We are back in Abbotsford after a three-week visit to Ontario. Thanks to Audrey for taking care of our cats and to Jerry for picking us up from the airport!
One of the (many) highlights of our time in Ontario was seeing our grandparents again. All of our grandparents are in their mid to late 80s and both Heather and I have fond memories of their involvement in our lives. In fact, it was my Beppe (grandmother) that first introduced me to Jesus in a way that I made personal. When I was a young boy, I spent many over-nights at at Beppe's. Each of those nights, before bed, Beppe would invite me to sing with her a little song: "Into my heart / into my heart / come into my heart, Lord Jesus / come in today / come in to stay / come into my heart, Lord Jesus." It was while I sang that song with Beppe that Jesus became real and personal to me.
Heather's "Grandma-up-the-road" lived on the farm with them. She still lives in that same house, right across from the barn and just up the road from where Heather lived as a child. Grandma is a loving and energetic women. She keeps herself busy visiting the "old people"--as she calls them--in the church. She has slowed down in recent years, having suffered a mini-stroke this past year.
Heather's grandma and grandpa are really showing their age. Grandma recently moved to a nursing home and that has caused some real life-transition challenges for grandpa, especially as the nursing home is a good 20 minutes away. When ever we talk about grandpa, the garden is the big topic. Grandpa loves to garden and he's good at it. At one time, the garden was over 1/2 an acre. Today, its a more modest dozen plants behind Grandma's nursing home. Grandpa is still proud of his church and is faithful in his attendance. Incidentally, Grandma-up-the-road and Beppe attend the same church. While visiting grandma and grandpa, it was a joy and a privilege for me to lead them in prayer.
This is all to say that the sabbatical has given us the opportunity to recall and to value where we have come from, both biologically and spiritually. We love our grandparents and it has been meaningful to see them again and to remind ourselves of their place in our lives and to thank God for what he has done in us through them.
Blessings, David
