To Grandmother's House I Go

I'm sitting at the airport in Greenville waiting to board my flight to Atlanta where I'll meet up with my brother and fly to DC.  Growing up in the south, we didn't grow up with our grandparents just down the street or across town.  My dad's parents were in Easley, but when I was younger we lived in Virginia and Georgia so even they weren't really close.  Plus, they were much older and both of them passed away by the time I was 10.  I remember going to my mom's parents for five weeks when my brother and I were maybe 5 and 7 but I actually don't remember too much of that time there.  

As I've gotten older, I've called my grandparents more, tried to go see them more, but since I have a full time job in SC it's hard to get up to DC to see them and my mom more than a couple of times a year.  So, I'm SO glad to have this chance to go up, stay with them and my aunt and uncle and have nothing much on the agenda for the next few days.  It's not Thanksgiving, it's not Christmas, it's just a random weekend in September... that God carved out JUST for this.

My granddad isn't doing too well.  He's had scleroderma for a while now but we just found out recently that he also has cancer.  I hate cancer.  This is my first family member to have it, but I've had friends of friends and who have struggled with it, parents of friends who have fought and won and I hate it.  It tears life apart.  And it's just another reminder that we live in a fallen world that we aren't meant to be in forever.

So, since granddaddy is suffering and I'm leaving on my "big trip" in just two short weeks, I wanted to go and see him now.  I want to hug the 112 pounds of him that are left.  I want to sit at his feet and listen to stories.  I want to hear about how he came to know our Savior.  Because soon... sooner than I would like... I won't have that chance anymore.  And the last thing I want to do is to look back and regret that I didn't take the time or opportunity to go and see him.

Only God knows whether this will be the last time I see him or not.  My gut tells me it is.  Hospice brought a hospital bed to the house yesterday so things aren't looking too good.  But, he'll be with Jesus soon and there's nothing sweeter than that :)