Grandchildren

I have just attempted to "add images" of a few of the most precious children I know. As one might see it didn't take. I wanted the pictures as "visual images" of what I feel and would add here today. We are grateful for the birth of Jackson Howard Turner last Saturday, October 10, 2009. And also grateful that mother, Rebecca Joy Turner and son are fine.


Becky flew out to Pittsburgh Friday to be there for the birth. Her account to me was one of reverence and admiration for her daughter, Joy. Almost in hushed tones she spoke of how well Joy did, the pain and effort and strength through the ordeal.
I know that tears came to my eyes as she told me about it. I could hardly see to drive as I spoke with Joy so happy and humbled by this gift.


These precious little ones bring so much to our lives. Just tonight I was rocking little Colby to sleep, playing a favorite song, Ye are a light on a hill, and he immediately recognized it, perked and started to sway back in forth as he enjoyed the melody. Just a little smile and his head and shoulders swaying back in forth with the music and life was beautiful.


We enjoyed a precious week plus with little Abby Burton earlier this summer. Her bright eyes and smile can make this grandfather do anything she wants even as she lights up the entire room.


And then one turns around and they are growing into energetic and fun filled children who capable of late evening sunset swims in the boundless Lake Erie. Anne and Andrew love to swim and literally swam until dark in this huge mass of water. For they are afraid of almost nothing. And Colin and Conner wrestle and play and explore and ride... What a special treat it was to assist Colin to master his fear of bike riding. To see the set of his head as he knew he could ride by himself, oh yes, oh yes, I can, I can. As he heads out each day to ride around the circle I remember a snowy Christmas many years ago when I was given my first new bike. It was cherry red and new and I rode it around our block every 15 minutes all day that Christmas day despite the snow. Now my grandson is set free to ride and coast and make his bike a space ship or motor cycle or a star wars land speeder... for he can ride, oh yes he can. And Conner almost keeps up despite a well warn set of training wheels.


As I pondered the joy these little ones bring to our lives I was reminded of a a "the law" C.S. Lewis re discovered "every preference of a small good to a great, or a partial good to a total good, involves the loss of the small or partial good for which the sacrifice was made". In other words You can't get a second thing by putting them first; you get second things only by putting first things first. Lewis asks in his essay "What things are first?" as a concern for philosophers... grandkids, family, love, cherished and precious moments seem to be many of the second things one receives for obedience, dedication and sacrifice in keeping first things first. How do I get here... it is easy as I have enjoyed watching my daughters and wife and mother put being a mother first.


Now we enjoy so many precious moments with these precious little ones.