical open-back robe and glove combo, we teased each other, and even razzed Grandma about her worrying. It was a fun, sobering, wonderful time with family. It was revealing the hope of believers that all of us together, proclaiming faith in Jesus for our salvation did not dread this moment. We embraced it. What love, what joy, what hope we gave to each other that this was one more memory that we’d talk about in heaven…”remember when you were dying grandpa? we all sang and teased Stann and Arnie for their silly robes?!”
Today when I visited he was lively, funny, telling stories, articulate and smiling. We took pictures and laughed, he coughed and napped, got poked and prodded, had apple sauce and ice cream… all the while we made fun of his wiggly toes under the covers. It was peaceful. It was life-giving. I don’t know what it all means for me and for our family; I have lots of questions, but to one question I know the answer:
“Where o death is your victory, where o death is your sting?…thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor is not in vain.” 1 Cor. 15:55ff
