Faith Through the Journey

Today would have been my dad’s 85th birthday. Although he’s been in heaven for over 10 years, those of us who knew and loved him think of him often. He wore many hats, engaged in a wide variety of activities and interests, and played many different roles. Being the best husband, father and grandfather was the ultimate goal for him, and the only thing more important to him was being the man God wanted him to be.

When Dad became a grandfather, it was like Christmas and Fourth of July and every other great day all in one package. His seven grandchildren were the joy of his later years, and he never missed a chance to be their No. 1 fan in whatever they were doing. Grandpa Bob loved spending time with his grandchildren, playing silly games like “Pony Boy” or “Bumble Bee” to make them giggle as babies, telling them jokes when they were old enough to understand, and always willing to have them “work” alongside him whenever he was engaged in one of his many projects. He only lost his cool once with his two grandsons (who were a mere 4 days apart in age), both 12 years old at the time, when they threw a golf club in a tree and he had to retrieve it! In his defense, they deserved a lot worse than his disapproval!

When I became a grandparent a little over 2 months ago, I suddenly understood perfectly what Dad always said about grandchildren: If he had known how much fun they were, he would have had them first! They don’t have to do a thing; you just love them no matter what they do (other than perhaps throwing a golf club in a tree!). Last weekend we had the joy of  spending some quality time with our baby grandson, AJ. He’s getting to be more fun every time we see him, and now that he’s more responsive it’s even more of a delight to be with him. I know my dad would have absolutely loved all of his great-grandchildren as well. Last Sunday, as I “talked”  with AJ, I found myself doing the”Bumble Bee” game with him, just like my dad had done with all of his grandchildren. And best of all, I actually got my first “grandma smile” from AJ! Grandpa Bob would have been proud!

As we go further down the road of grandparenthood, I’m sure more of Dad’s wisdom will come back to us as well. Even though he’s no longer here on earth with us, we remember him with much love and gratitude on days like this, and I can’t help but think that God may give him a little glimpse of his loved ones from time to time. He left a rich legacy and I’d like to think that, if it brings him joy even in heaven, God may grant him the chance to see the rewards of his earthly labors. We as his family are incredibly blessed to have had him as our role model and family patriarch. Dad, until we join you on the other side, we love you and are proud to have called you Dad and Grandpa!