The Deacon's Bench - November, 2009

My lovely wife Chris and I became grandparents a few weeks ago. Everyone had told me how wonderful it was going to be, but having never experienced it myself, I had been skeptical. Then it happened and all those folks turned out to be right – it’s wonderful! Little Henry is doing just fine and his parents and grandparents are exhilarated too, in ways that are difficult to express fully.

As I held him in my arms at the hospital and sang him “Happy Birthday,” I was reminded of the observation made by the Indian poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindrinath Tagore, who said that “Every newborn child is proof that God has not yet given up on mankind.”

I stared at his perfect little fingers and toes and wondered what life had in store for him. The same thought had gone through my head when each of my own children had been born. Is there a good parent or grandparent who does not wish the choicest blessings of God for his or her offspring?

A few years ago I’d found the quote you see below and used it in a homily. It doesn’t take much deep research to connect every part of it to something Jesus teaches us in Scripture. Afterwards, several folks wanted a copy of it. The message seems as fresh and relevant now as it did back then. Take a look and see if you agree. Somewhere within are hints on how you and I can be the channel of God’s choicest blessings to our children and grandchildren:

Children Learn What They Live

Deacon Tim’s Thanksgiving Surprise Recipe
(courtesy of Irma Bombeck)
Irma’s first Thanksgiving turkey dinner after she got married went something like this:
1. Obtain 25 pound turkey;
2. Clean out all the visibly weird stuff, but don’t spend a lot of time on it.
3. Put the turkey in the oven and cook at 150⁰ for twenty-seven minutes. Serve.

What happens next: In Irma's case, after a few moments of exceptionally uneasy silence, her mother-in-law turned to her and said “Honey, you aren’t pretty enough to cook like this.”

Your results may differ. No matter – everyone will quickly decide on a local restaurant and end the day well fed. It’s as simple as “1, 2, 3.”