A new favorite book!

I received today a gift from my grandfather.

He died in 1969.

But, among my mother's possessions

was a book

he had inscribed to me on

March, 13, 1958.

To: Bonnie Elise Smith

From: Grandpa.

What can I say?

Except what a sweet gift from a man I barely knew for 10 short years.

My grandpa farmed the red dirt clay of Georgia.

He rode me around in his blue pickup truck

and taught this little city girl a little about the land and farming.

I tromped the woods with him, learned about gathering sap from pine trees that would be turned into turpentine. We fed cows, picked blackberries and black-eyed-susans, tromped in the creek.

We saw the log cabin that my great-grandfather built.

We went to town (about 12 miles) on Saturdays to go to the store

and to get the mail.

He ordered his clothes from Sears and Roebuck catalog.

I only ever remember him wearing denim overalls.

 I always sat at his right hand at the table with he and the farm hands while we ate the delicious food that my grandmother had cooked.

She was always, cooking.

My grandmother had 7 dresses, one for each day of the week,

I am sure that was quite extravagant for her time and place.

I have pie safe just like hers. It's not hers but it is a reminder of her. 

My grandfather came to the big city to see us once.

It was so strange to see him in city clothes and so seemingly out of place.

I have a picture of him sitting on our sofa and it just seems so odd to me.

I knew him as only a farmer, a man of the land.

My grandfather left me a spiritual book which

has even more meaning.

The farmer

gave me a book

about the carpenter.

So at Christmas, once again,

it is about the Father's love for us

to send His Son Jesus,

and my grandfather's love for me

and passing his love along.