bruce

Grandpa Bruce passed away early this morning.  He has been pretty sick since Jorie was born, and I mostly feel blessed that I was able to have him for as long as I did.  I love that man.  Today as I've been pondering his wonderful life and legacy, I found myself longing to be close to him, and the best way I could think to do that was to pick up the book that is part of his history, and now, part of mine.  I wrote about this book last year, and mentioned that I read it around Christmas time each year; this year, I've started early...for Grandpa.  And this time, I am more grateful than ever for the change this book brought to his life.

Grandpa is a man who ALWAYS puts the Lord first.  He and Grandma made countless sacrifices to live true to their covenants and to do whatever the Spirit prompted them to do.  As a child/teenager, I sat with them as they opened their mission calls, were set apart as missionaries, and watched them serve in the temple.  My mom told stories of Grandpa serving in church callings that were VERY demanding while grandma took care of 7 children VERY close together in age. I was the 8 year old at the airport who didn't fully understand why Grandpa was leaving me to go on a mission; but I knew he loved me, and I knew he loved Heavenly Father even more.  And that was enough for me.

Grandpa always told me to eat the crusts of my bread and it would make my hair curly (I guess he was right!), he played countless hours of Clue with me, sat me on his knee and sang "there's a peanut sittin' on a railroad track", he was at every piano recital and asked me to play for him whenever I came over to his house.  He told me stories of growing up on the farm, building the first TV set in his town, reading "The Robe" in high school.  He took me to temple open houses and told me how special serving in the temple was to him.  He was there with me when I was blessed, baptized, confirmed, endowed, and sealed in the Holy Temple-what a beautiful memories I have of him always being with me when it mattered most.  And what a blessing it is to know that he will still be with me when I need him.

He wore his pants high, took 1,000 pictures a day, hung a rope ladder in his climbing tree out front for me to use, made us root-beer floats, introduced us to his siblings, took us to Oakley to visit his parent's graves, and show us his old house.  He found me my lap-top for college (because he knew WAY more about computers than I did!), he insisted on sharing his treats (and always keeping a good stash), taught me that Santa Claus always puts an orange in the toe of the stocking, and passed on his love of photography.

I could go on and on, and really this post is just a blurb of memories that have come to my mind as I've typed, but the world needs to know about this amazing man who has so much good to do on the other side.  I KNOW I will see him again.  As we head into the Christmas season, I'm so grateful that because of that little baby born in a manger so long ago, I will get to see my grandpa again.  We are so loved by our Father in Heaven, this I know with all my heart.  We are His children and we can trust in Him and His love, timing, and council.