HOW JAMES GREW

There were only about five miles left to Grandpa's house, and even though James was anxious to see his grandparents, he wished there were fifty miles left to go. Not so with his younger brother and sister, Joe and Kathy. They talked so excitedly that Mom finally put a finger in each of her ears.

"I can't wait for Gramp to measure me," said Joe. "I bet I've grown five inches."

"Me, too," giggled Kathy.

James closed his eyes and leaned his curly blond head back against the seat. He hated the measuring procedure that Gramp always insisted on the minute they arrived. All I grow is around the middle, he thought. He wished there might be some way of getting out of being measured, but he knew that was impossible. The notches that showed their growth each year were on the back porch door which led into the kitchen, and Gramp always insisted on getting the measuring done when they went through the door. The ceremony was always the same, and every year there were the same remarks: "Everyone shoots up tall except James."

"But he makes it up by growing around the middle," Gramp usually added with a fond pat on James' plump stomach. Then from the rest of the family there would follow a few jolly remarks about his love for peanut butter, chocolate chip cookies, and blueberry pie.

No one ever knew that this conversation hurt his feelings and in a way spoiled his arrival at the farm he loved to visit. This was because James never answered back, but always managed to come through with a laugh; only this year it was different. His brother and sister, who were eight and nine, were actually taller than he at the age of ten. Being measured this summer would really hurt.

"There's the house," shrieked Kathy.

"There's Gram," called out Joe.

James peered ahead and his heart sank. Gramp was just coming out of the house, too, and as they drew nearer the lovely white farm house with its red shutters, he could see that Gramp had a big grin on his face and the yardstick in his hand. There would be no way of getting out of the measuring ceremony.

"Look at those black clouds," spoke up Mom suddenly. "We have been so excited we haven't even noticed them."

Hardly had she spoken when there came a clap of thunder.

"There's going to be a real storm all right," said Dad as they drove up the driveway. "Roll up the windows. We'll have to get the luggage right in. I had hoped I might sit down and rest awhile. I'm really tired."

James knew his dad was tired, for it had been a very long trip from Danbury, Connecticut, way up to Lancaster, New Hampshire. Besides, Dad hadn't been very well through the winter, and this was to be a much-needed vacation. Suddenly James thought of the Scripture verse he had learned the previous Sunday at Bible school, "Bear ye one another's burdens."

"You go along inside, Dad," he spoke up quickly. "I'd like to manage the suitcases myself."

James was the first one out of the car, and after a quick kiss from Gram and Gramp, Dad handed him the key to the trunk, and he attended to the luggage while the rest of the family hurried inside. He did notice however, that Gramp wasn't going to be cheated out of his measuring time. Out of the corner of his eye as he hustled the baggage in the side door he noticed him lining up Joe and Kathy at the back door, and as he got the last suitcase in the house Gramp was notching Kathy's measurement with his jackknife. But fortunately for James, at that moment the storm changed from a sprinkle into a deluge, and there was nothing said about James getting measured. Maybe Gramp will forget it, James thought as he brushed raindrops from his blue jeans and red jersey.

Gram had the table all set, and the family soon sat happily down to a cozy meal at the round dining room table which was placed in front of a large picture window overlooking the front yard with the Kilkenny range of mountains beyond.

"Looks like some of the branches are falling off the trees," said Gramp. "I think the yard is going to be a mess."

Again the verse came into James' mind: "Bear ye one another's burdens." "Don't worry Gramp," he spoke up quickly, "I'll go out right after the storm and pick everything up for you."

My how good Gram's supper tasted! There was fried chicken, mashed potato, hot biscuits, and fresh tomatoes from the garden. James' mouth watered, too, over the luscious blueberry pie.

"One piece left," said Gram, after all had been served. "Which one will have seconds?"

James longed for a second piece, but he saw Kathy's wistful expression, and knowing that blueberry pie was her very favorite dessert, he said, "I think Kathy should have it. Besides, I'm fat enough."

"What do you know?" said Gramp snapping his thumb and finger. "I almost forgot to measure James. How about us going right out now and getting the job done? I'd feel bad if I didn't have a record of your height every single year. I haven't missed a year since James was two years old." James' heart sank, but Gram, looking lovingly over at him, said something that made him flush with happiness.

"I don't think we need to do that this year," she said. "James has grown in a way that it would be impossible to measure "

The rest of the family looked wonderingly over at her. What could she mean? She must be wrong because everyone knew that except possibly for an inch or two he hadn't grown much taller than he had been the previous summer.

"I'm right," insisted Gram. We don t need a yardstick to see James' growth. In fact, we couldn't measure it, because his expansion is in his heart--just the place where God wants all of His children to grow." Then she went on to mention the love and thoughtfulness she had already seen in him. She spoke of how he had lugged in the baggage because he knew his dad was tired. She told of his consideration for Gramp when he had offered to pick up the sticks after the storm. "And just now," she continued, "he even gave up a piece of blueberry pie because he knew how much Kathy loved it.

"I see what you mean," nodded Gramp. "That' s growing in the love of God. Guess we haven't any way of measuring that."

"But God has," said Gram, "and that's the way He wants all of His children to grow."