Letters From Grandpa #503

• LETTERS FROM GRANDPA
• 503

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will be about “marriage”, “Christianity”, and a “great athlete” named Bonnie Richardson. Bonnie was born September 9, 1990. She is the youngest of three daughters born to Madelynn and Jack Richardson. She went to school in Rochelle, Texas - population 162. This tiny town features a school, a Baptist Church, a post office, a volunteer fire department, Linda’s Hair Hut, and two water tanks. No! There is not a stop light in Rochelle. Rochelle’s high school only had 58 students, and Bonnie Richardson was the valedictorian of her graduating class.

Bonnie trained for the state track meet on a dirt track filled with rocks, weeds, red-ant mounds, and car ruts. In 2008 she was the only athlete from Rochelle that qualified for the state track meet. Even though she had no training for the long jump, she jumped 18 feet and 7 inches and won a silver medal earning 8 points. (Remarkably, she came within a quarter of an inch in winning the gold) Again, with no formal training, she placed third in throwing the discus with a throw of 121 feet and earned 6 more points. She won gold, in the high jump by clearing 5 feet and 5 inches and earned 10 more points. She came in second in the 100 yard dash (losing by only .01 of a second). She earned 8 more points, however, which gave her a total of 32. Her last event was the 200 yard dash which Bonnie ran in 25.03 giving her the gold medal and 10 more points for a total of 42 points. In the 105 year history of Rochelle High School they had never won anything but Bonnie was about to win the state meet all by herself. Coach Dennis, however, was concerned about the 1,600 meter relay. Bonnie could not compete in this event by herself, and the points awarded in the relay were double those of individual events. Incredibly, however, Bonnie’s point count of 42 remained at the top and this single freckle faced girl from the tiny town of Rochelle had defeated every high school in Texas in her category.

It is important to remember that the points earned by the athletes are credited to the school. And not to the individual athletes. Most schools have several athletes winning points, but Bonnie was the only athlete from Rochelle High School. With 42 points, however, Bonnie defeated every school in Texas all by herself!

Bonnie was honored as citizen of the year in Rochelle, and the preacher embarrassed her in church on Sunday by having her stand while the choir sang these words to the tune of My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean: “Our Bonnie resides in Rochelle. Academically she does excel. Our Bonnie flies over the racetrack And her jumps are both long and high In discus our Bonnie throws long ones Our Bonnie is our shining star … Bonnie, oh Bonnie, we are so proud of you—of youu-ooo-ooo”

Incredibly, Bonnie won the state title again in 2009 prompting ESPN to say “High Schooler Captures Title By Herself – June 7, 2009 – Bonnie Richardson won the class A girl’s team state title for the second straight year Saturday.”

Bonnie earned and deserved her reputation as an outstanding athlete and went to Texas A & M on an athletic scholarship. Now let’s talk about marriage. It was by participating in athletics that Bonnie met Nick who now is her husband. There is, of course, a dramatic difference between “earning” a medal in athletics and getting married. In athletics you perform “first”, and then are rewarded. This is not like marriage at all. Nick promised in advance to love, honor, and provide for Bonnie before she proved anything about what kind of a wife she would be. Marriage is based upon love and not a record of accomplishments. The traditional marriage vows are “for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, until death do us part.” In athletics if you get sick

or cannot adequately perform, you are taken off the team. In marriage you pledge your love to someone regardless of their ability to perform.

CHRISTIANITY IS LIKE MARRIAGE AND THE CHURCH IS THE BRIDE OF CHRIST!

One of the greatest miracles of all time is that Jesus loves us and wants us to be His bride. In this regard please consider these poignant words of Marian Philips Platig from the August 1965 Christian Herald: “Surely no man can offer a woman a greater compliment than to ask her to become the companion of his life. And this is the compliment that God in Christ bestows on each of His human creatures. Out of all the beings he created, or might ever create, he has chosen us. Out of all the magnificent angels He might have kept company with, He has chosen to settle down in the give and take of marriage, with this creature called man. This Lilliputian who actually thinks that because he can build a computer, orbit his tiny planet, and write a symphony, that he can thumb his nose at Almighty God. This man, who in his female counterpart wastes time instead of using it, while less than 15 miles away children lie in squalid beds with no good night kiss except the possibility of a rat bite. This man, who will shut his ears to the screams of Jewish children and do nothing until his own nation’s installations are attacked. We are lazy, dull, insignificant, self seeking and trivial. Why should the Creator of the unimaginable vastness of the universe, the Originator of the incredible complexity of a molecule, the Source of all that is perfect and beautiful – why should He look upon this vain creature and offer his Name, His honor, and His support forever? I do not know why. This is the mystery of the Christian Faith.”

It is obvious that we do not earn or deserve the right to be the bride of Christ - “For when we were without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

Even though we are sinners saved by grace, Jesus still loves us and wants us to be his Bride! “This is the mystery of the Christian faith”. Jesus loves you in spite of your sin! Please do not say “no” to Jesus!

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce