This blog entry is dedicated to my two surviving grandparents who have been such wonderful and consistent role models throughout my life. They have taught me so much about how to properly and practically express love. It hasn’t simply been through their words, nor has it only been by their actions, but in everything they do and say I see in them a sincere love for their family that extends to friends and even strangers. As I grow older and with each day am more tested by with the trials of life, I am amazed by their ability to see through it and then rise above it all without questioning, complaining or showing any bitterness. I observe them with amazement when I see their wisdom. There is no question in their minds when it comes to trust. They know what loyalty means because they live it. They know what commitment is because they have experienced it. They know what compassion looks like because they’ve seen it in action. They know what it means to love because they have forged through the many challenges and temptations of life while continuing to be faithful to their spouses and more importantly, to God. They’ve seen generations come and they’ve said goodbye to many, many loved ones. They’ve lived through a World War and have known what it means to really make sacrifices. My grandfather served in the South Pacific during WWII and my grandmother’s husband, my granddad was serving in India when my mother was born. Their lives are filled with purpose, determination, hope and resilience. They’ve seen the worst of humankind in Hitler, Stalin, and the 9-11 terrorists. They’ve also celebrated the pinnacles of man’s achievements, like walking on the moon and the triumph of freedom over oppression with the Berlin wall tumbling down. Of course, my grandparents have experienced some of the greatest joys in life, having been blessed with children and grandchildren. Yet, they have also faced the deepest sorrows that come with living in a world tainted by sin. They have lost parents, siblings, friends and worst of all, spouses. Both of my grandparents were blessed with 60+ years of marriage and then had to go through the worst of all tragedies, the loss of a spouse. It is so hard to even fathom what that must be like. How does one go on after God calls their best-friend and companion of 60 years home? I know that it is only by the grace of God that anyone can live through such a difficult experience and continue faithfully serving the Lord. I wonder why my generation seems so detached and so far removed from the “Greatest Generation” of my grandparents. How is it that the “Baby Boomer” generation of my parents became so disillusioned and narcissistic? I simply cannot comprehend how in one generation, words like sacrifice, honor, respect, and love seem to have been forgotten. It is almost shocking to think of the incredible legacy left by our grandparents when compared to that of our generation and our parents. We have traded a rich heritage of loyalty and honor for self-centered materialism. It seems the “Baby Boomers” will be remembered for their rebellious 60’s-era revolution that has spawned a culture of sexual idolatry and a fascination with drugs. Oh and whatever happened to the American work ethic that was driven by personal responsibility and a desire to better our communities? It seems that as out checkbooks were replaced with credit cards, we’ve also found ways to live beyond our means. Defaulting on loans and paying sky-high interest rates on credit cards are the norm today. I wonder if that will be another legacy of the “Baby Boomers”? They are after all, the ones who’ve helped push our national debt into double digits. When will this unsustainable cycle end? It’s a sad irony to think that all the sacrifices our grandparents made for their children and grandchildren have been replaced with the impossible financial burdens of our parents. After all, it’s our kids and grand-kids that will be paying off the huge government loans and endless government programs created by our parents. How wonderful it would be if our generation had the courage and moral fortitude to see our nation return to the principles that once made it great. I may be overly optimistic to think that true change is a real possibility, but I’m frankly sick and tired of all the political rhetoric and the scandals and the self-serving that runs rampant throughout our country, from corporations to the government. The lack of personal accountability cannot continue. I long to see us return the honor our grandparents brought to this great nation, but the question is which path we will take. “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,” and we must take the road less traveled…
The reason I wrote this blog is because I see our nations at a very important crossroads. We will either continue a trend towards socialism and the continual erosion of the value of human life, or we will see this as an opportunity to change the course of history and undo the bad decisions that will no doubt destroy this great country. As I sat between my grandmother and my grandfather, I could not help, but think that we must honor the sacrifices their generation has made for us. While my grandfather was in Colorado for my sister’s wedding, we orchestrated his visit with my grandmother, at his prompting. In his words, he wanted to “pay his respects” to my grandmother. Though they have only seen each other on a couple occasions, I could see that they were kindred spirits because of all that they have been through in life. The virtues of love, compassion, gratitude, and humility poured forth abundantly during that brief rendezvous. It was as if God had brought these two people together to show those of us present what we are called to be and to do in life. I do not know the specifics about God’s plan for my life, but I see more clearly now how I am called to actively live out my faith. The example of my grandparents reflects Christ’s example, by which we are compelled to live courageously and purposefully for the glory of God. If that is where we place our hope, we will not be disappointed or disillusioned even as we live trying times and face difficult circumstances that require hard choices. May we follow in the footsteps of our grandparents and learn to live life more fully, in community with one another and in covenant with God, just as He has intended.
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