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