The Influence of Ken

Today I post, reflecting on a man I only knew four years. My wife's grandfather Ken. He was a Christian man of many years by the time I met him. He was well into his 80's. Although he was many years my elder, and quiet for the most part, he influenced me more than anyone else to opening my heart to Jesus.

I first met Ken when he and my wife's Grandma Marion came up from the southerntier of Western New York for a visit at my wife's parents house. I was the new guy in my wife's (then girlfriend's) life, and it was the first time meeting family other than my wife's siblings or Mom and Dad. I was very nervous, to say the least.

After going out to greet them with the rest of the family and just meeting them for the very first time, I was given the opportunity to keep him from falling off the steps to the house. The very first thing he said to me after hello was when he turned his head to see why he didn't fall off the porch, he said "Wow you are a tall one aren't you?" Followed by a sincere "Thank You". This was the beginning of a mutual respect between us that lasted until his death in 2006. Ken was a great source of insight on issues that were quite cloudy to me because I was still not saved as of yet. He had a Christian perspective on things that didn't offend you like Christians can sometimes do to the lost. He had such wisdom about things in general.

The most prominant memory I have of him was when my wife and I were engaged still. We went down to stay the weekend with Ken and Marion. I was able to have alot of time to be able to just talk about stuff in general. I really enjoyed talking with him about things. I didn't really even realize until after the conversations that he sprinkled in some Biblical truths. Three days after that visit, I was saved. If you look below at my earlier post "An Autobiography of Me" you can see more on that miraculous event.

Since all of that and the death of Ken back in 2006, we have been able to go and visit a couple of times. The last time we went down to stay with grandma for the weekend, she let me see som of Ken's writings he did over the years. There were so many great writings based on various books of the Bible. It then hit me, Ken WAS the greatest influence that God had used to bring me to Him. It is great to know that my salvation and my wife's salvation are two crowns for Ken in heaven. Who knows how many more he may have. But I do know one thing for sure, Ken was the greatest influence on what I am today and what the Lord is manifesting in me. Good job Ken, good and faithful servant!