This week, I lost my first grandparent. I recognize how lucky I am to have grown up with all four, but that doesn’t seem to make the loss any easier.
I am blessed to have had the opportunity to say goodbye to Grandbob, which was priceless. When it became clear he did not have much time left, I wrote him a letter. As I was writing and reflecting, I was struck by how much I had to thank him for.
His entire life was marked by hard work and sacrifice. His life was a gift to our family. He did everything in his power to take care of all of us. He loved his wife dearly, taught his children how to work hard, laugh, and be amazing parents, and he continually invested in his grandchildren.
In his final days, my dad had the opportunity to talk to his own father about all the things that hadn’t been said over the years. My dad asked Grandbob if he believed whether Jesus died for his sins. From his hospital bed, Grandbob confidently answered, “absolutely.” His last words to me were, “I will see you again.”
The way Grandbob lived his life is a clear picture of how Christ wants us to live. Jesus’ entire life on Earth was a gift, given as the ultimate sacrifice to save all of us from sin. He didn’t come to Earth to hangout and have a good time, but to experience temptation and death so that we could one day be redeemed. Grandbob never hesitated to sacrifice his time and money. He used his workmanship skills to build up church facilities, to craft handmade beds my sister and me, and to create the most intricate train table for his only grandson. None of us ever doubted how much he loved and cared for us.
I will never forget all that Grandbob did for our family. He gave all his time and energy to others. He made the effort to know me well. He gave me ice cream for dinner when I was sad, and made the best fried chicken on Friday nights. Those memories are irreplaceable, and the example he set will always remind me that the point of my life is not to further my own agenda, but to live well by serving others.
