When three of my grandchildren acquired a =
half-grown mongrel, I agreed to help them build a dog =
house.
As we began the project, I knew that keeping them =
involved was going to be a challenge. Much of my energy was spent =
calling them back to the job and finding parts of the project that could =
be handled by small children. I held to my initial determination that =
building this dog house was to be a group project.
Early =
in the project I had promised the grandkids that we would roast wieners =
in the back yard as soon as we finished painting the canine residence. =
Selecting three of the largest house-painting brushes I could find, I =
supervised the painting of our homemade structure. Kids and =
paint. How could I have forgotten the potential mayhem that such a =
combination can create?
After =
cleaning up the paint mess – kids, brushes, carport – I suggested that =
we would probably eat earlier if we just asked Gramma to heat the =
wieners in water on the gas range. A pain of guilt came over me as I =
realized I was trying to weasel out of an earlier =
promise.
As Jamie, Jeffrey and Kimberley looked on, I built =
a first-class fire in our back yard pit, whittled some roasting sticks, =
and prepared for the outdoor cooking event.
When =
we finished eating I leaned back on the cool grass and watched the last =
flickering remnants of our fire. Six-year-old Jeffrey was leaning back =
against my chest, and I began to think about what it meant to be a =
Grampa. The silence was broken when Jeffrey quietly reflected, =
"Know what Grampa?" And without breaking his gaze at the dying =
embers he continued, "This is the best day of my whole =
life."
After =
a few moments of continued silence he glanced up and said, "Are you =
crying, Grampa? You’ve got a tear on your cheek."
Clearing my throat, I explained that it must be =
from the smoke.
by =
Frank Cooper (adapted from A Cup of Chicken Soup for the Soul by Jack =
Canfield)
~~
Dr Bob Griffin =
[email protected] www.grif.net =
"Jesus Knows Me, This I =
Love!"