Grand Father

Today I received one of the greatest compliments I have ever received. Pamela my beloved of 35 years of marriage said to me, You are a good grandfather. She said this as she was headed off on an errand after the last of our children and grandchildren left the house. It had been a celebration of our grandson and my namesakes Ritchie’s(Richard)3^rd birthday. Traditionally I avoid birthdays but today was different. It was chaos as my 5 daughters and 5 grandchildren invaded the house for a party. After presents were opened ( something for everyone) grandparents don’t just get gifts for the birthday celebrant but for everyone, the 3 boys and I headed out back to get out of the house. As we entered the back yard Ritchie said I want go play ground. At first I thought he was referring to the school playground next door . but he led me to my tin shed where I store my lawn tractor , tiller and garden tools. This is his playground. I told him no because his mother and others did not want them to get dirty. But He clearly said Please papaw playground. His prayer touched my heart the double doors swung open to reveal every young mother’s fear. A dirty dangerous dark place filled with sharp things , dangerous liquids bug etc. It was a delight to 3 young boys. They immediately mounted an assault upon the shed . They got muddy then powdered in dry dirt. Climbed and fell and had a blast. All under the watchful eye of a loving papaw. I was aware of potential danger but also aware of their need as young men to experience adventure and danger on their level in order to grow and become what God destined them to be.

Lately the Father God has been allowing me to see and feel what He does for His people through the eyes of a grandfather. I think the church has been to motherly with especially men. We want to protect them from harm and keep them clean. We in the church expect people to behave stay clean (sinless) and not bother us or God. But we are not here on earth for that. For so long we have seen ourselves as human beings having a spiritual experience at church. I have come to the revelation that we are spiritual beings having a human experience. We must allow ourselves and others around us to live. We should teach people that God is not here to keep you from getting dirty and not having some fun but to keep you when you get dirty and when your fun( living) gets you in trouble. He made us to be loved and to love not to be right. We seem to want to keep people in church like little trophies on a shelf. God put us here to live and to learn how to walk with Him in the midst of all situations not just religious ones.

Yes I have learned from my grandchildren about God. I learned He is not so uptight as parents simply trying to get the job done and keep our children alive. I learned that even when we step out of bounds and get dirty He is there to rescue us .pick us dust us off and say it’s alright. Zachary Ritchie’s brother . Was plowing up the dirt on his bulldozer when he flipped backwards taking a mother scary fall. I picked him up dusted him off told him he was alright. He wiped His tears laughed loud and went back to being a boy. He did not go back to being a saint but a boy. I think saints are people who learn how to be truly human under the eye of a loving Father. John wrote that the things he taught were written to keep us from sin but he went on to say that when we sin we have an advocate with the Father Christ Jesus. Go live what God teaches through His word and Spirit to stay in your destiny but when because you live you will miss it. Be assured that He has you covered in Christ your Lord.

1 ¶ MY LITTLE children, I write you these things so that you may not violate God’s law and sin. But if anyone should sin, we have an Advocate (One Who will intercede for us) with the Father— Jesus Christ righteous .
2 And He is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2 amplified NT