"Write This Down!"

I have had three interviews in the last two weeks! No, it’s not what you may think. I’m not referring to job interviews. I am officially retired, but as I have often remarked, I live a highly active retirement with several responsibilities, for sure. Some days, I think I have too much on this “retirement plate” with personal, family, and church commitments!

Homework Crash!

Rather, this is about Grandparent’s Day that officially fell on a Sunday this year, September 7th! I did not know that this emphasis existed until a few years ago when my wife, a regular substitute teacher at our local school, began talking about how many seniors were descending, this time every year, upon the school for a grandparent recognition, at the invitation of their grands and classroom teachers.

Klaire, our eight-year-old, was the first to call. She lamented that since I couldn’t fly out to New Mexico for her class program the following week, she had a suggestion, with her mother’s counsel. Could we FaceTime and record an interview with me that would be presented to the whole class? I said, “Yes, of course! Let’s do it!” Then, I thought, once again my grands are making me famous!

A week later, the local grands, Dawson, nine-years-old, and Charlie, eleven-years-old, had a similar suggestion that they interview me and then write it down in a few paragraphs for a class assignment. This is more attention than a doting grandparent, with buttons popping, can manage in such a brief period of time! 😊

The questions on the interview sheet were the same with a couple of exceptions. They wanted to know when I was born, where I grew up, who my childhood friends were, what memories I had, how my childhood was different from theirs, what world event had impacted me as a child, and finally, what advice I would give them!

Here is Charlie’s summary of the interview (with some commas added by his Mimi!) … “Hi, my name is Charlie and today I am going to share with you a few things I learned about my grandpa, which we actually call him Poppi. He was born on April 7, 1951, which makes him 74 years old. Poppi used to play outside with his friends and their favorite game to play was army. They would cut down small trees and build forts and dig holes to hide in. They called them “fox holes.”

“He also rode his bike to a nearby park about 1 mile away. He would watch his uncles play competitive fast-pitch softball. His parents were never worried about his safety. When Poppi was in 7^th grade, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. He remembers hearing the news being played on a black and white TV in his gym. It was the first time he realized bad things happen in our world. I loved hearing some of the stories about his childhood and getting to share them with you guys.”

Israel had a great tradition of memorizing the law and then orally passing it down through the ages. But, there were many occasions when God required the prophets to write down His instructions. The prophet Isaiah writes about how God instructed him, “Go now, write it on a tablet for them, inscribe it on a scroll, that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness.” (Isaiah 30:8).

Habakkuk was similarly instructed, “Then the Lord replied, ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time…’” (Habakkuk 2:2-3). Why is this important? I had a teacher say onetime, “You have never really thought about something until you have written it down.” Writing it down clarifies thought, enables structured actions, creates accountability, and serves as a lasting testimony.

I was flattered and blessed that my grandchildren wanted to hear a little bit about my childhood story. I welcomed Klaire’s last question to me, “What is your advice for me?” The preacher in me kicked in with a little witness to her and her classmates in my reply. “Enjoy each day! Thank God that when He wakes you up, He is giving you a gift in a new day! Do your best and be kind to others!”

I say this a lot these days, “I am optimistic about this next generation!” Yes, we live in a turbulent world full of challenges, but I am still hopeful! I believe and continue to pray that God will raise up this next generation of believers who will serve Him and do an excellent job of leading us forward! Write this down!

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