My grandfather used to keep a sign hanging on the wall in his home. He had the thing for a looooong time, long time, and it hung just off the side from his desk. That way, I think, it would be easy to see while he was working, obviously by intention. He had a construction business, and like most small businessmen he ran the show out of his own home. As it happened right out of his dining room. I don't know when he got the sign, but I know where it came from and what it was made of.

It was made of pressed coal, from West Virginia. There is a lot of coal in Ohio, it's true, more than in the rest of the United States combined. But there is coal to be found in the rolling hills of West Virginia as well, and maybe that was nostalgic to my grandfather from boyhood days, the same way I will always be fond of my own home state. It's true, if you've ever noticed, that both on my desk at home and on my desk at work I keep a couple buckeyes. I would love to convince my wife to allow me to grow one here in the backyard, but she's not going for it. One of these days, maybe I'll sneak one in...

But back to that sign. It's shaped like an old-fashioned plank sign, with a kind of zig-zag pattern on both ends to give it a rough cut look. It is even textured to look as if it was hewn out of wood, but it's black as coal (duh!) with crudely carved, raised letters painted gold. I can't recall the first time I saw it, but it struck me that it seemed silly I would ever need to heed the words on it. It was there on the wall when I was very small, and when I grew bigger, and even after I went off to college and eventually to Colorado. Whenever I came back to my hometown for a visit, I woild spy it hanging there.

Now, my grandfather happened to be a woodworker. He has built houses, furniture, cabinets, and all sorts of beautiful things. so one day, while we were talking, I was thinking to myself that this guy was getting pretty old, and I would like to have something that I could remember him by. Something special. So I asked him to make me a copy of that sign, thinking perhaps I would spring fpr a chunk of oak, or maybe even walnut for him to work it on. He looks at me funny, and we talk about it a bit, and I think that's all there is to it. But you know what he does, of course. He gives me that sign. Not a copy, but the very sign right off the wall. It's been hanging there so long the wall is brighter behind it (after all, my grandfather lived in that same house for almost 60 years. Who knows how long it had been hanging there!!!) But he pays no mind to that.

Ack! What will the other grandkids say when they find out about this? And I didn't want to take the sign; I just wanted a copy made by his own hands. But he was hearing none of that. For starters, he was retired and it didn't apply so much to him anymore. Besides, he had it so long that if the words didn't stick with him by now, they never would. Finally, he said, none of his own children, let alone any of the grandchildren, had ever asked for a copy of it until now. He entrusted it with me, and honored beyond words I took it, wrapped it gently up, and brought it home.

I hung it at work for a while, but eventually I realized that it was at home that grandpa kept iy, and you know that is where I should have it, too. Somewhere in plain sight. It's not hanging over my desk, but I see it almost every day. And I still think about the words, especially in these days of having a teenage son, who probably needs more of my time now than he did even when he was small. Maybe the words will help you, too.

"A man too busy too pray is busier than God wants him to be"

Thank you, grandpa.

I Kings 20:39-40 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Thy servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shalll thy life be for his life, or else thou shalt pay a talent of silver. And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgement be; thyself has decided it.

II Thessalonians 3:8-13 Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mine and anise and cummin, and ye have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgement, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Numbers 16:3 And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?

I Kings 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.