We waited some fifteen years before belatedly experiencing grandchildren.
Shortly after we married, we discovered one of us was under a death sentence of
three to twelve months. God has transformed that dismal beginning into sixty-eight
years, two living children and five premature births, and two wonderful
grandsons (Austin returning an interception, shown above).
Our only daughter inherited problems that prevented her
birthing children, leaving her brokenhearted. She devoted herself to her
husband and mothered every child she met over nearly four decades of nursing. Our
son, the last in the lineage of a dad who was the last of his line like his
father before him, ultimately sired two sons in a broken marriage.
As grandparents, we lived six-hundred miles from our
fast-growing grandsons and missed many of the benefits enjoyed by an intimate
family. That makes us especially aware of the wisdom of the ancient Wiseman who
suggested, “Children’s children are the crown of old men, and the glory of
children is their father” (Proverbs 17:6 NKJV).
That ancient writer said we should commit our “works to
the Lord,” for “your thoughts will be established” (Proverbs 16:3 NKJV). This came
home to me recently. It gave our son Scott the shock of his life but it
underscored the value of making good decisions. When he determined his marriage
was unsalvageable, he intentionally made several significant decisions that are
paying huge emotional dividends.
Although Scott lived a long day’s drive from us, he made
a career change to keep him close to his babies. This enabled him to become
part of their growing up process in spite of the failed marriage. Withdrawing his
life savings, he invested in a nice house that guaranteed a comfortable home
for our grandsons and their mother. He provided intentional alimony that insured
the necessities required by reasonable maintenance in a single-parent home.
When our second grandson was born, Scott accepted the
challenge of the deteriorating marriage and agreed for the boys’ mother to
return to work while he became stay-at-home dad for that first year. That year of
at home brought an unexpected special bonding with Austin, not experienced by
Kody. I didn’t really know if I could find a place for Austin in my heart; I was
simply so full of Kody! But he was such a loving little guy; he just barged in,
nudged Kody aside, and established his turf … and I am so blessed by them!
After twenty years of praying God to call the boys into some kind of Ministry, we thrill in watching Kody become
established in a Youth Ministry in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. After several years of
being coached and mentored by Peter Hass and the Substance Ministry of
Minneapolis, Kody is now employed in a Florida ministry. The church has created
a position that allows them to serve together and they plan a
July Wedding (see Scott's growing family at right)..
Austin passed his 22nd birthday 3 days after I
passed mile-marker 88. He anticipates his
senior year at University of Northwestern, as a co-captain completing his final year of varsity football. Anticipating a degree in business,
he is evaluating God’s options for his life. Meanwhile, Scott and Austin went for their annual birthday bash--now a
tradition that allows them to enjoy some of the fruit Scott planted during that first year of being stay-at-home dad to Austin.
Scott excitedly inflrmed me recently of going to
a nice steak house for something a little nicer than the usual weekly
lunch. They ordered dinner. Scott prayed, thanking God for the meal, for his
son and their relationship, for Kody and Liz and their pending marriage, et al.
Finishing his prayer, Scott glanced up to see Austin staring at him--grinning
somewhat uncharacteristically.
Trying to process what was taking place, he almost
unconsciously became aware of another presence. Liz, Kody’s tiny South Korean adoptee-fiancé, is standing beside Austin, seated across from Scott. Perplexed … confused …
trying to process … suddenly overwhelmed - Kody is not in Ft Lauderdale, he is
standing beside Liz … ! (Engagement night shown left and I can hardly wait to welcome her!).
They needed to complete some wedding details, but they
didn’t tell Grandpa for fear he would blow it - (that’s a whole other story of
Grandpa and Facebook). They “sneaked” it past Austin and gave dad the thrill of
his life by silently appearing unexpectedly. The writer of Proverbs
announced “Children’s children are the crown of old men, and the glory of
children is their father” (Proverbs 17:6 NKJV).
I was reminded of this word from Proverbs when this hit
the fan last week and.I shared it second hand. Scott was so overwhelmed
he couldn’t wait to tell me and let me share it with Granny-T. Obviously, we
love our children, but we are especially proud of our grandsons and the
splendid young men they have become (Kody seen interning with Substance, Minneapolis in the lower right corner).
Righteousness exalts a nation, but understand
this: the deterioration…the dissolution…the diminishing of contemporary family
life, especially in America: this is our social lynchpin! It is our foundational cornerstone! It is part of the glue that makes us
stick together and it is irreplaceable in the future survival of our civilization!
From Warner’s World, I am
walkingwithwarner.blogspot.com
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