o Master let me walk with Thee

i thought a lot about my grandpas this morning
i was playing my piano, and came across the song that my grandpa klassen asked me to have sung at his funeral
i can remember that morning very clearly. my grandma and i spoke on the phone, and she told me that grandpa would like me to come over. seeing as we lived next door to one another i came over right away. grandpa was sitting in the gazebo that my dad and uncles made for him a few years before. he was sitting in a reclining chair, and wasn't drinking anything, even though it was quite warm out.

i went in and greeted him, with a hug and a kiss on the cheek (which was not a normal thing a few years before that, not that grandpa wasn't affectionate, it was just different). i brought my camera that day and took a picture of my grandpa and myself, one that i have cherished many times since that day. grandpa had a hymnal on his lap and he said to me "ashley, i want you to help me choose the songs for my funeral, and i would like you to sing a song as well" i said "grandpa, lets not talk about that, we don't need to" and he said "this is going to happen, so i would like you to help me prepare it"

so for the next hour, grandpa and i talked, and looked through the hymnal and talked more and talked more about how to represent what God was to grandpa

my grandpa was a very genuine and pleasant man. he was kind and hard working. and he was faithful to God, and knew God to be faithful to him. this morning i sang through a song that Grandpa chose. the song after that (in my binder) was a song that reminds me of my poppa (grandpa thomas). i'm not sure if it's because he liked it a lot, or because when i sing it, i can hear his voice singing it out. it was a special morning for me today.

here are 2 verses from the song my grandpa klassen chose (o master, let me walk with thee), and a verse from the song that reminds me of my poppa (the old rugged cross)

teach me Thy patience! still with Thee in closer, dearer company.
In work that keeps faith sweet and strong,
in trust that triumphs over wrong.

in hope that send a shining ray far down the future's broadening way.
in peace that only Thou canst give,
with Thee, O Master, let me live.

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to the old rugged cross I will ever be true,
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then He'll call me some day to my home far away
where His glory forever I'll share