A Dear Man

I just have to share this.....

After high school I spent 2.5 years doing full time volunteer work. My home was in Oxford, MI but I/we travelled all over the place all the time. I lived with other volunteers and women who consecrated their lives to Christ and building His Kingdom. We worked with groups of junior high and high school girls doing retreats, leadership training, pilgrimages, and various other activities. I loved it! I absolutely loved it. I formed life long friendships with the women I worked with. I acquired lot of "little sisters" whom I continue to pray for and are in contact with. And the parents we worked with were amazing!....some of the most inspiring examples of motherhood, marriage, and service. I really am so very grateful for having spent that time with such wonderful people.

One of the regular activities I was responsible for was a monthly trip to Toledo, OH to meet with a rather large group of girls there. Myself and a very dear consecrated woman would spend an entire weekend meeting with the whole group, putting on some really fun activities, meeting with the girls and their families, etc. And of course we needed a place to stay. One particular family opened up their home to us almost every single month. It was so wonderful to have a regular place to stay. And there was something particularly special about this home. It was the home of Bob and Fran McCartney, the grandparents of a few of the girls we worked with. Now, Grandma and Grandpa McCartney (Grandpa insisted we call him that instead of "Mr. McCartney") were a slice of heaven to stay with....to KNOW. Mariana (my teammate) and I would talk about them all the time. The love they had for each other was most amazing. There was this unspoken, tangible, heart melting joy and happiness that they held together. And I am honored to have known such a couple.

A few weeks ago Grandpa passed away. Though my heart was sad, I rejoiced in the knowing that he must be in heaven as a soul such as his would only bring joy and glory to God. Truly a most amazing man. He was such an example for me. An example of the virtue, the respect, the uprightness and true masculinity that I sought in my future husband. Bob and Fran shared the kind of love that every single married couple ought to seek. And with pride I can say that I have found such a man and I can only pray that in 60 years we will be as in love, Christ-centered, and blissfully happy as Grandma and Grandpa were/are. How grateful I am to have known and loved such wonderful examples.

Thank you Bridget for sharing this beautiful post about your grandfather.