The apple-cinnamon scent trailed in soft spirals from the tobacco of his well-worn pipe. I lay against his chest, listening to the rhythmical beat of his heart, both of us cradled in the olive green vinyl recliner.
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I could have stayed in his arms forever.
That safe nest of love that a grandfather so easily provides.
Ne’er a word was spoken most days, but contentment was written deep in my heart and covered me like a blanket on a stormy night.
I loved my Granddaddy — Carl Hosea Trammell was his name.
In his quiet, gentle way, Granddaddy taught me many things I have carried into my adulthood. His favorite verse in the Bible was Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
Granddaddy built his life on the foundation of this verse and imparted the wisdom held within each word to me.
- Trust in the Lord with all your heart: Trust Him. Depend on Him. Rely on Him because He is trustworthy.
- Lean not on your own understanding: Don’t try to do this life in your own strength, but in the strength of the Lord. He is all-knowing. He is sovereign, and His ways are not our ways. But we can trust that the Lord determines His ways for us through the filter of His love.
- In all your ways acknowledge Him: Allow the Lord to be LORD of your life. Include Him in every thought, every dream, every decision.
- And He shall direct your paths: He is our Shepherd who leads us in paths of righteousness. His plans for us are of peace — to give us a future and a hope. As we make Him Lord, He will fulfill His purposes — His perfect plan, the desires of our heart — in our lives.
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What a wondrous love my grandfather and I shared. We worked the garden together, held hands as we strolled down the lane to church on Sunday mornings. On Saturday evenings we curled up in the olive green vinyl recliner to watch the Lawrence Welk show together while the scent of apple-cinnamon wafted all about us.
Even today, the savory scent of apple-cinnamon takes me back to my Granddaddy’s arms and now, with a grandchild of my own, my heart beats with the same faith and determination to leave a legacy of faith with my loved ones.
Recently I explored my hope chest filled with treasures from my life. There, tied with a ribbon, lay a stack of letters Granddaddy had written to me while I was in college. In every. single. one. of them, he ended with Proverbs 3:5-6.
I closed my eyes and held the letters to my breast. Thank you, Granddaddy. Thank you for teaching me of the Lord’s faithfulness. Thank you for a life well-lived.
I am a life that was changed.
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