Legacies

Nine years ago today, on a cool but lovely sunny day, much like this one, my grandfather left the 'shadowlands'. Then, it was a Saturday morning and I awoke to an early call from my father to give me the news that Grandpa Garfield's term was over and his holidays had begun. How well C.S. Lewis was able to voice the feelings and thoughts so many of us have! Then as now, I shed tears of grief and hope at the same time. The idea of lamenting in hope seems strange to the unbeliever, but as we have been learning in church recently, the Old Testament prophets were experts in it. Grief for the destruction of Israel, and hope in the coming Savior.
Every March 2nd since then, I think about my grandpa's life, rather than his death. It seems that God likes to give me sunny days to mark this anniversary and I am grateful. The beauty of that day was amazing; I went down to the water (I was living in Seattle at the time) and just sat looking at Puget Sound for an hour or more, with the white dome of Mt. Rainier rising behind me and the green mountains of the Olympics before me.
We Garfield grandchildren have never been to Disneyland. And I don't think any of us regret that. Our vacations were nearly always spent in Portland, Oregon, visiting our grandparents. These trips included cousins, coffee, the beach, the zoo, the city and love. Such an overused word. But it's the best one. I don't mean syrupy love with kittens playing in the flowers or something. I mean love that can only come from lives that have been fermented in it for decades. That love flowed from Grandpa and Grandma Garfield into their children and their children's children. It cemented our family in Christ.
Now, seperated by a few blocks, a few states, or a few thousand miles (!!) we still feel that bond. I don't just refer to my own siblings and I. We still love the cousins we shared these grandparents with and keep in touch with them as well. Someday, I hope we'll have the Bob Garfield family reunion.
My grandfather was the best Christian man I knew. He raised a son to be like him, and he raised a son to be like him as well. I have been blessed to see three generations of God's promises and am watching the small number fours being nurtured in the admonition of the Lord as well. God willing, I will have my own to give this legacy to.
It's been nine years since I heard my grandpa's defining greeting "Hello friends!" but I can still hear it whenever I think of him and I think all of us-- his wife, his children and grandchildren--will hear it again when we join him in glory.
I still miss him. I wish he could have seen all our weddings and children. Maybe he does. I'm delighted that Grandma did and I know she misses him most of all.
But today is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it! Because his life isn't over and we'll see him again.
I love you Grandpa.