Saturday, November 9, 2013

One of "Beardy's Kids"

There are several ideas I've had for blog posts. Some are written as drafts, saved in here. Yet not seeing the light of day. To quote a Rush song: "...so many decisions, a million revisions...". I'm going to continue to write & rewrite them till they can be posted. Some are just... inside me. Marinating, waiting for the correct moment to be spilled onto here or paper & then typed into this. This "lighter post" is a good memory.
There are many who have become ..."honorary members" of my family. In human terms, I am an "only child". It seems to me, as I look over my life, as it continues to unfold that God has whispered [in regard to this] "wanna bet? ...watch this". I imagine him with a wry smile on his face as he says this. [oh... & to Randy T. An old saying from high school: "I'll remember you in my will. I won't leave you anything, but I'll remember you." lol] I took a few friends to Noll reunions when I was a teen. When I'd introduce them to my Grandparents they'd always say "call us Grandma & Pappy, all our grandkids do". So even they were inclusive.
Ok, here's a post that's been with me for a while...


One of beardy’s kids

It’s amazing what you can learn after someone dies. I knew that, during his lifetime, my Dad’s father was nicknamed “Beardy” by his friends. Us grandkids called him “Pappy”. I don’t remember hearing why they called him Beardy until after he passed. Turns out, when he crossed the line of faith he grew a beard. As a reminder that God had changed him. Kind of like the passage [& a song written out of it] “…& I will never be the same again…”. At Pappy’s funeral. I walked in & a kind gentleman took one look at me & said: “oh my, you must be one of Beardy’s kids.” I smiled. This stuck with me. After a while I realized why it stuck. Every drawing of God The Father is a drawing of an old man with gray hair & a gray beard. Every drawing of Jesus is of a man with a beard. So… no matter how you look at it, all the way around. Yes, I am one of Beardy’s kids. I miss hugging Pappy. I miss feeling his beard on my face. 
God has blessed me with a friend from my growth group who has a beard. And he, loves to hug people. Every time I see him he opens his arms & says to me: “I need a hug, brother.” or “Where’s my hug?” and I remember Pappy. 
Shortly after Pappy’s passing I sat, alone with God… & I told him: “you can keep your streets of gold. I don’t want a mansion. I have no need of robes & crowns. No real need of a glassy sea. No… when I stand in your presence … I just want to run into your arms, hug you… & feel your beard on my face. All I really want… is you.”

U2 - All I Want is You
Plumb - Don't Deserve You 
[thinking, mulling over ideas, of a post from something Plumb said on facebook]

May His grace drip from your fingers,
B

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