Life As A Gift For Eternity

Upon the death of my grandfather, there has been a general excavation of old papers, notes, pictures, and such at the house. One of the gems that have been uncovered (in my opinion anyhow) is this article written by my grandfather in 1967. Written at the request of the Fredericksburg Kiwanis Club and published in the Free Lance-Star, it’s an excellent glimpse at the character and faith of my grandfather.

I am. I am as the result of an act of love. I am because my parents performed the highest and most noble act performed by two individuals – an act of love. I am therefore, not by my own choice. I did not have the chance to say “no” to life. Life was then a gift to me. Now that I am; I am for eternity. I am as a man, homo sapiens, made up of body and soul, responsible for my own actions.

As a person matures he must decide certain items. Since life is in time, and time is a continuum, life moves like a flowing river. It would be a waste of time to decide an issue over and over again. I exist, My Creator exists, and the laws that govern my living exist.

God created me in his image and likeness to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this life, and to be happy with Him in the next. Recall, if you will, the statement made previous ly that life is a gift. Statistically speaking, I am an impossibility. But for some unknown reason it was I that was given life to do with what I will. It is I placing these words before you and not one of the thousands of other brothers or sisters that could have been conceived at that particular moment. Yes, life was a gift to me – I cannot waste it.

What a great thing to find. For those of you who don’t know me well, my reverence for my grandfather is fairly high. He was an extraordinary man, with extraordinary talent, wisdom, patience, and intelligence.

The argument he made in 1967 reverberates in 2004, especially in a culture today that prizes convenience over life.