Genetic-Links

I'm driving the other day to church early Sunday morning. It's a 30min. commute into the country. Quad espresso in my right hand, no radio on, foggy country roads and silence.

I'm off this particular Sunday but wanted to go and work with my adult volunteer team, work with my volunteer audio techs and then go watch and play two worship sets with my childrens worship team made up of middleschool and highschool kids. So great to see "change" and growth in people. Then i happen to look down at my left shirt sleeve. There it was... the photo posted above. (I took it while driving. oops...) It's a vintage cuff link from 1954 in silver. My right sleeve had a gold one from the 30's. I love to mix and match!

So what about the 54. Well, I've had this cuff link since 1973 and it was my mothers fathers. Don Tuttle. What a great tenor he was. I found out after he died that he loved bull dogs and fly fishing. (both of which I love) incredible.

But he spent most his life teaching and directing after giving up performing. I only have old records and tapes of some of his stuff, and a few photos. I did get a few voice lessons, the few times I was with him, when he came to town to visit. Always felt a kind of kindred spirit. He passed when I was in 10th grade. Remember that day well.

Here's one of the few photos of him I have. Looks like the 50's to me.

Well I did get some of his genes and hair line at that time of life. lol.

So back to the cuff links. I've worn them 100's of times over the years when I entertained 6 nights a week. Then I noticed the other morning staring at that link, that i was 54 years old - wearing one of my grandfathers cuff links with 54 on it.

He was a lifetime teacher and here I was driving up on a day off to mentor and teach and oversee musicians. Kinda got to me a bit. I stared at that cuff link while driving, thanking him for the legacy of his life to me, and that I'm able in my own small way to let it live on. So in the same way i think of my children. What kind of little things will I leave them to remember me by. What connection points. What words or phrases. Will they be positive or will my personal unknown negatives help them to find the positives for themselves. Will I see my grandfather in eternity? Honestly... I have no idea. Sure hope so. I had accepted Christ the year he passed and never got to have those conversations. I know I'll see my kids for eternity, the greatest promise as a mortal parent.

I do wish I had Don's old bamboo fly rods and fishing stuff. Wish I had a photo of his old bull dog. I do have his piano and one of his ivory directing batons from the 50's. That I cherish. But the one old silver cuff link discovered in a new way on a cold foggy winter morning in my 54th year. Priceless.