{Straight From the Heart} *God's Gift to Children* 12/8/99
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GRANDPARENTS - GOD'S GIFT TO CHILDREN
by Debbie Stauffer
For years I felt like there was something missing in my
children's lives, but never could quite put my finger on it.
It lingered somewhere in the back of my mind, just out of reach.
I knew it wasn't that my kids were unhappy. I've stood in
the kitchen many hours listening as their laughter drifted through
the open window. I've watched as they chased fireflies and one of
my favorite pictures is of them, arm-in-arm, in the middle of a big
mud puddle, their faces lit with a country-kid's glow. I didn't know what was missing, but I knew they had happiness
by the truckloads.
The other day, though, I finally figured it out. I caught
the scent of my husband's work gloves. The smell of leather took
me back to when I was a country kid and to another pair of work
gloves. When I held them to my nose, suddenly I knew.
PawPaw, my daddy's Dad. He passed away before my two youngest
were born and before my other two could get to know him.
He was a farmer. A plain man whose idea of getting dressed
up was a pair of overalls. His hands were rough and callused
from many years of work in the fields. He was the most patient,
even-tempered man I have ever known.
We spent every Saturday with him and MawMaw when we were
kids. He would take us to the watermelon patch and let us help
hoe the melon vines. We went with them to pick cotton and we
were always there at hog-killin' time.
Yes, I knew then just how much my kids had missed not having
him in their lives. About the same time, though, I made another
discovery.
One day I stood watching Daddy, surrounded by six of his
grandchildren (he has ten in all), as he was cutting firewood.
He propped one of the logs on end and cut a crisscross pattern in
the top with his chain saw. Then the kids took turns with the
splitting maul, fitting it into the grooves and, with the sledge
hammer, they split it into firewood. I'm sure it would have been
easier and faster for him to do it himself, but he loaded the wood
and let them split it. From the looks on their faces you'd think
they had moved a mountain!
The discovery I had made was realizing just how much Daddy is
like PawPaw.
Daddy is a quiet man whose idea of getting dressed up is a new
pair of blue jeans. Over the years I've seldom seen him mad and
never seen him lose his temper. He plants a huge garden every
year and has those same rough, callused, work worn hands.
Usually every Saturday there is a gang of grandkids at Mom
and Daddy's house. When Daddy walks outside he is greeted with
a chorus of "PawPaws."
"PawPaw, can you air up the tire on my bike?"
"PawPaw, can I borrow your hammer?"
"PawPaw, can you come play catch with us?"
It is enough to make most of us head for the hills, screaming
all the way. But not Daddy.
He makes his rounds, fulfilling each request with the patients
of a saint.
He lets them help hoe his garden, even though he must know his
plants are in grave danger. He always makes sure some of them are
around to help him dig his potatoes and, when he was building a deck
onto their house, he thrilled our boys by saying he needed their help.
I now realize that even before I knew what was missing in their
lives, Daddy had already stepped in to fill the would-be-empty space.
Even though PawPaw is gone, his love lives on every time a small voice
echoes across the yard and Daddy stops everything to go see what he
can do to help.
Debbie Stauffer
Email Debie and let her know what you thought of her story!
Deblanells@aol.com
I am a happily married mother of four, who loves to write. I have
been accepted by several publications, including Country Woman
Magazine, but am still waiting for my first byline. I also have
two articles coming out in a newsletter for people who try to
write with children running wild in the house, (that's me!)
called The Writing Parent. You can find a link to their
publication and others, including one with some of my writing
at: (http://pages.ivillage.com/bc/deblanells). I have just
started a picture book manuscript on it's rounds, too, so I
have been busy. And writing for children has always been my
first love so I am hopeful that it will find a home.
Some background info on the above story:
Dear Michael,
My short story, From the Hands and the Heart, is in the December
issue of Country Woman magazine! I have moved since then, but they
got the Debbie Stauffer part right!
That story was also influenced by my Daddy, who I guess you can
tell, is my true to life hero. The article I submitted to you
was written a few years ago, and since then he has been diagnosed
with Scleroderma. It has taken over his body and his life. I
can't wait to tell him that the article will be published on the
Internet. His favorite hobby, now that he can't get around very
good, is reading. And although he doesn't have a computer, you
can bet I will print him off a copy when I get it!
Thanks!
Debbie
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REQUEST:
From: Tinifer@yahoo.com (Christina)
Julie, my sister in-law, has a three month old niece. Her name
is Savannah. She was showing some strange behavior in the last couple
of weeks. They took her in and the doctors did all sorts of tests.
They finally concluded that Savannah has a very rare disease, much like
a version of epilepsy, that effects only one in a hundred thousand
babies. There is only one drug that can help her and, if it is even
made any more, can only be found in Europe. They thought it would take
two weeks from Saturday to find out if they could even get the drug, it
is not FDA approved, and then if they get it, another two before they
know if it will work. So here is the bottom line. The doctors called
yesterday and said that the drug would be there by noon today, no small
miracle in itself. Savannah will start her first dose today and then
continue for at least two weeks. In two weeks they will run the tests again. Best case scenario, she will be cured, that's what we want to pray for. It could be an on going treatment which would get very costly if it does not cure her in that two week
time period. Worst case, however, she would not respond to it, and Savannah would, in short time, basically become completely handicapped, mentally as well as physically, and from what we here, unable, really, to do anything at all. Please pray for Savannah and her parents Eric and Tiffany! Thanks!
Christina
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Thought For The Day:
"There is one thing alone that stands the brunt of life throughout
its length: a quiet conscience."
(Euripides)
Verse for the Day:
"If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God."
1 John 3:21
Kid's Thought For The day:
A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her
five
and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor thy father
and thy mother," she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to
treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat one little boy
(the oldest of a family) answered, "Thou shall not kill."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Women should not have children after 35. 35 children are enough."
Coach's Thought For The Day
"Success without honor is an unseasoned dish; it will satisfy your
hunger, but it won’t taste good."
(Joe Paterno)
Deep Thought For The Day:
"If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2?"
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20