Grampa Jack

My name is Drew. I am the oldest grandson to grampa Jack.

Yes, he was my grampa, but every friend I ever invited over referred to him as grampa.

His classic sense of humor seemed to eliminate any need for stuffiness. Quite simply, I remember him as always being in a good mood; always happy; always full of life.

 

Once when I was about 8, I asked grampa if I could drive his truck. He immediately said "fat chance". Instead, he suggested we get some ice cream. Seemed like a good alternative.

Later on when I was about 13, I remember being old enough to sit at the adult table for dinner. That first meal grampa lamented that he wouldn't get any because I was going to eat it all.

After every visit, gramma and grampa would stand faithfully in the front door and wave as we drove away. I always waved. So did he.

Grampa was the only person I knew who watched Lawrence Welk.

Grampa enjoyed beer, which worked out well for me when I was a toddler.

Grampa and his rocks, what more is there to say.

 

Grampa was truly blessed by his family but more importantly, he was a blessing to his family and that was most evident in his love for gramma.

Thank you grampa for your example. Thank you for the joy you brought this family for so many years.

We love you

to believe again

"I lift my hands to believe again". This is a line from a really good song by Chris Tomlin. The song stirs many things in me; it pounds the message home with the tribal drum beat in the building bridge towards the end of the song. It lifts me up and makes me want to literally fly for Him, lifting myself up. But at the same time I am prompted to fly I remember the first lines that tell me to "be still". This is not inherently easy for me....I'm kind of a busy body after all. The song carries me up and down and back up again, all in the span of just a few minutes. I love songs like this one.

But it's that lead in line to the chorus that really has me thinking about my faith lately. It's more than just lifting my hands in worship when I feel lead or prompted, it's more than this desire to openly acknowledge His power in my life, it is simply an act that forces every part of me to focus on Him solely, letting go of who I am and who I pretend to be and just face Him, with my arms held high. That single act is almost like starting over fresh. That action inspires my heart to listen closer, breathe deeper and truly focus on what He has to say.

It's kind of like a reset button for my faith. In the midst of my week, my day, my momentary chaotic lifestyle (you have no idea), I simply need to remember "let faith arise". It's not that I lose faith but let's be honest, we all need a little pick me up now and again. Even our faith needs to be refreshed and sharpened and renewed from time to time, especially as we face trials. Discovering those little reset buttons are important so we can stay sharp.

Today I needed to hear this. Today I needed a reset. He is my refuge and my strength, regardless of how I think I can stand on my own. Today I lifted my hands. Today I believed again.

always seeking

It seems as if I have been asking for God's clarity for quite some time now. It's possible that I am simply too obtuse to recognize it in my life, or possibly it has yet to surface. Either way, the clarity I seem to be expecting is somehow different than what I know and see in my life at the moment.

Clarity is simply the ability to see things clearly; nothing more, nothing less. I do not attempt to paint something that needs washing instead, but for some reason I have been searching for a view point, or maybe a visible direction to surface in my life for a long time now. I'm not wandering but I am seeking.

A little over 10 years ago I found God. More importantly, I found Jesus. Probably more aptly, He found me. I remain thankful for that day but nearly to that day I have asked for clarity. My thought has always been the same and that is I would like God to point me in the direction He wants me to go. I've always been good at taking direction and doing amazing things with it. I am happy to lead as well and continue to shine as a leader in a multitude of avenues in my life but in this one case, I have always been happy to have God lead. So my prayer has always been for God to show me what it is He has for my life; what He wants me to do for Him. It seems easy to ask so I have maintained that request since the day He found me.

There have been times in my life where I felt God leading me and I believe I followed. Those times have been good but for some reason I seem to still be searching for just what it is that God would have me do. I'm hoping that maybe now I've finally found where God wants me and the next 6 months will be key in determining that. Starting in September I will be part of a church plant here in the town I live in. For the last 9 months I believe God has been speaking into my life to concentrate 100% on the town I live in. This is important because as of 2 months ago, I was working in a neighboring town, going to church in that same town and participating in numerous events down there as well. Given our geographic area this is not unique. Indeed, many people who live in the town I live work in the town to the south as well as play and recreate down there too. But God's calling to pull back and find work here was loud and clear. His call to find a church body here was louder still.

With all of these recent changes it would appear I am at last tasting the clarity I have prayed for for so long. God is good, there is no question. When I look at what He has done in my life I am floored. If indeed He has me where He wants me, will I continue to seek? I pray I will always seek Him.