"Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away:
They fly, forgotten,
as a dream dies at the opening of day."
-O God, Our Help in Ages Past (Isaac Watts)
These are the words penned inside the cover of my grandpa's Bible, followed by the words "Will we be remembered?" I'm in a reminiscent frame of mind tonight and remembering my grandfather, Henry John Hettinga. He died November 2, 1999- exactly 10 years ago today. His life is, and was, a testimony of how God can radically change someone, and of a life of dedication and service to the Lord. "Don't let anything ruin the only life you have to live on earth! We live in deeds not in years."
Psalm 39:5 "You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.”(NLT) "Life is but a means to an end, and that end is God."These are more thoughts written by my grandpa in his Bible. He truly lived those words. He lived with eternal perspective.
Grandpa had many quirks, just like any of us do. He wasn't
a perfect man, but he was a good one! He was a first generation
Christian who left a pretty wild lifestyle in his early 20's to give
his life and heart to the Lord. He was RADICALLY changed, and meant
business with God! With the best of intentions he lived his life to
please the Lord. While some may argue that he may have gone a
little overboard on some things, I will say this for him: At least
he had convictions of some kind! He never wanted there to be any
shadow of a doubt as to who was ruling his life! How many of us
that know the Lord can say the same thing about our lives? How many
of us are ready and willing to be radically sold out for Jesus
Christ?
My favorite memories of my grandpa are:
1. Fishing in his canoe- He taught me how to fish, and then gut and
fillet the fish I had caught.
2. Grandpa was well over 6 ft. tall and was quite muscular before
his health started going down hill. I remember how this big
strong man would stop in the woods, lean down and pick up a
Mayflower(his favorite flower), close his eyes, and just inhale
the scented perfume of the flower. It was such an oxymoron in my
childish thinking; a big, strong, tan man smelling a tiny,
delicate, pale flower. Now as I look back, I love that about
him! He appreciated every aspect of God's creation, and simple
things brought him great joy.
3. I loved listening to my Grandpa sing. He had a very strong,
clear booming, bass voice. He used to sing to us songs from his
childhood, a lot of them in Dutch.
4. I loved the riddles and poems he would recite to me that he had
learned as a child.
5. Grandpa had the best stories about his childhood. Stories about
when he got shot in the head with a 22, and stories about fishing
with his brother, Andy. They were so exciting, and the way he
told them, I felt like I was right there in the story!
6. One of my favorite things to do with Grandpa was to work in the
garden with him. He would tell me all about each plant, why
he had planted them where he did, and how and what to feed them.
He always told me that he felt "closer to God when he was in the
garden." Maybe that is why I like to garden so much!
Two weeks before Grandpa died, I had a weird premonition that
I needed to call him and tell him I loved him, because his life was
coming to a close. I'm so glad that I did call him, because that
was the last time I talked to him. I sure miss him. I wish he
could have met my kids and been a part of their lives. I know that
he is in heaven though with a few of my babies that I miscarried,
and I love that! He's probably teaching them how to fish!
Thank you Lord for such a wonderful man and the legacy he left
for me to follow!
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What a blessing to have a grandfather like this in your life! I definitely don't have those kind of memories of a grandfather. I love the memoir! Should be great catching fish in heaven! I sure it is catch an release ;)
Your grandpa was an awesome man! I have so many good memories of him!