Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Some wisdom from my Grandfather


My grandparents snuck into town to visit us briefly this week. My grandmother is the talker and my grandpa is pretty quiet. Grandpa doesn't waste any words and chooses them carefully. From him I have learned what it is to be a really good and helpful church member. He lives his faith, in stewardship and in action. He hugs everyone at church on Sunday morning and they miss him when he's not there. He is also a visitor- he will visit any one who needs a visit be it home, hospital or wherever.

I was excited to share our new house with Grandma and Grandpa. Before we went in I told them that it wasn't perfectly clean but we had picked up a little for their visit. Grandpa said, "You know, I've done a lot of home visits and I would much rather be in a home where you have to step over a child or a toy to get to your seat than one that is perfectly clean."

His words stuck with me. Life is about priorities. Sometimes I look around my house and think, "a better person would have a cleaner house." And sometimes I am able to see the beauty in a dog toy on the floor, an unwrapped birthday present for a two-year old friend, the dish the held the homemade meal the night before. All of these are signs of a life well lived. I'm with grandpa, I'd rather trip over a toy than feel uncomfortable in a home that is almost too clean. It's pretty amazing when someone allows you to enter their home even when its not perfectly clean.

I really love my grandpa and I can't wait for the next little bit of profound wisdom he will share with me.

No comments: