Memories...

So it's been an interesting week. Monday when I called home I found out that my grandfather had died sometime early Monday morning. Pawpaw was 91 years old, so his death wasn't something completely unexpected, but it still took me somewhat by surprise. I obviously wasn't able to make it to the funeral, and so I missed being around with all the family to hear the stories people had to tell. I know there were some good ones. Not too many years ago some one would be hard pressed to find someone in Marshall county that hadn't heard of Ernest Miller. Just ask my dad about that. I've heard more than a couple of times about how when he and Mom got married, Uncle Hal was planning to "decorate" their car. So, to keep it safe they set out to find someone who didn't know Pawpaw so that word wouldn't get back to Pawpaw and Hal where the car was. It took them awhile to find someone. He helped so many people finance a house through his job at the loan office. Growing up I was always surprised at the number of people that would let him take us fishing or turtle trapping in their ponds. He seemed to know everyone. Pawpaw always used to have his crop of corn and tomatoes every year that he grew in his back yard. I remember Mom, Grandma, and all my aunts sitting around shucking corn to get ready for a big family meal for the Fourth of July, and he would grow so many tomatoes that he would give them away to anyone that came by. You couldn't hardly visit their house without leaving with either a basket of tomatoes or a jar of honey.

Perhaps one of the greatest things that he left behind is a family that all cares for each other so much. Since having moved to Guntersville, I've seen my parents and aunts and uncles give so much of themselves to take care of Pawpaw and Grandma and Pawpaw's two sisters, Cassie and Dessa and any neighbors that need someone to visit every now and again. And the family won't miss a good excuse to get together and have a big family dinner. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter are the three biggest ones, but there's always some sort of reason to have some more each year at some point. Pawpaw cared so much for us, too, and whenever we used to visit when I was growing up, he would find all kinds of little ways to show us. To this day, every time I go in the kitchen door of their house, my eyes always go to the top the refrigerator where he would put a box of Krispy Kreme donuts every time we came to visit.

Even through this though, God has been teaching me while I've been here. Though I wasn't able to be there for Pawpaw's funeral, I was comforted by all the confirmations that had been telling me I am right where God wants me to be. As much as I love my family, if following Christ means a separation from them, then it is worth it. Also, God has been opening my eyes to how big my family really is, for by the grace of God I have brothers and sisters all over this world. I am also so blessed, because I know that, for most members of my earthly family, any separation here, no matter how long it may be, will be a temporary one. I'll have a long time together with Pawpaw yet, and maybe by the time I see him again I'll have as many stories to tell him as he's had to tell me all these years.

As far as things in Israel, I'm now halfway through the course and only have three weeks more in the country. God has sent a few reminders my way to get me to work some on getting some things ready for this fall at Wesley. While the experience here has been incredible, I am really excited about what God has in store back at Auburn. There's also been a little more thought about what in the world I'm going to do after Auburn, and while there's still no clear path, there are a few front runners that, God willing, I would like to do. However, what I keep coming back to, and have been coming back to for the past two and a half years or so, is to trust in God and He will direct my path. I reckon that I'll know what I need to know when I need to know it.