Love Lifted Me

By Scott Cernek, HARVEST HILLS CHURCH

On Dec. 2^nd my Grandpa would have been 110 years old if he were still living today. However, Gramps passed away in 1990 at the age of 84. He spent years working every day at the steel mill in Hammond. Gramps was very instrumental in helping my Dad fulfill his dream of becoming a farmer, even when my Dad was in high school. They farmed some land together that my Dad rented with only a little Ford tractor, two bottom plow, a small disc, a cultipacker and a two row planter.  In the fall they were able to borrow a good friend’s tractor and corn picker at harvest.

Later when my Dad returned from the Army with a wife and two small children, he started farming full- time, renting a couple hundred acres to try and make a go of it. Gramps and a couple of my uncles helped him on the weekends and using their two weeks vacation from the Mill.  They used one week in the spring to get the crops in and the other week in the fall for harvest.  My Dad rented a farm near my Grandpa’s house that had a small pasture where Gramps took care of the small Angus beef herd that went into Dad’s farming operation as well.  Gramps helped in every way he could.

I remember one year in the mid 60’s when I was a boy; he bought a brand new Super M tractor with a wide front end and power steering that was kept at the beef farm. The beef farm was owned by some guy named George, so we always called the place George’s. We were pretty creative when it came to naming things. Around that time our family moved to a dairy farm that we rented nearby. The monthly milk check came in handy to help support the crop farming end of things. Those were my first memories of Gramps.  He taught me how to drive that old Ford tractor and the Super M. I got to stay overnight with him and Grandma from time to time.  I would go with him to George’s. Gramps would climb up in a little silo that we filled, and he would pitch silage down the chute into a small wagon that we pulled out into the pasture to feed the beefers. He always let me drive the tractor patiently guiding me alongside the bunk where he would pitch the silage in front of the hungry cattle.

Gramps kept some chickens over at George’s too.  I remember him taking off his hat and covering the hens head while he reached under and scooped up the eggs she was sitting on.  He was pretty funny too, teasing the big tough roosters with his hat as they angrily tried to chase and fight him. I loved sitting by Grampa in church.  He had a nice tenor voice that softly sang those familiar hymns of the faith. One of his favorites is the song written by James Rowe in 1912 entitled, “Love Lifted Me.”  The lyrics go like this.  “I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more; But the Master of the sea heard my despairing cry, From the waters lifted me, now safe am I. Love lifted me! Love lifted me! When nothing else could help, Love lifted me. All my heart to Him I give, ever to Him I’ll cling, In his blessed presence live, ever his praises sing. Love so mighty and so true merits my soul’s best songs; Faithful loving service, too, to Him belongs. Love lifted me! Love lifted me! When nothing else could help, Love lifted me. Souls in danger, look above, Jesus completely saves; He will lift you by His love out of the angry waves; He’s the master of the sea, billows His will obey; He your Savior wants to be, be saved today.”

I would sit close to him, and just listen to him sing.  Life goes by so fast. When my students ask me how old I am, I give them a math problem. This month I get to tell them that I’m half way to 110.  The same age my Grandpa would have been.

Until next week, God bless.