G'pa McCallum

G'pa McC
Originally uploaded by ragamuffin.

This is one of the later photos of my maternal grandfather, Stanley McCallum. He was a minister, a poet, and a shepherd to the "Little Flock" (Luke 12:32). He lived his life honorably and well and was an example to all of us children.

Unfortunately, at the time this photo was taken he'd developed Alzheimer's Disease, losing almost all, if not all, of what he'd been, intellectually. One thing I've always sorrowed over is I have no memory of him before he became lost in the mists of Alzheimers. All I knew of him from before that time was what those whom he'd helped, who loved and admired him, could tell me. Thankfully, these persons numbered in the hundreds, if not thousands.

One of my sweetest memories of Grandpa was the Lord's Day morning after Grandma died. He stood up (at this time, due to Alzheimer's Disease, he was unable to read) and began quoting the hymn, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross". By the time he got to the words,

"Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an off'ring far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all!"

he was in tears, as were we all! He seemed so dazed and lost without Grandma, yet for those short moments, he struggled through that dreadful, wasting illness and spoke his heart, with all it's sorrow and loss, through that hymn. I've always been thankful for God's grace in allowing him to overcome his illness during those sweet sorrow-filled moments.

From my brother, Dan's, family photo website.