Many of you know that my Grandad, Mike Wade, got me into model railroading. He had a huge train layout upstairs, and I spent many moments of my childhood sitting on a red padded stool, watching his collection of Lionel Toy Trains race along the tracks and fabricated railyard. It seemed that every time I visited, he had an additional “toy” for us to try out; thus, the rail journeys never ended. He even had an engineer hat decorated with various pins from the train shows he had attended. I loved to wear that hat as I watched the trains go around the layout, though it was too big on my little head!
As I got older, and my grandfather got older, my role shifted from mere spectator to active worker on his miniature railroad. I was a tracklayer, engine cleaner, electrician, and all-around handyman, able to crawl around, under, and over to places he could no longer reach. My visits turned from sitting and watching to working and talking. The conversations we had while we were knee-deep in some mess of wires or a contorted mess of track were cherished moments. My favorite set of all time was a beautiful streamlined train set called the Daylight Special. It was a steam engine and five lighted passenger cars painted with a beautiful orange, white, and black color scheme. It was based on a real engine and passenger train that was originally known as the Daylight Limited. It was a passenger train on the Southern Pacific Railroad that operated between Los Angeles and San Francisco, California. Whenever I visited my grandfather, this was the train I wanted to run!
But one day, in my late teens, I showed up for one of my regular visits and noticed that the Daylight Set was no longer on the shelf. I asked where it was, and my Grandad simply replied, “Oh, I sold that a long time ago.” I was truly disappointed in that moment, as I thought that he would eventually pass that set along to me! As I got older, and a little spiritually wiser, I began to realize that my time with my grandfather was not to gain anything in return; it was to connect and share in fellowship with this man whom I deeply loved and admired. My time with my grandfather turned into honest bonding, no strings attached. And our relationship grew and strengthened with each passing visit.
The Bible tells us that we are to work in the service of the Lord, not because of what we earn in the end, but because the Lord is worthy of our labor. There is a commonly quoted scripture that says, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing “ (Matthew 6:3). Jesus is calling upon his followers to work, give, and serve charitably without concern for what is offered in return. Thus, the act of service is honest and pure, just like the moments I was able to spend with Grandad.
At Christmas 2022, one year after my Grandfather went to be with our Lord, my dad brought down a large cardboard box from the attic. It had, written on the sides in black marker, “Michael, Christmas 2022.” A note was attached to the box, written in my Grandad’s handwriting. It stated, “Merry Christmas, Michael. I have enclosed in this box the Daylight Trainset that was always your favorite. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed watching you run it. Love, Grandad.” He hadn’t sold the set; instead, he boxed it up years before his passing and made sure it would be passed on to his grandson as a Christmas gift. One last moment of sharing with my grandfather, Mike Wade.
This past Saturday, my 14-month-old son, Shepherd Wade (named in memory of his great-grandad), sat on the same red stool I had sat on for all those years and pointed, making train noises as the orange, white, and black daylight train set raced around the tracks. My daughter, Shiloh Grace, stood next to him and watched the train speed around as well, as they both enjoyed a Saturday afternoon with Dad. How little they could know what joy it brings as I turn on the throttle, blow the whistle, and watch their faces and smiles. Just as my grandfather looked down and watched me sitting on that same stool for all those years.
Thank you, Jesus, for honest relationships and true fellowship; as such love develops in the bonds of such connection, it gives us a glimpse into the Kingdom of God.
Oh, and Grandad, the engineer’s hat finally fits me, but Shepherd & Shiloh usually wear it these days.
Pastor Mike McVey
Minister – First United Methodist Church, Fairfield, TX
Chaplain – Texas Game Wardens, Freestone County
Cell: 919-935-2513
Email: pastormike@fumcfairfield.org
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20
“Semper Paratus” – Always Ready
