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Grandfathering

   Written by on July 23, 2015 at 2:18 pm

Henry, my daughter’s eleven year old, rose at 6 AM on Sunday to travel with me two hours north to preach in Village Church in Virginia.

logo-crotts-stephen“These things” we are to teach include almost every subject. Money, failure, curiosity, history, kindness, prayer, God—the list is as big as my life.

We listened to Mozart on the drive up, and we discussed how the Bible was writ- ten and collected, as well as how an educated person can still believe the Bible is God’s Word. During church we worshipped Jesus and studied the doctrine of angels. After- ward, we had brunch in the antebellum mansion called Berry Hill. Henry discovered

Grandfathering

British marmalade on toast and realized he’d come late to the party. We discussed slavery and how Scripture ended it. We sat on the porch and marveled at swallows darting across the sky so blue. Next we drove back to North Carolina discussing women and why I asked Kathryn to marry me. He was yawning when we arrived home. Now, wasn’t that the best day ever for a grandfather and his grandson?

God gives us such days as a gift. He also asks us to

seek them with intention- ality. “You shall teach these things to your children, and your children’s children,” the Bible commands in Deuter- onomy 4:9.

“These things” we are to teach include almost every subject. Money, failure, curiosity, history, kindness, prayer, God—the list is as big as my life.

Certainly one may learn at school or from parents or even friends, books, and television. But many of life’s most valuable lessons come from grandfathers.

Probably the last great thing any man will ever do is to be a grandfather. I urge you to take your challenge seriously.

The Reverend Stephen Crotts is pastor of Village Presbyterian Church in Charlotte Court House, VA. He is also the director of the Carolina Study Center, Inc., a campus ministry, located in Chapel Hill, NC. Pastor Crotts may be reached at carolinas- tudycenter@msn.com.

About Stephen Crotts

The Reverend Stephen Crotts is pastor of Village Presbyterian Church in Charlotte Court House, VA. He is also the director of the Carolina Study Center, Inc., a campus ministry, located in Chapel Hill, NC. Pastor Crotts may be reached at carolinastudycenter@msn.com.

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