Devotional
Grandpa Al: My Real-Life Noah
Genesis 7:1-5 is a part of Scripture that ties deeply to my emotional connection to my faith and my relationship with my grandfather. Everyone called him Pastor Al – except me. I called him Grandpa Al.
My grandfather developed a deep love for those around him, especially his grandchildren. Just as God created us to be a community, my grandfather created us to be one for others and with others. My grandfather was one for others as an Ark to carry them through rough waters.
My grandfather also was a symbol in my life of not only love and faith, but also of companionship and support. I specifically remember spending a day with him at a Farmers Market in California shortly after my parents got divorced when I was 11 years old. I don’t remember him asking about my feelings much prior to this time because we had a cheerful lighthearted grandpa/grand-daughter relationships.
But Grandpa Al and I talked that whole day. I specifically remember sitting in the parking lot as we got out of the car that day, and he said, “Kate, I know there’s a lot going on, but I hope you know Grandma and I are always here for you, and we love you.”
Life was hard at that time, but deep down inside I had a feeling he was going to carry me through this hard time. With him and with my faith, I never felt alone. That afternoon, we went back to my grandparents’ house, and it was like any other day. I either sat beside my grandpa in his big leather recliner while he watched a Dodgers game or upstairs on the floor of his office beside his chair where I was engulfed by Noah’s Ark figurines covering the bookcases. I felt I was surrounded by millions of stories. No matter where I was with him, I felt carried by his love.
My Grandpa Al had a true affinity with Noah’s Ark. For my whole life, I remember being beside him at church whenever he told the story of Noah’s Ark. It was a tradition my cousins and I had with him. At that part of each service, the seven grandchildren would always sit on stools with him as he told the story. Because Noah listened to God’s instructions and prayed to God, Noah, his family, and the animals were saved by the Ark in the days of massive flood. I realized that this was what my grandfather was doing for me. Grandpa Al was my Ark through my massive flood.
Prayer
My prayer for you.
Allow yourself to be lifted into an Ark by those around you when you need it and allow yourself to lift others into your Ark when you have the strength. Know that God puts you in the place to give and receive as a part of a community that supports each other through these tough times. Amen.
By Katy Parisi, Class of 2022; graduated with a degree in strategic communication and a minor in public and professional writing. In 2023, she earned her MBA from HPU.
