Okay, so I know the title of the song is really "Daddy's Hands" by Holly Dunn but how fitting it is today. Yesterday was Homecoming at church and though it was nice to take time to celebrate the church's 168th anniversary with family and friends, it had a certain sadness there for me. Homecoming makes me think of my beloved Granddaddy that has been gone home to live with Jesus for 2 years now. Oh, how I really miss him!
Granddaddy had the biggest hands of anyone I've ever seen in my life! He wasn't a particularly large man, about average height and weight, but the years of hard work made his hands larger. He wore a size 14 in a ring! The jewelers had to custom make him a wedding ring. His hands may have been calloused and rough, but oh the love that was in them. I was the first grandchild, and yes, the only granddaughter on that side of the family so I was the joy of his heart. He taught me at a very young age to play ball, which I have loved all of my life. He took me on my very first trip to Six Flags as a kid, and boy did I ever fall in love with that place. We had a little plastic car and a Little People Bus that he would sit and play with us with and we always pretended we were taking a trip to Six Flags. In my teen years, he would become a nuisance because he followed me to school to find out where I parked and if he didn't like it, he'd ask me to park somewhere else. I understand now that he was trying to protect me, but then he was an embarrassment.
As a young adult, when I felt unlovely or even ugly, all I had to do was to be around my Granddaddy and he would lift me up by telling me how beautiful I was. He always made sure to tell me two or three times before we parted, "I love you youngin' " . Oh, how I took that love for granted so often.
But, the greatest thing I remember about my Granddaddy is the love he had for Jesus. It showed all over his face and he didn't mind telling others about Him either. Oh, and I forgot to mention, my Granddaddy was the first to ever take us to church and the first to introduce me to Jesus. Rarely a weekend passed that we didn't spend Saturday Night with Nanny and Granddaddy and go to church on Sunday Morning. After church, we would go back to his house where Nanny had lunch prepared and he would talk to me, my brother, and my cousin about church and about Jesus. As I look back today, I am so grateful for a Granddaddy that was willing to seem weird and uncool to his grandchildren just to share the Awesome Love of Christ with them. I wouldn't go on to truly accept Jesus as my Savior until I was 30 years old, but the foundation was laid early on in my formative years.
Granddaddy's favorite song was "One Day at a Time" and that is exactly how he lived life. When I found out that he was sick and was going to die because there was no treatment effective for the type of cancer he had, I stood and sang that song in church one Sunday Night and watched him clap and my Nanny cry the entire time. It was all that I could do to hold it together to make it through. He later asked me if I would sing that song at his funeral, but, I just couldn't do it. I loved him too much. For a while, I kicked myself for not singing it, but now I realize that he probably wanted me to sing it more for me than for him. More to bring healing for the pain he knew I'd experience.
But, as I think today about the love of my Granddaddy's hands, I can't help but think about the love of my Heavenly Father's Hands. He paints for me every morning a beautiful portrait in the sky and I awaken to new mercies every day. He longs to tell me He loves me and how beautiful He thinks I am. He delights in me! His hands are big too, even bigger than my Granddaddy's and big enough to wrap around me to comfort me when I am sad, and to clap in excitement with me when I am happy. Like my Granddaddy, He longs for me to know Him more. He desires that I take life "One Day at a Time" because He wants me to enjoy every day He has given me, through pain and sadness or through Joy and happiness. May I never develop an embarrassment for him, though, that I developed in those years for my Granddaddy.
Heavenly Father I just thank you today for the life of my Granddaddy. Thank you for the man that was truly willing to risk it all to make sure I knew about you. Thank you for the love that he showed me unconditionally and that he made me feel loved through it all. Lord You know how I miss him so, how I long to just hear him tell me he loves me just one more time, but You also give me more comfort than he was ever capable of doing and were it not for losing him when I thought it was too early, I would not have sought You and ultimately accepted You as my Lord and Savior. God, may you provide everyone with a "Granddaddy" in their life, someone who is not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ and not ashamed to share it with others. Make me that someone that is not ashamed. In your sweet name I pray...
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4 comments:
What a beautiful tribute Kimberly. Praying God's blessings on you today.
Love,
LINDA
Wow, Kimberly that was really beautiful. Your Granddaddy is definitely clapping his hands for you! You're blessed to have that legacy that you now get to pass on to the next generation.
Love,
Sheryl
Kimberly,I love reading your blog. You have such a way with words and they really touch me. My Grandmother was my inspiration. I love taking a trip down memory lane. Best wishes, Karen
Kimberly,
What a wonderful post about your grandfather. Its great how GOD uses some to show us a little bit of what he is like!
Have a blessed day!
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