“I’m hawd to wesist!”  The little girl works to form the words she has just heard from her Grandpa.  We are in a popular eating establishment and, as I sit at the dinner table next to the adorable tot, it’s a job to keep from touching her golden hair, or tickling just the right spot to trigger her giggle reflex.  She knows it and tells the Lovely Lady that Grandpa is bothering her again.  Forgetting a child’s propensity to repeat interesting words, Grandpa’s reaction was to speak the phrase that she is now calling out repeatedly in a not-too-discreet voice.  The restaurant patrons nearby turn and smile at the cutie, amused at the advanced concept (which she, no doubt does not yet understand).  She certainly seems to enjoy the idea of being “hawd to wesist”, whatever it means.

My mind jumps ahead ten or fifteen years, and I immediately feel sorry for her Dad.  Grandpas that find teasing a beautiful little girl “hawd to wesist” are one thing; teenage boys pursuing a beautiful young lady are quite another.  How quickly the tables are turned!  It seems mere weeks (or was it months?) ago that her Dad was one of those who found my own beautiful little girl impossible to resist and my natural reaction was to protect her, as it is for any father.  All I can say is that the day is coming soon when he will understand his father-in-law a lot better!  I might even be there with him, helping to fight the animals off.  Thankfully, that day is still a long ways in the future and for tonight, I’ll stop borrowing tomorrow’s trouble, and will enjoy showing my affection to all my grandchildren without the need to resist.

There are things, however, that I find “hawd to wesist” which desperately need to be held at arms length.  My doctor will gladly provide you with a list of the foods from which he insists that I should abstain.  My dietary resistance is famously non-existent.  And, as I age, I am starting to find myself with a strong urge to become a recluse, withdrawing from contact with people except when necessary (e.g., Church, work, family meals, etc.).  Since I’m not ready to become a misanthrope yet, I’ll endeavor to keep pushing the Howard Hughes lifestyle aside in favor of a healthier outlook.  I could go on for paragraphs listing the things that snag me up, but you get the picture.  I hope that I’m not the only one with these kinds of problems, nor the only one who gives in again and again, but who realizes that the battle is ongoing and still rises to fight again and again.

Little girls (and boys) need their grandpas to dote on them.  I’ll not be trying to resist the urge to hug them, and praise them, and make them smile.  Strong doses of reality, they can get from their parents.  My job is to not try to resist the irresistible. The practice sessions are frequent and I am becoming quite proficient at this part of my job description.

I’m not so sure if my skills are improving that well in the resistance department for other areas of life.  I guess you could say that school is still in session.  I’ll work at becoming a better student.

“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive His approval.  Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.”
(I Timothy 2:15)

“Don’t tempt me.  I can resist anything but temptation.”
(Bob Hope~American actor and comedian~1903-2003)