Influence

Written by cycleguy on October 1st, 2012

This past weekend, if you are a reader of my blog, you know I spent it going to a Pirate baseball game.  Details here.   It was especially tough on him since he is a Reds fan, and for the first time he was attending a game away from Great American Ballpark, the Reds home park.  The emphasis was not on the Reds but on the Pirates.  Suffice it to say he had a tough time with that, although we got their early enough that he was able to get a practice ball and have it signed by one of the Reds players, courtesy of a man and his son from Virginia.  I was rewarded with a walk-off HR in the bottom of the 9th by Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates #1 player.  🙂  A real highlight of my weekend was also getting to have lunch (and birthday cake) with two of my three brothers and their families.

We made the long trip home on Sunday and I had planned on writing a post, but found my mind (and my seat) was a little mushy.  I have tried to process some things from the weekend and finally hit on one of them.

I.N.F.L.U.E.N.C.E.

I’ve written about influence before, as I know gazillions of other bloggers have.  But I would like to come at this from a different perspective.   Living four hours away from Braden doesn’t give me much time with him, to influence him.  One of the greatest influences on my life was my late grandfather.  He died at the age of 90 1/2 in 1997.  I could write a book about how he influenced me, especially in spiritual things.  The 3-4 mile walks to church on Wednesday and Friday evenings where we would talk and I would sometimes unload on him about how I felt about my dad.   The joking and teasing that would often embarrass grandma.  The poems he wrote to me, which I still have.  His quiet devotion to the Father.  His leadership in the church, which he took seriously enough to step down from when they started living part of the year in Florida.  The Roman Meal and ketchup sandwiches he made for his meal as a night shift welder at USS.

Makes me wonder what kind of influence I have on Braden.  I missed the boat a number of years ago with my niece due to distance.  I don’t want to miss out on this one.  As he grows up will he be able to look back and know his grandpa loves him and prays for him to love Jesus and be protected?  If Braden is still here and I am gone, will he be able to say, “Thanks Grandpa and I love you.”

This has been asked a gazillion times before, but let’s put a twist on it.  Who in your life would you most like to influence and have those words said to you? 

 

26 Comments so far ↓

  1. Right now it has to be my kids.

  2. Eileen says:

    I agree with, Larry. It’s my son. My mom left an incredible legacy on my life. I want to leave that for my son too.

  3. Jason says:

    Dale and Eli.

    In fact, Dale gave me a really great gift without him realizing it. We were at an event and someone said to Dale “you know your dad really loves you, right?” And Dale, without missing a beat, said “yeah, I know!”

  4. floyd says:

    My kids without question. I also think that maybe you should write that book and pass on in detail the things that this generation is lacking… I think you may have heard this from me before… There’s nothing better than to learn from someone’s else’s real life stories… I guess Christ new that!

  5. I want my children and their children to look back and say I was there for them, that I reminded them of the truth of who they are in Christ and that I made them laugh. Yeah, that’ll work for me.

  6. Susan says:

    My grandchildren. I would like to be to them what my grandmother was to me, a godly, loving, mischievous wonderfully crazy character.

  7. tcavey says:

    You’re question is hard for me to answer. Of course I want to influence my son but my heart is burdened for some lost friends and family. I pray they join the family of God.
    My heart is also burdened for our nation, so I’d like to influence our president and other leaders.
    So I take them to God in prayer.

  8. My world has been rocked now that I’m a dad. I hope to be the type of man that I want them to be. It would be awesome if one day they made decisions by thinking “What would my dad do?”

  9. Desert Jim says:

    I am doing my best to influence my two kids while I still can. I’m not sure if it is proper to say this but I am also an influence on my wife – hopefully to be an encouragement to her. She is an influence on me as well – probably the biggest influence.

    Your grandson is blessed to have you in his life – even if it is not on an everyday basis. I’m sure you are his favorite person!

    • cycleguy says:

      I think it is great that you are influencing Jenna and Joe, but also Cindy. praying he feels the same way DJ (on both counts). 🙂

  10. My kids and then those God has given in our congregation. I want to influence toward His light, love, grace, and truth. I want to be able to say as Paul did, “follow me as I follow Christ.” Thanks Bill.

  11. Daniel says:

    My daughter, of course, but how’s this for a curve ball thought (tagging along on your baseball theme)? My ex-wife. Maybe someday she might come to understand just how hard I tried to love her and support her.

  12. Jan says:

    Well this one made me tear up….I know you are an awesome influence for Braden & for many others! I would say my children & grandchildren, in fact, my grandparents were the biggest molders for me in my young years..I pray every night to be a Godly, loving grandparent. 🙂