I have six grandchildren, and I love them all. They are all unique in their own ways. But I was especially excited about the birth of our sixth grandchild last November. Her name is Grace Louise, and she is the little girl born to my daughter, Sarah, and her husband, Austin. Sarah is the oldest child born to my late wife, Cindy and myself. It is their first child, and her middle name carries on an old family tradition. Not only is Sarah’s middle name Louise, but it also is her Mother, Cindy’s middle name, and her mother and her mother. There are five generations of women named Louise from Cindy’s side of the family. Even though Cindy has been gone for over 23 years now, I know how proud she would be to see that name carried forward. It seems to me that continuing a name for future generations is not only a way to honor those who have passed from our sight, but it’s a way of acknowledging the love that a family passes on through the years, even as one generation after another slip away. It connects us to those we love.
When we read Matthew’s opening chapter, we see Jesus’ genealogy. He is connected to the greatest king of Israel, David, and before that, we learn He is a part of the patriarchs of the Hebrew faith, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God’s love for us is steadfast… it is eternal. It crosses the spectrum of all ages and all humanity. We are all connected in the human family, and God’s love for all is revealed there. I am reminded of that when I look at Grace Louise, and I know how much God loves this little child and her mother, Sarah, and her mother, Cindy, and so on.
I also believe God helps redeem our saddest days and turns them to joy over time. One of my most difficult memories is the day Cindy died in 2000 and seeing Sarah, then seven, grieving over the loss of her Mom. I think that pain never completely goes away, but on November 4, 2023, the sting of death was replaced by the welcoming of new life. Sarah will never forget her Mom, but she will always cherish being a new mother to Grace Louise. Because God loves us so much, He takes the pain that breaks our hearts and redeems it with new life. Easter symbolizes the new life we receive when death once and for all is canceled in the empty tomb.
Rev. Dave Poteet, Pastor of Congregational Care
