"Don't Make Me!"

My dad was known for his sayings, and the older I get I can see how I am following in his steps. One of my favorite exclamations came about when the twins started dating and bringing their boyfriends over at the house during the evening. I loved having them safely under our roof, but around nine o’clock, we were ready to turn in for the night! I would step into the family room with this warning to the girls and my future sons-in-laws: “We’re heading to the back. Don’t make me a part of your evening!” It was my way of saying, “Keep it down to a low roar! I’m going to sleep! Don’t make me get up and come in here!”

Fav Cup from Mom and Dad's!
Reminders of home, conversation, and love!

That was then. This is now. These girls are in their early forties. One lives here in town with us and the other lives in New Mexico. They still love being together! The combined number is no longer four including spouses! There are eleven of them not counting the NextGen boyfriend!

They love coming home from near and far! As the New Mexicans rounded the corner, after two days of travel over eleven-hundred miles, I saw a window down and a video being taken of the front of the house. The camera was still rolling as we met them in the circle drive. Everyone enjoys remembering home!

Minutes later, we lined up in the garage to enter through the kitchen door. It was then that Klay, our eldest grand in this family, paused before the door and said, “Now this smells like Mimi and Poppi’s!” We laughed because a garage with two cars, lawn mowers, containers of fuel, and some weeding chemicals isn’t what I thought our house should smell like!

Last night, we were awakened around nine forty-five with this question, “Do you have a key to sissy’s house!” Mimi answered, “Yes. Dad does!” Then the follow-up, “Is he awake?” I heard this answer as I roused awake, “No. He’s asleep. We’ve been in bed for an hour!”

 I answered, “I’m awake now. What do they need?” A minute or two later, I met our visiting daughter at the gate with the key. She kissed me and said, “Thank you, Daddy. We love you!” I was so tempted to say, “Don’t make me…” But I caught myself!! As parents soon learn, “Once a parent, always a parent!” We are there for each other! We take care of each other!

Despite, and perhaps because King Solomon was a flawed man, he can give us advice and wisdom regarding the brevity and meaning of life. In the book of Ecclesiastes, he underscores the importance of the present moment as each of us faces a common destiny in our mortality. Solomon reminds us to enjoy life and seize the day because “no one knows when his or her hour will come.”

Eugene Peterson poetically describes our plight, “Relish life with the spouse (and family) you love each and every day… each day is God’s gift. It’s all you get… make the most of each one! No one can predict misfortune. Like fish caught in a cruel net or birds in a trap, so men and women are caught by accidents evil and sudden.” (Ecclesiastes 9:9,12 The Message).

I know some families in the Texas hill country and locally, in Chatham, that have recently lost loved ones through tragic events. They know what it feels like to be caught in the snare of this fallen world. Their hearts are unimaginably broken with grief and loss. These families would love to get up in the middle of the night to find their young children safely secure in their beds.

How do you prepare for such loss? You can’t. Life is brief and uncertain no matter how much you try to protect your loved ones and meet their every need. What we can do is live each day as fully as possible. Tell everyone about Jesus, love on and be with our kids and grands every time we can. Bless, show, and tell others how they are prized and valued in Christ.

As we “relish life” and continue to be grateful to God for it, may our prayers continue to be with those who are enduring great loss.

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com
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