Articles
We are All Adopted -- into God's Family by Tom Velie
This
book is dedicated to the memory of Grover Nolan Burns (1907-1994) and
William Alvin Velie (1900-1993). Without them I would not exist. They
are my grandfathers and they continue to live - because I live.
Grover and William (Bill) were quiet, hard-working men who valued
their relationship with God and their families above all else.
Grover was born in the hills of northern Wisconsin and knew
everything there was to know about farming, walking to school in the
snow, playing basketball in the days when 30 points was a high-scoring
game and, most importantly, being a “Grandpa.”
When I was 16 and feeling the call to the ministry, my Pastor asked
me to meet him in church at 7:00 a.m. on a Saturday morning. Visions of
visiting the hospital, where sick would be raised from their deathbeds,
danced through my head as the great day of my entry into the ministry
approached.
Standing in the church foyer to greet us was Grandpa Burns -the
Church janitor (his retirement job). Pastor Tandberg then introduced me
to my new ministry. And…for the next few years I ministered alongside
Mr. Clean, Ajax, Grandpa Burns and a host of other cleaning and
painting supplies. But I wouldn’t trade that experience, and what I
learned during those years, for anything on this earth.
Grandpa Velie’s hometown doesn’t exist anymore, but my Dad walked
with me along the old train tracks several years ago to talk about the
old family. Grandpa Velie grew up on a houseboat with his preacher
father as they traveled up and down the Mississippi River preaching the
gospel.
I have a picture of Grandpa Velie standing in front of a huge sign on the side of the houseboat that simply reads 4JesusRU.
He took my brother and me fishing and camping. We marveled as he
killed a monstrous, life-threatening, and slithering garden snake.
And oh what treasures the little shop in his basement held!
Grinders, tool and die sets, tackle boxes and the list goes on. What a
place for a grandson and a grandfather to share.
They weren’t wealthy and they weren’t well-known.
Grandpa Burns and Grandpa Velie both made tires. Grandpa Burns
sweated for over 40 years in the curing room and Grandpa Velie served
for over 40 years as a machinist.
They never complained about the hard work, they never missed a day of work and they paid their bills.
They both endured the Depression and so, even in retirement, they
continued to save money while living on their small pensions and Social
Security checks.
However, Grandpa Burns always had mints in his pocket and Grandpa
Velie provided us with Black Jack gum. In our young eyes – these were
rich grandpas!
I was born to Eunice Burns and William Thomas Velie and life was grand.
In fact, until my wife, Debbie, and I adopted our two daughters,
Cori and Shaina, earthly adoption was not a part of the Burns or Velie
families. So, you may ask, why have we chosen to work with troubled
children, struggling birthmothers, crying babies and anxious adoptive
parents for the past twenty years? The answer is simple…
Because every child deserves to experience what I experienced
because of my two grandpas. I was loved unconditionally. I never went
to bed hungry. I was never abused—in any way. I was never afraid in my
own home. I wore clean and decent clothes. I was raised to respect the
Pastor, the Sunday school teachers, the public school teachers, the
neighbors, the disabled, the simple, the elders, my parents, and
everyone else in life. I was raised to know that faithful meant
faithful and loyal meant loyal—to your children, to your wife, to your
job and to the Lord.
On the day one of my Grandpas died, he informed his family that it
was payday. Thinking that he meant it was the day his Social Security
check arrived, the family replied, “Yes Daddy, your check comes today.”
When Grandpa said, “No, I mean today IS payday. . . ” they understood. Grandpa knew who he worked for and he loved his Master.
My grandpas taught me that adoption was about being a part of God’s
family. And so…when my Payday comes, I pray that I will stand between
these gentle giants once again, knowing that my work resulted in
happier lives for a few of God’s favorite children…”the adopted.”
I’m thankful to be one of them…
Taken from If Only the Hands that Reach Could Touch (Velie 2005).
Available from New Beginnings by calling 662-842-6752 or email:
Tom@NewBeginningsAdoptions.com
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