Today I met someone new & through some conversation it turns out that we are from the same town. He told me exactly in the town where he is from and I responded with, "Well, you must have known my grandparents then: Wally & Ruby Sjoberg?" He responded yes & it turns out that he & my mom were in the same grade together in school. The conversation didn't go a lot further than that & he certainly didn't say that my grandparents were wonderful people, or anything like that.
However.. it made me think & once again give thanks for my godly, goodly heritage.
I have never had the experience where I have named my grandparents & anything bad has been said. Quite the opposite. (That is - obviously - not to say that there is any form of perfection in our family! Goodness no! But I think about the children who only know that this parent isn't speaking to this aunt & this grandparent sued this grandchild & that this person is only known for having bad character.)
I am so thankful that I don't know what it's like to have a bad reputation passed down to me. I reference this in an old post found here:
and I talk about my wonderful aunts & uncles in a post found here:
You know, we get what we get, (and we don't get upset - or at least that's what we tell kiddos!) As I've mentioned before, I am reaping positive benefits sown by those who came before me. Oh, I am so very thankful.
A couple of weeks ago I asked my dad a few questions about his childhood & his parents. My dad is from Michigan & he is the baby of the family & having grown up in Maine, I don't know his side of the family as well as I know my mom's side. (I wish I could post a pic here of my Foster grandparents, but I don't have a digital one!)
Anyway, I had some vague ideas about some things, but I wanted to ask Dad some more specific questions & hear the answers straight from him.
One of the things I asked about was Grandpa, pre-conversion & post-conversion. My Grandpa was about my age when he accepted Christ as Savior. Neither he nor my Grandma came from a Christian background. At the time of his salvation, my dad was a young boy. I had understood that my Grandpa was a drinker. (But as people in my cultural upbringing circle just aren't drinkers, that could almost mean anything. Was he an alcoholic? I wanted specifics.) In short, my dad spoke of how it was common for railroad men to have nicknames & pre-conversion my Grandpa's nickname was The Sponge. My dad was young and doesn't remember a whole lot of that. What he does remember is railroad men calling and asking for my Grandpa by the name of The Rock.
There you go.
In fact, he even moved his whole family to help ensure a new & different life.
I don't deserve it & it's through no 'good' on my part, but my parents & my grandparents & my great-grandparents made some very good choices that have helped make my life so much richer and so much easier and very blessed. It cannot really be put into words the heartache I have missed and the good things I have gained. It's an earthly picture of the heritage we have, being joint-heirs with Jesus!
My favorite story my mom tells of her childhood is that at night, when she was in bed, she could hear her parents talking & laughing. Oh, the security that comes from that! It's immeasureable!
It begs the question: What kind of legacy am I leaving my children? What kind of heritage?
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.
On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.
His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne. -Edward Mote
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne. -Edward Mote
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