My Grandfathers "lunch"

I am writing this post Thursday evening, knowing that tomorrow it will be too difficult to write.

On September 26, 2007 my last living Grandfather passed from this life into his eternal life in Heaven.

I've thought about a million things to write...funny stories of my college days when he lived not far from my university, sweet things he did just to make my life easier, stories he would tell, the things he grew in his garden (and ate), things he fixed with a paper clip and rubber bands, how he couldn't carry a tune worth a lick but he sang those hymns anyways, the number of times he sat with me in the hospital either from being sick or having had a car accident,etc.

But I couldn't figure out which one was the best, which one I loved the most...which one was funnier. They were all hysterical. Things that only my Grandfather would think to do!

I've thought about sharing all his educational accomplishments...how many degrees he had...that he was a "Rev. Dr. Leroy.....". I've thought about including the people who he had met and furthermore, those who loved him enough to come to his funeral!! The Native Americans that drove day and night just to be at his side during his burial.

But, you know...I couldn't decide which one would describe him the best. Which one he would have cherished the most.

So...I'm not going to share any of those things.

Instead, I want to share the story from the Bible in John 6...its when Jesus feeds the five thousand. Here's the very paraphrased version:

Jesus had been teaching a crowd of people all day and it came time to eat. Jesus tells his disciples to go and feed the people. The disciples tell Jesus that there were far too many people there for them to feed... "eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite". But, one of the disciples found a young boy with a lunch...it contained 5 small barley loves and 2 small fish, and he gave it to Jesus to use. Jesus then told the people to sit out on the lawns as He took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and began to feed the five thousand people. After everyone had been fed and was full...they began to collect the left overs, not wanting any to waste. (They had left overs...from 5 loaves and 2 fish??!! Somethings very wrong at my house!!)

I'm sure the point here was the miraculous miracle that occurred...feeding that many people on hardly anything is quite the miracle. I see something else.

It may be easy to over look...but what I see in this passage is the little boy! How many little boys do you know that would give up their lunch?? Mine wouldn't. But this boy did. And the deal is...God blessed it abundantly. It fed thousands and thousands of hungry men, women and children...with left overs!! I hope those five thousand people used their manners and gave that boy a "hi five"!! The Bible didn't make mention of that!! :)

If I could tell you anything about my Grandfather, it would be that he was like that little boy with a lunch.

He was an Indian...born and raised on an Indian Allotment land. May not have looked like much to many...but through Divine appointment, my Grandfather came to know the Lord (not so common on an Indian Reservation, I might add!!).

He gave his life to Christ and made himself available to whatever the Lord needed. He willingly gave the Lord his "lunch", all he had, and allowed Him to use it!! And the Lord did...abundantly!!

He took one life, one simple Indian man...and fed thousands!!

That is how I think my Grandfather would love for his story to be told! And I'm proud to tell it!!

May the Lord be with my family today.