Great Grand-Kids

Last night Julian Atticus Cartwright, our great-grandson, came for a short visit with us old folks. We enjoyed him so much. I think the highlight of my joy was when he peed in his diaper and all I had to do was hand him to his Mother. But, I thought, she isn't big enough to have to be taking care of a kid. She's our grand-daughter - after all! I could hardly believe the speed and efficiency of this grand-daughter. She's just a child herself at only 24 years old. Oh My!

Then I remembered that at 18 years of age I was carrying a .45 Colt hand-gun and an M1 Garand rifle, protecting the people of the United States. It's too scary to remember - but I was actually marching up and down the docks of New Orleans in one of the most dangerous areas of the city (Canal Street, near the French Quarter); sometimes from 4:00p til midnight; sometimes from midnight to 8:00a in the mornings when I was younger than this grand-daughter. Was I afraid? Not most of the time. After all, I was fully armed ... and had been trained for three months (13 weeks) at Cape May, NJ, how to tie 18 different knots - how to swim with a ten pound weight in one hand - how to climb a rope 20 feet in the air - and yes, how to shoot. But looking back - I shudder!

I did have a few dangerous events happen. One of which was the time I had to disembark from a "rust-bucket" and the Captain refused to give me a Jacob's ladder. The ship had emptied it's load and was now sitting high in the water. The 40 foot Coast Guard patrol boat pulled up under the gang-plank (which was already hoisted and ready to sail). I crawled down under the gang-plank to drop onto the bow of the boat...but just as I loosed my feet and was hanging with my hands under the gang-plank, the boatswain lost his position because the ship was moving. He yelled, "Hang On Brannen!" I yelled back, "What do you think I'm doing?" When he did pull alongside again, I dropped onto the boat, knocking the boatswain's mate against the machine gun mount and nearly killing us both. We were both as pale as a sheet, but laughing. I laugh now. But I was scared silly at the time.

This gives me pause to wonder. Will my great grandson grow up into a man who is ready to fight for his country? What perils lie ahead of him? And my great-grand-daughter? (I should say great-grandsons and great-grand-daughters.) What can I do for them to prepare them for the future? I know of nothing better than to pray for them and to teach them the principles I found in the Bible (especially the King James Version) for as long as I am able! Go ahead. (Snicker. Snicker.) I laughed too at my KJV statement - but that's what I grew up on and that's just what came out.

Now don't get me wrong. I know that the KJV was not the Bible used by Paul and Silas. And I know it's not the only one around - and I know there are passages in it that are hard to understand. However, as Samuel Clemens a.k.a. "Mark Twain" said, "It's not those passages that I don't understand (in the KJV) which trouble me. It's those passage that I do understand that trouble me." I've used and still use many other versions. In fact I have the Bible in Kiswahili. I have the Bible in Spanish. I can read a little from them. They are not KJV's. They are inspired. They give God's words to frail human beings. Not everyone could read the KJV because they do not understand English. It's funny - we know these things - still I recently saw a billboard near here where a new church was being organized which read: "If it ain't King James - 1611 - It ain't Bible". So - children and grand-children and great-grand-children, here is some advice from your Pop-paw: Read and study the Bible. Read whatever version you wish. When and if there is a passage in one of your translations that does not agree with the KJV, then go back and seek once again to understand it. God's word is right. He will not contradict himself. He loves you. He loves all men and women of every tribe and nation and desires for them to repent, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved.