Sunday, September 27, 2009

Goodness, Gracious

I mentioned earlier the 60th wedding anniversary get-together our family enjoyed for Hubby's grandparents. It was such an interesting event, to my curious, hormonal mind.

His grandparents indeed celebrated 60 years together this summer. I've thought much about that, though I'm not sure why. They don't have an unmarred relationship, for sure, and I can't decide if it's laudable that they have managed 60 years in spite of all that, or if it's silly, because certainly the union wasn't preserved through maintaining vows or obligations.

That said, all 5 of their children were present, and four of them are born-again Christians. One or two are ministers. All five (I think) spent years doing drugs of one kind or another (some much longer than others), and their stories of God's grace are encouraging. They have a grandson in prison for murder, but many other grandchildren are serving God this day, to one extent or another. Some lead worship and one is married to a pastor. There are allegations of abuse, but the victims embrace victory instead of defeat, regardless of the supposed perpetrator's attitude. One grandson looked much improved (he's my age or older), and declared that instead of drinking and seeing his dealer, he went to church and worked out at the gym. Praise the Lord!

Grandad is not a believer, in fact he's quite hostile to the gospel message. I await the time he acknowledges the great and obvious changes in his own progeny and humbles himself before the Lord. What a gift he'd give himself!

It was fun to hear (I was inside tending Baby much of the time) of an uncle - with scraggly chest-length beard and omnipresent overalls (which he even wore to our wedding!) praying and sharing Christ even as he sat next to Grandad. An adventure, I imagine.

It surprises me some, that with such a patriarch so much of the family loves the Lord. It's hard evidence for God's grace, for sure, not only in the lives of the saved: Living to see such amazing changes in your children and theirs isn't a blessing one might expect for such cantankerous foolishness.

God is good.

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