More than we can bear...

Yesterday was Resurrection Sunday -- Easter morning! After the morning basket mayhem with the kids, and a wonderful worship service, we drove to my aunt's home in Goodview to enjoy Easter luncheon with my extended family. The patriarch of these gatherings is always my Grandfather, Howard, who will be 91 this April. He's led a tough life. At age 8, his father died leaving his mother and 9 siblings to manage their farm. They did ok for a few years, but in the 5th grade, my Grandfather dropped out of school to work it full time. It wasn't enough, however, and they had to sell. His mother got a job cleaning houses, and the kids were split up. Some lived with relatives, others with friends or aquaintances. My Grandfather lived with a farmer in Bonsack and was his farm hand. Once he reached his teen years, he began getting other jobs. I often tease him that I don't think there's a job out there that he hasn't tried! He worked in a meat processing plant, furniture manufacturer, farmer's market, drove a cab, even worked for a munitions manufacturer in Radford. It was that job that kept him out of WWII, as he was exposed to too many toxins from the arsenal to be accepted into the military. He did, however, get enlisted as an army cook! This explains why he seems incapable of cooking for less than 20 people! Finally, Granddad ended up at N&W Railroad. He started as a Brakeman on the caboose and after 33 years, retired as a full conductor. After more than 60 years of marriage, 4 children, 5 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, he is still mentally and physically sharp, and maintains his home, vegetable garden, and duck pond.

Two years ago, his wife, my Grandma, passed away. Her health had been poor for years, and Granddad waited on her hand & foot. His love for her was deep and constant. Her passing was hard, and we were worried that, like many elderly couples, Granddad would soon follow as a consequense of his own grief. But God is merciful. Granddad made it through the funeral in what seemed to be a daze. He remembers very little about the day, and tears up when he recounts it, feeling bad that he can only remember bits and pieces. I tell him, however, that perhaps it was the mercy of God -- protecting him from more than he could bear. He agrees.

I tell my kids all the time that God is pretty smart. I am so grateful that God has protected us from more than we could bear. We can not bear the weight of our sins, or pay our debt to God. But he knows our frame, and in His infinite mercy, He made a way to save us from ourselves. This Easter, and every day, I am so grateful to God for His mercies in the little things, like protecting my Granddad's heart through his most difficult challenge, and for the greatest mercy to us in Christ.