"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
-Deuteronomy 6:4-7
I've had the privilege of watching a man live his life following this command and lead his family in this way.
My cousin Amanda had the best conversation with my grandpa recently. Here's what she wrote:
A few weeks ago i was able to go back home and i stopped in to see them on a Sunday morning before church. They were sitting in the common area at the nursing home where they have lived for the past several years. Grandpa has Alzheimers and he doesn’t always recognize me. This particular day i had the kids with me and my mom came along. Grandpa was walking in and when he saw me, he acted like he recognized me. He didn’t know for sure who i was but his face lit up when he saw me. That doesn’t always happen when i go see them. I reminded him who i was and who the kids were like always and then i asked him how he was doing. He was moving slowly to his seat and stopped and answered “I have a good family, and my faith, and good work, it's good.”
Well, that same cousin informed me today that my grandpa died this morning.
I ran a lot in the summer before I left for Niger. I'd run every evening from my apartment, over to see my mom, then down to the nursing home to visit Grandma and Grandpa Sybesma. I usually ran after dark, and it worried him a bit when I would stay too long.
"Do you want me to go get the car warmed up so I can drive you home?"
"No, I think I can run home."
"Oh, you ran here? That's quite a run." (this conversation tended to be circular. It took me awhile to figure out that he still thought they lived on the farm, and he could never figure out why I would run anywhere, so I just started telling him I had a car).
This was the conversation last summer. They've lived in the nursing home for about seven years.
Grandma: (leaning forward as if to tell me a secret) Don't tell my kids I'm asking you this, but where are we?
Me: (whispering the secret back) You're in the nursing home in Platte.
Grandma: (taken aback) We're in Platte? Really? Clarence, (turning to Grandpa) did you know we are in Platte?
Grandpa: (rather monotone) Oh, are we?
Grandma: How did we get here?
Grandpa: Oh, in the car I suppose. I was waiting out there for a bit before you came. Think I honked the horn.
Grandma: We're in Platte?
Me: (nodding)
Grandma: Clarence, when did we get to Platte?
Grandpa: Well, shortly after we left I guess.
Me: -_-
The one thing we could always count on with him was his humor. He hid his Alzheimer's very well behind his teasing. The last few times I saw him, I'm not entirely sure he knew who I was. However, when I walked out the door he would always say, "Hey! You behave now!"
"I always do, Grandpa."
"Yeah, I don't believe that for a minute."
My grandfather gave me a kiss before I left for Niger four years. He leaned down and kissed me right behind my ear.
"That way you won't lose it," he said.
I have never lost it.
-Deuteronomy 6:4-7
I've had the privilege of watching a man live his life following this command and lead his family in this way.
My cousin Amanda had the best conversation with my grandpa recently. Here's what she wrote:
A few weeks ago i was able to go back home and i stopped in to see them on a Sunday morning before church. They were sitting in the common area at the nursing home where they have lived for the past several years. Grandpa has Alzheimers and he doesn’t always recognize me. This particular day i had the kids with me and my mom came along. Grandpa was walking in and when he saw me, he acted like he recognized me. He didn’t know for sure who i was but his face lit up when he saw me. That doesn’t always happen when i go see them. I reminded him who i was and who the kids were like always and then i asked him how he was doing. He was moving slowly to his seat and stopped and answered “I have a good family, and my faith, and good work, it's good.”
Well, that same cousin informed me today that my grandpa died this morning.
I ran a lot in the summer before I left for Niger. I'd run every evening from my apartment, over to see my mom, then down to the nursing home to visit Grandma and Grandpa Sybesma. I usually ran after dark, and it worried him a bit when I would stay too long.
"Do you want me to go get the car warmed up so I can drive you home?"
"No, I think I can run home."
"Oh, you ran here? That's quite a run." (this conversation tended to be circular. It took me awhile to figure out that he still thought they lived on the farm, and he could never figure out why I would run anywhere, so I just started telling him I had a car).
This was the conversation last summer. They've lived in the nursing home for about seven years.
Grandma: (leaning forward as if to tell me a secret) Don't tell my kids I'm asking you this, but where are we?
Me: (whispering the secret back) You're in the nursing home in Platte.
Grandma: (taken aback) We're in Platte? Really? Clarence, (turning to Grandpa) did you know we are in Platte?
Grandpa: (rather monotone) Oh, are we?
Grandma: How did we get here?
Grandpa: Oh, in the car I suppose. I was waiting out there for a bit before you came. Think I honked the horn.
Grandma: We're in Platte?
Me: (nodding)
Grandma: Clarence, when did we get to Platte?
Grandpa: Well, shortly after we left I guess.
Me: -_-
The one thing we could always count on with him was his humor. He hid his Alzheimer's very well behind his teasing. The last few times I saw him, I'm not entirely sure he knew who I was. However, when I walked out the door he would always say, "Hey! You behave now!"
"I always do, Grandpa."
"Yeah, I don't believe that for a minute."
My grandfather gave me a kiss before I left for Niger four years. He leaned down and kissed me right behind my ear.
"That way you won't lose it," he said.
I have never lost it.
He had Alzheimer's, but to the very end he knew the people he loved--even if he couldn't put a name with them.
My favorite part of this picture is that everyone in it loves Jesus.
My second favorite part is that it looks like I might be standing in a hole. I come from big people.
Anyway, back to Jesus and family.
What a great legacy to leave!
Well done, Grandpa! Well done indeed!
He lived for 88 years and took care of all of us. He taught us how to drive tractors, play jokes on people, sing, milk a cow, repair equipment, read the Bible, hit 'boomers' while driving silage truck, and nurse baby animals to health. We listened to him hum as he worked and sat as he told his stories of growing up during the Great Depression and forming a harvest crew in the 1940s.
Most of all, he left us a life modeled after Christ, and we all watched God bless him for that. Grandpa enjoyed life, and as soon as it became 'not so enjoyable anymore', God took him away.
Quietly.
Calmly.
Just as he had lived,
and then he was gone.
"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness."
-Lamentations 3:22-23
He walked a wonderful story for us to step into.
But I guess there's always room for some improvement...
(This is why we are glad his mercies never come to an end)
We are so sorry to hear of your Grandpa's passing. May God wrap his arms of love around you during this difficult time. We love you girl! Sam and Diane Chance
ReplyDeleteCindy what a wonderful tribute to your Grandfather. He was a man with great faith and he passed that on not only to his kids but his grandkids, and nieces and nephews.
ReplyDeleteLove you my Cousin!