The Old Man and Me

Some days... I just want to write personal shout outs on this blog... and luckily today, that shout out will come with some serious insight about my relationship with God. Today is my grandfather's birthday... He's got a lot of different names in our family Grandpa, Poppy, Old Man, Old Tymer, or Johnny K. It doesn't really matter what we call him (I favor Old Man or Old Tymer... if the shoe fits...) one thing is guaranteed... we all owe him a lot. Old Tymer is easily one of my favorite people, and always has been. I still wait to see where he's going to sit when we have dinner with my grandparents so I can be sure I get to sit right next to him. It's because I know he's going to teach me something new, every single time I'm in his presence...

Man, oh man, the things he's taught me. I remember so many things it's remarkable. I can remember as a kid, I always wanted to go to lunch with him and Grandma after church. I look back on those lunches, and I now see how many life lessons were planted within me during those meals. Hearing him talk about the message at church, about something he read in the Bible, or something he remembered begin to stir a desire in my heart to know God the way my Poppy did. He never missed a ball game, and even though I'm not a little kid anymore... he still makes it to my softball games. I can remember every home soccer game... I'd glance behind me to the back right corner of the field, and see his truck parked there with him sitting on the tailgate... always there at the start of warm-ups. Some days I would even see him out there during practice, and it made me want to be better. He instilled in me pride in where I come from. He has loved these people and this town his entire life. It's funny because there was a time when I didn't understand it... I didn't understand what he saw. Know that I'm older I can understand it better. He has taught me how to fix things, how to build things, how to laugh at myself (especially when my pride is hurt), how to love others like Christ, and how to give back to the people that have given me everything and more. The beautiful thing about the Old Tymer is that he and I share more than just the knowledge he has imparted upon me.

There's nothing I love more than baseball season, because it gives us a lot to talk about. I love baseball because the Old Man loves baseball. I drink coffee because the Old Man drinks coffee. We solve the world's problems, we "sell and buy" stock/antiques/teams/cars/homes that we don't have the money for, we watch the news, and just sit and talk. Those moments when it's just the Old Man and Me, are some of my favorite moments in my life. I talk to him about everything... even when I know he doesn't understand what I'm talking about because he still acts like he cares. He's always there when I need him, and I wouldn't be who I am today without him. Even with all that... there's one thing that stands out the most about him...

I want my relationship with God to reflect my relationship with Old Tymer. What I mean by that, is I want to have the same meaningful and meaningless conversations with my Creator as I do with my grandfather. I know the love God has for me is exponentially greater than that of my grandfather... but when I think about what God's like... I think in a lot of ways he's like old Johnny K. He's warm, loving, affectionate, stern, insightful, comforting, wise, kind, patient, and safe. I am more thankful for that Old Man, than the words in this post could ever express. He's a one of a kind... and I pray every day that I will be half the man he is. This one's for you Old Man... can't wait to learn something new the next time I see you. Happy Birthday!

Grace and Peace,