#339.2 – “Grant, the Sweaty Boy”

“And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” - 2 Timothy 4:18
As parents, there are a few traits that Sarah and I can see in kids as being ones that definitely came from one or the other of us. Ruthie being able to laugh so freely at herself is a Sarah trait. Anna being an aggravator comes from me. Joshua being a stinker… well, once again, comes from me. And another one that comes from me - a physical trait - is Grant’s sweaty self. I can remember being sweaty as a boy – running and playing and having a good time, and coming home looking like I had dipped my head and shoulders and underarms (not quite sure how you could dip underarms, but anyway) in the river. And bless my dear mother’s heart, she never fussed; she just took and washed my nasty clothes for me. Mine weren’t the only nasty clothes in the machine, though. I remember seeing my dad’s work clothes look a lot like mine, usually worse. That’s because he was a ‘sweater’, too. It is a bond that many of us Metcalfe men share: sweat. When we work or play outside on a day like these days lately have been, we are going to sweat. What am I saying? When we just stand out in the sun for a while on days like these, we sweat!
Well, this little sweat gene has definitely been passed onto Grant, who I remember recently was sweating like he had been out in the Sahara on the night of Patrick’s birthday party, when it was 45 degrees outside. We came to the party (which was held here in the youth room) and, after a while, Grant and several of the kids went and played in the gym (which, admittedly was not 45 degrees, but was not that warm either). Of all the kids playing there, Grant was the only one whose head was soaked afterwards. And it’s not because he plays harder, or does anything differently… he’s just sweaty. Period.
This sweat gene links my son indelibly to me, and me to my father. It is something that will never change. It will not go away. Grant’s sweatiness is here to stay… as is mine and my father’s. And so we have somewhat of a permanent bond. But that bond is nothing compared to the bond that God places with us once we come to accept Jesus as our Savior. At that moment of acceptance, He gives us His Holy Spirit to come and live inside of us… to be our forever Friend and companion… to lead and to guide us in His ways. It is truly a permanent bond, because it lasts for all eternity. And it is a bond which should lead to our becoming more and more like Christ as we live for Him and seek Him, thus resulting in an even greater likeness in us to our Lord.

Daniel