Merry Christmas - part IV

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Today we closed out our Christmas celebration in Georgetown with a blast.  It was time to get back to life in Irmo, but before we left, I was blessed to sit at breakfast with my parents and granddaddy.  I had an amazing opportunity to listen to wisdom, joy and love poured out over coffee, grits, eggs, and leftovers.  It was truly a blessing and special moment.  Katina and I had the chance to learn about family, family traditions, family triumph, family faith, and grandparents who gave what they had to make our lives and the lives of others better.

At breakfast granddaddy shared how things were when he grew up and how blessed he feels to be 90 years old and still in his right mind.  He talked about being older than most people, living longer than his brother and many school friends, and being in good health for his age.  He talked about growing up with Uncle JT, Uncle Woodrow, and his other family.  He spoke about some of the wrongs he did when he was young, and how his family made a living without making a lot of money.  He even laughed at how he had some of the best jobs without an education - favor of God and hard work.  A few things he said really stuck with me.  Things like

• What do you know about walking to school in the cold for four miles, where your hands and feet are so cold you can't feel them?
• What do you all know about working in cotton fields, tobacco farms, and making about $20a month?
• What do you know about getting in trouble at someone's house and knowing that you were getting a spanking from them and at home?

He also talked about how blessed we were:

• If you have family, friends, a measure of health, and faith - you have all you need!
• Some people spend so much time complaining about what they don't have, that they never enjoy what they do
• You can't spend all your time worrying about getting well, you have to thank the Good Lord for what measure of health you have, be thankful, and keep living
• "I can't move like I used to, but I learned how to slow down and let other people move."  

He talked about the sorrow of burying loved ones; brothers, uncles, aunts, a wife, and his parents. He also talked about broken promises.  Granddaddy shared how some family members made promises to him throughout the years and they never kept them.  I always knew granddaddy had a big heart, but he stunned me even more when he said:

• I'm not bitter.  I did it b/c I wanted to and it was right.  
• They never paid me back, but I didn't let it bother me.  (This was after giving $500 to his sister in-law to help bury his brother, and she promised to pay him back, but never did.  He said, "I did it b/c I didn't want them to not bury my brother.)

I heard granddaddy talk about spankings that they got.  He talked about it being different than it is today.  Now we are scared to spank, or when we do we do it out of anger or out of control.  He mentioned not getting many, but of those he did they were "good" and "right."  He laughed when he recalled how he got a spanking in church, a pop in the mouth for disputing and back talking another adult.  He talked about respect for your elders and respect for what was right.  He even lamented how children today don't even understand how important education is these days.  He told us how he ended up working his whole life, while others went to school. 

For an hour that seemed like it was half a day we enjoyed conversations about real "struggles" and amazing victories.  I heard about love, honor, respect, discipline, and the joy of helping others come out from all of my parents.  

After this, Daddy, Katina, and I worked on the new porch together.  This was special.  I learned a lot and once again have to say, thank God for my amazing dad and my wonderful mom. 

We are home now, but the blessings of Christmas are far from over and the joy of these memories, pictures, and time together will live on forever.  God is just so good, and He is so amazing.

I hope that you will realize that if you have a measure of health, family, and love - you are blessed and you have all you need!  I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas and that you will continue on in joy and love throughout this life journey and holiday season.

Merry Christmas to all!