This morning Brett and I had one such moment. Brett is currently reading The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. As he was reading one particular section, he said, "you've got to hear this." So he began to read and I couldn't help but wonder if this man was talking about Lester B Robbins, better known as my granddaddy. Here's what he read...
Our family started attending Calvary Church when I was in the eighth grade. It was already a mega church with thousands of members, but my father-in-law had an amazing memory for names and faces. If he met you once, he would remember your name forever...granddaddy might not remember the name, but he would most likely know your face. Despite the size of the church, he never lost his shepherd's heart. He had a hospitable spirit that gave him an air of accessibility....yep, this is him. Maybe that's why my parents felt like they could call him at two in the morning after my doctor issued a code blue and half a dozen nurses came rushing into my hospital room in ICU. I thought I was taking my last breath.
My mom stayed by my side while my dad called information and got a home phone number for the Schmidgalls. In less than ten minutes, my future father-in-law was at my bedside in his black double-breasted superman suit that I would later swear he slept in....Oh.my.goodness! He is talking about granddaddy, who never went to pray for someone with out his suit on! Honestly, I started laughing so hard at this point, and Brett said, "just wait, it gets better."
My father-in-law was a large man with large hands. They looked more like meat hooks than hands..."he had hands the size of hams" is a direct quote from Leo Showfety, an army buddy of granddaddys. And when he prayed for people, his hands would envelope their head like a skullcap...can I get a witness from those that granddaddy prayed for?! When he laid his hands on my head, I remember thinking that there is no way God won't answer his prayer. He had a familiarity with God that was disarming. He had faith in God that was reassuring....and here is where the tears start. Yes, I do believe that he talking about my granddaddy.
He could have called a staff member to make the visit. He didn't. He could have waited until morning. He didn't He settled for a short night's sleep on short notice to pray for a thirteen-year-old kid who was fighting for his life....I know there were plenty of late night calls for granddaddy to go pray for people. Little did he know that this thirteen-year-old kid would one day marry his daughter. Little did he know that this thirteen-year-old kid would one day give his his first grandchild, a colicky baby boy named Parker. There is no way he could have every known, but that is the glorious mystery of prayer.
Now my words...don't get me wrong, my granddaddy didn't walk on water, he had his faults, as every human being does. However, he loved the people that were put in his charge. My granddaddy had many stories that he used in his sermons about the goodness and mercy of God. Stories of survival in the war. Stories where God showed up and if it hadn't been for God showing up, I would have never known him. One day, I think I'll share that story with you. For now, just know that this story made me recall some wonderful memories of an amazing man of God that I am proud to call my granddaddy.
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