Guest Writer | Jessi Phinney
Few people will likely have the impact on me that my Grandpa & Grandma Ver Steeg did. They blessed their children (my mother) & grandchildren with endless riches. And it didn’t come in the form of currency. What they gave us, no money on this earth could buy. They embraced my father, their son-in-law, as their own & poured their love into his heart. They were willingly used by God to bring healing into my dad’s broken places. Though perfected in Christ Jesus, they (like all of us) did not live perfectly. They did, however, exemplify what many who profess to know God do not. You would know Carl & Driscilla Ver Steeg by their love. First, their love for the Lord Jesus Christ; secondly, their 50 years of loving each other as husband & wife; thirdly, the undying devotion & godly support for their children; and last, but not least, they made us granddaughters feel like we were the apple(s) of their eye(s).
Family was their favorite pastime.
Sitting around their table was a memory filled with stories, laughter, prayer, & Dutch bakery treats! Whoever walked into their home was welcomed with hospitality that could only come from an overflow of their love for God. I miss them, ache for them, & am so thankful that Heaven is our eternal home. The best in life is yet to come & I’ll be with them always. My heart will always hold them near. I’ll forever be grateful that they poured Jesus out & left me a rich family legacy. I presently enjoy this same legacy with my own father & mother, longing to always share it with my own family at every gathering around our table.
I contemplated this legacy
of love, again, when we moved into our present home 6 years ago. We sorted, gave away, packed, & finally unpacked, all over a period of months. This process again unearthed more of my grandparent’s “treasures” & brought memories afresh to the forefront of my mind. As a result, the Lord gave me this poem in honor of Grandpa & Grandma’s dedication to family. Permit me to share it with you. Life is a whirlwind these days. Relationships take a lot of time & work. But I want to encourage you to actively engage in family times & traditions. Allow God’s love, through the indwelling life of Christ, to touch the hearts of those around you. The smallest acts of Spirit-led kindnesses…setting a table for tea, going through photo albums, hugging a child, writing a card & mailing it, doing dishes for a tired mom, washing the car for your spouse or dad etc…can forever change a life. I know. It did mine.
Happy Grandparent’s Day! Cherish the generations before you.
Memories in the Attic
©2019 | Jess Phinney
Memories in the attic
A place I long to be
Tip toe up the stairs, push the creaky door
Endless delight there to see
Memories in the attic
Where fun & games are waiting
Puzzle pieces of heritage
Stories on Grandma’s lap & Grandpa’s knee
Memories in the attic
An important place to me
A treasure of tales to tell
Three faces filled with glee
Memories in the attic
A painful place to breathe
Death came to the treasure keepers
It’s time to pass the Key
Come brush the dust away
Favored things chosen before we leave
Recall the glory His life poured out
A legacy of Hope & Love to cleave
Memories in the attic
More than just things
Unfolding history
Discovering my family song
