A Mossy Creek

It is hard to describe they way you feel after someone leaves that has always been a part of your entire life. And to all who have sent texts, emails, letters, and other modes of communication expressing sympathy and prayers, I would like to say thank you. They are greatly appreciated by me and the family.

Recently I have been reminded of a couple things.

One of my home mates brought his bike to school and today I took it for a ride through Price Hill and up to a local park that overlooks the city. It was a little chilly, but I dressed for the occasion. It was fun, I hadn't ridden a bike in quite some time, but for some reason I really wanted to ride tonight. It's kind of funny how when you do something for the first time in a while it brings back memories of either the last time you did it or the first time. Well, tonight it brought back memories of the early days of biking. I still remember "the test" I had to do to get my training wheels off. I had to ride my brother's bike from our front porch to the end of the barn, which isn't too short of a distance, especially when you consider that most of the ride is in the grass.

I also remember the first place I was able to ride to without an adult accompanying my journey. It was to my great grandpa's house, only about a mile away. I felt like big stuff going over there by myself for the first time. It was Thanksgiving day and my aunt and a couple cousins were over there watching the St. Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. I was a actually watching it at my house too, but for some reason I asked if I could go over there. When I asked I meant going over by having my mom drive me, but then she let me ride over on my own and made my weekend! I felt like big stuff to say the least.

As we sat and chatted, I knew that this was probably the last time we would all be together, at least in this house, I didn't want it to end. In fact, my cousin's husband and I decided to change the time on the clock in hopes that it would change the real time and we could stay there a little longer. (Sorry Aunt Deanna, I know that didn't make you happy, but I thought you should know that I was Ian's partner in crime)

As I reflect on great grandpa's life I just see so many good qualities that I want to carry in my own life. Grandpa was a man of great respect. Everyone in the family had respect for him even if you didn't have respect for anyone else. He was a man that deserved so much honor but never wanted praise, just a hug. The things he did were done because they were the right thing to do, and that was reason enough for him. No task was ever too big for him to handle, but no task was too important to take him away from spending time with his family.

It is very weird because many of us almost built it up in our minds that he might actually live forever, but this is just a reminder: this is one rule in which no one is excused. And I suppose that is why we put our hope in Jesus because in doing so we shall never actually perish, we just won't be seen on this earth anymore, but rather in a place where there is no more pain or weeping, where everything is brought to completion in perfect harmony with each other and the One who created us and everything we currently have. That is a pretty comforting thought in my mind.

Grandpa just left so many memories and a great legacy for the family. A legacy is "anything that is handed down from the past," it is a gift, and with all gifts comes a stewardship. So we now have a responsibility to do something with the legacy we have been handed. I pray that I will be able to do that in some way. I want to be able to get another grin of approval the next time I see him, this time not just for a task well done, but for a life well lived.