Sweeping meadows, covered bridges, fields of tall corn and a rambling old
farmhouse. That is how I remember my childhood summers. Every summer I would
visit my grandparents in southern Illinois. I would spend at least a month there
in the countryside surrounded by love. Being from a big city, the farm was a
treat to me. There were cows to see, horses to ride, tractors to drive and
berries to pick. The prickling, humid heat was terrible and only to be relieved
by a fan blowing in the cool night air. My grandparents were good people who
garnered a living from the land in times of famine, drought, and war. They had
inherited the farm during the depression after they lost their teaching
positions in Colorado. They decided the only way to feed their family was to go
back to the land. They were also God honoring people who prayed through trials
and tribulations and expressed their joy of life in prayer as well.
I especially remember my grandfather being the rock and patriarch of the family.
It was through him that I learned the moral values of life and the importance of
daily prayer. Each morning after breakfast we would clear off the table and my
grandfather would get out his Bible and study guide and begin to read. Sometimes
the passages seemed dry to me as a child, but we would listen respectfully just
to the tone of my grandfather's voice. He resonated a mellow stillness and quiet
calm in knowing that God was in all his activities. After the reading my
grandfather would pray. He would kneel down on the hard linoleum floor facing
his chair and lift his voice in prayer. We all followed suit. His prayer
reflected joy at the new day and God's blessings to the family. He would then
ask for answers and wisdom to special prayer requests. Finally he would ask for
safety for all of the members of the family not represented. As the years went
by, it got harder and harder for my grandfather to get down on his knees. He
started joking about it and would say, "Got to get down on these old bony
knees!" Down he would go. I remembered that phrase year after year. Later in
life a pillow went down for the knees, but my grandfather never failed to humble
himself before God in that manner.
During his last days on earth my grandfather was bedridden and slipping in and
out of consciousness. The family was devastated as the stalwart figure lay
between two worlds. It seemed as if the very foundation of the family was
crumbling underneath us. Gathered around my grandfather were his children, his
grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Just before he slipped away, we all
joined hands and knelt in prayer. My grandfather's only son took the initiative
and led us in prayer. The room glowed with light and the feeling of the Holy
Spirit was upon us. My uncle prayed for a safe passage for his father and asked
that we be given the wisdom and strength to follow the example that he had set
before us his entire life. We prayed for peace in our hearts. As he breathed his
last breath, by grandfather's eyes fluttered open and saw us all gathered around
kneeling in prayer. He smiled a quiet smile and said, "On those old bony knees,
eh?"
To this day, I follow my grandfather's example and pray with my family. Even in
our hurried 21st century world we make time to get down on our "bony knees" and
give thanks for the day. If only we could instill in our own children what my
grandfather had handed down freely to us for so many years. This world would
indeed be a different place.
Renee trripley@uswestmail.net
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.