Stories of Faith 2---My Grandfather Rollie

One person I look forward to being reunited with in Heaven is my Grandfather Rollie.  He was my Dad's Dad and the husband to one of my favorite family members ever---my Grandmother Hazel.  Grandpa Rollie got saved and baptized in a Baptist church with my Grandma Hazel in 1939.  Grandpa Rollie had Parkinson's Disease.  He had snow white hair and was always either in his bed or in his wheel chair. I was close to him in my own way---even though I couldn't understand a single word he said due to the Parkinson's disease.  He enjoyed my Grandma's cooking! He especially loved her corn beef hash!  I remember helping to feed him once! 
Family members including my Grandmother Hazel told me that Grandpa Rollie really loved me!  He was always kind to me, Crystal, and my Mom.  There were times back when i was a ch ild when my Mom needed to borrow their car to get ust o school, and when Grandma Hazel would ask Grandpa Rollie permission he would always say "Yes."  One of funniest things my Grandpa let me do to him was putting Purple moose in his hair!  He was sitting out on the front porch by Grandma!  I think I was 8 or 9 when I did that!  It looked hilarious! 

He also enjoyed riding his wheelchair up and down the front porch! I remember watching him push himself up and down the porch like he was in a race!
There is one story that my family has told me about my Grandfather that has really touched me---that I will treasure the most!  When I was having my grand mal seizure at thea ge of 7, Parkinson's Disease was just getting to my Grandfather.  My Grandfather would have a hard time walking.  So while I was laid out on the couch of Grandma and Grandpa's couch waiting for Aunt Sharon and Uncle Allen to take me to the hospital, Grandpa Rollie got on his hands and knees and crawled to where I was just to hold my hand!  Talk about love!!!!!  This story never ceases to touch me in some way!  Can you imagine loving someone so much that if you couldn't walk, you would crawl on your hands and knees to just be by them and hold their hand?  I can't begin to fathom what it is like to have Parkinson's Disease.  It's one thing to see someone have it but another to actually go through it!  I am so thankful that I had a Grandfather who loved me so much that he would do that for me!  These are the types of things taht testifies to someone being saved and having the love of Christ in them!

Even though I could never understand anything that my Grandpa "said", but looking back I can understand his love for me crystal clear!

My Grandfather Rollie died in August of 1987 when I was 10 years old from Parkinson's Disease!  Talk about a blow to me at that time to have him die. But I do know where he is at---he is in Heaven waiting for me!  I look forward to the day when the rapture happens or death, which ever comes first, where we can be reunited, and when I can have my very first conversation with him--where I will actually get to understand what he is saying! 

I can only hope that I can be the type of Dad and Grandpa (if the Lord tarries) that has such a deep love for his children and grandchildren as my Grandpa Rollie did!  I can only hope and pray!

Do you have a parent, a grand parent, a family member or even a friend that has such a deep love that he would crawl on his hand and knees just to hold your hand?