December 10, 2014 (Wednesday)
There have been several men known as “Grandpa Fake” in my family. Grandpa George Fake came from Germany to the American Colonies in the 1700’s. His son, Grandpa Nicholas Fake, became a soldier for the United States in the Revolutionary War. His son, Grandpa Peter Fake, settled in Clinton, New York. Peter’s son, Grandpa Charles Fake, moved with his new wife, Melissa, to Worthington, Minnesota in 1872. Charles and Melissa’s son, Grandpa Clint Fake (we all called him “Papa.”) moved to Humble, Texas in 1915. Clint and Annie had 28 grandchildren. Clint’s son, Grandpa Charlie Fake, was my father. He had 14 grands. Then I became Grandpa Fake, with 9 grands. Now my son, David, is Grandpa Fake. See his picture with his happy six-months old grand daughter, Claire? They are both having the time of their life.
And let’s not forget Mom and Dad. Thank you, Jenny and Stephen, for bringing such joy into our lives. Claire is very fortunate to have chosen you as her parents. You love her with everything within you. God bless you.
Life is indeed a passing parade. When God created the first couple, he told them to “be fruitful and multiply.” Mankind has faithfully obeyed this command. It’s in our genes. Life goes on. New faces. New ideas. New circumstances. Everything is always changing in this world, but one thing remains constant: family. We wouldn’t have it any other way. We have an inborn craving for family. When nature denies this to us, we seek it in other ways because we need someone to love and trust, to become part of us and we a part of them. Childless couples still find a way to have “family,” and thus it will ever be. God built that into our very nature.