Pappaw's Shirt
(From April 2004)

I have an old well worn tee shirt with polar bears dancing on an ice floe.
They're dancing arm in arm, on the front of the shirt, with a rear view
on the back. I wore it with my cut off jeans and Mickey Mouse Top hat
one New Year's Eve at Disney World, as we watched 'Huey Lewis and 
the News' sing. As we walked through the crowd, we found our image 
on the Jumbo-Tron TV screens. I was told I looked like Santa on 
vacation. 

Even though it's huge on them, Dillon and now Madison, have always 
worn this shirt as a night shirt when they spend the night. I've always 
made a game of hiding it, so they can find it. Of course mammaw Carol 
is always in on it, so it won't be impossible to find. Pappaw's shirt has 
become one of those special things grandkids expect when they come 
to visit. We have our other 'special' things too. Madison wants to help 
make popcorn or cookies, while Dillon is quite the expert at cooking 
scrambled eggs. Pappaw is expected to cook the bacon for breakfast. 

These kinds of things help to let these kids know they belong...that our 
home is their home. There's something special in that game with the 
shirt. I protest that it's mine, they laugh and tell me it's theirs for the 
night. There's another shirt (with a bear), for whoever doesn't get the 
Polar bears. I keep hiding them, they keep finding them. They may or 
may not know that I hide them where I know they'll find them. 

Our Father has hidden gifts for us too. He's put signs and reminders all
around us. He's hidden His word in our hearts. His love is openly given
and grace is abundant in His care for us. We may feel disgust and the
shame of our failures and sin, yet in His love and grace, He makes us 
clean. He makes sure we can find everything we need, if we but look. 
His word brings comfort and hope to the suffering and hopeless. He's
provided a way for us to come to Him in the filth of our sin an depravity.
Just as Pappaw's shirt is hidden where it can be found, God's grace is
where we can reach it whenever we need to. Our search should begin 
with prayer. That's how we find Him and His love. He's waiting....
-------------------------------------------------------

Father, I love You.  Your love, fits better than an oversized shirt.  Your 
grace is softer and Your forgiveness makes me warm, when I feel the
cold of my sin. In Jesus, I wear Your warm love, grace and forgiveness. 
As I 'put on Christ', I feel a love so strong, I can't find a beginning...the 
end is nowhere in sight.  I know I belong.  I'm Home in Christ Jesus. 
Please forgive my sins, as I forgive other sinners. Fill me with Your  
grace, so much so, that I must give some of it to others.  
In Jesus' name I pray....
Amen. 

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who 
were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is 
neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all 
one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's 
seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:26-29 NIV 

Steve ____________






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© Steven Green 2004
www.pappawsthoughts.com 
 ® 2004