A LEGACY OF LIVING FAITH

I remember one of the most memorable times with my oldest grandson, Ben.  He was seven years old, when we as a family were vacationing together on a lake in New Hampshire.

 This particular morning, Ben was up with the sun, heading down to the wharf with his fishing net in hand. He was looking for minnows as bait to fish with his father later. I saw this little guy and thought “I wonder if his parents know he is up?’  I dressed quickly and headed for the wharf. 

What a sad, dejected little face.  Wanting to appear upbeat, I called out hopefully, “Any luck, Ben?"

“No, Mom-Mom” he moped. I haven’t caught a thing and daddy and I want to go fishing.”

The story of Jesus’s disciples and their trouble fishing quickly came to mind.  This was an opportunity to show Ben that living faith is more than stories from past history—Jesus is alive and relevant to our lives today.

Hoping to encourage him in his own budding faith, I began, “Ben, remember the time when Jesus came upon his disciples trying to fish, just like you?  They had been fishing all night but hadn’t caught a thing.  When Jesus saw them struggling with their empty net, what did he tell the disciples to do?”

Ben perked up.  "Jesus told them to cast their net on the other side of the boat, and they would catch some fish.”

“That’s exactly right, Ben.”

“”Mom-Mom, do you think Jesus will do the same for me?”

“I bet he would Ben, if we ask Him.  He loves to provide for His people, but we are the ones who neglect to ask Him for help when we should.”

Without a word, Ben bowed his head and prayed, “Jesus,  please bring some minnows , like you did for your disciples, so daddy and I can go fishing?’

It was a simple prayer.  I agreed with him, and then we waited.  Ben ran to the other side of the wharf, just like the disciples had done, and dipped his net quickly into the water.

Holding my breath, I cautioned for Ben’s sake, “We must be patient and wait for the Lord.  He doesn’t always answer our prayers in the way that we expect Him to, but He will answer in His time.”

To our utter amazement, the Lord released a whole school of minnows from under the wharf.  Ben’s fishing net was quickly filled—more than enough to fish for the whole day!

“WOW, Mom-Mom!” exclaimed Ben in wonder.  “Did you see that!!” There must be thousands of minnows.  Jesus heard my prayer!” What a joy it was, for this grandmother, to witness the faith of a child. I thought I was planting a seed in him, but the experience  was an encouragement to my faith, too 

GRANDMOTHERS HAVE A WAY

When I was a high school senior,  a certain young man pursued me with intentions of marriage.  I knew my parents disapproved of the early marriage, and in their minds, there was nothing more to discuss.  Looking for an understanding ear, I turned to my grandmother.  I knew she would listen benevolently to me.  She, herself had married my grandfather at the youthful age of eighteen--and for forty years, they had a successful and happy marriage.

As I anticipated, Ginnah, (her affectionate name) did listen patiently while I presented my case, and then she shot one strategically aimed arrow at my logic, "My dear, I thought you wanted to be a teacher.  You are so good with children.  Why don't you go to college?"  Without one discouraging word of disapproval over a premature marriage, my clever grandmother diplomatically pointed me back to one of my heart's desires.  She was a wise woman.

Admittedly, I was not really ready for marriage.  Marriage could wait. The relationship with my young suitor ended, and in the fall I entered college to become a teacher.  My parents were thrilled.  Ginnah had saved me from a monumental mistake.  Little did she know how life-changing her advice would prove to be!

My first year at college I started dating the man I am married to today.  My grandmother, my precious, "Ginnah" is home with her Lord. I have often wondered if she ever knew how much she redirected my life. 

Today Roger and I have been married for sixty years.  "Ginnah",  you did a good work!!!

I Will Go by River w/lyrics

We all need to be encouraged. I pray this song will bless you today as it has me.

BECOMING YOUR FAMILY'S CHEERLEADER

Parenting is not a easy task.  It is not a calling for the faint-hearted.  The tyranny of life necessitates the support of extended families.  Our own grown children need our encouragement, our experience,  and our active involvement in this most vital endeavor.  They also need our availability  to help with their young families and our willingness to lift some the burden of child-rearing from their shoulders, whenever possible


We grandparents can make a difference!  And we can accomplish this without undermining our children's role as parents in their own households.  In our season of life, we may not to be calling all the shots anymore--but we can still support our grown children from the sidelines!

Dear Lord,
  
       We pray for Your help to be an active model and a living testimony of Your love and forgiveness in the eyes of our grandchildren--and for Your grace to extend to them the same love and forgiveness that we have received from You.

        May or grandchildren enjoy a personal relationship with You--not only to hear stories about You, but also to have Your presence abiding in their hearts.  May Your blessing be upon them as they continue to mature in our wayward society.  

In Your Holy Name,
Amen

BECOMING A GRANDPARENT

After the seemingly never-ending years of diapers, disciplining, teaching, counseling, handing over car keys, and planning weddings for three daughters, suddenly Roger and I were thrust into a new and unfamiliar  role as grandparents.  In a quandary over our competency,we wondered, Are we ready to step into this role and fill the shoes of grandparents?

A new world was opening before us.  As young and inexperienced grandparents, we could not help but wonder, Where do we begin?  How do we nurture a meaningful and personal relationship with a grandchild?

Roger's and I had little experience with our own grandparents but we were motivated to do this grandparenting thing well.  Roger's grandparents were completely absent.  I had four grandparents, but only one that I really liked, my "Ginnah", short for grand mother. She was involved in my life.  She baby sat, read me books, played games with me. I felt she really liked me.  I wanted to be more like my "Ginnah" to our grandchildren.  I could start there.

Like Roger, our own three daughters unfortunately did not experienced much grandparent involvement  either.  His parents lived in Florida and mine in New England.  Our girls only saw them when we made the effort to visit them. In the 1960's there wasn't much for communication like the cell phone. email, or face time. Today it is different with our great grand children.

No one can grandparent your grandchild better than you.  God designed you exactly for your family. Your grandchildren need to know you and to be accepted for who they are.  Parents do a great job, but grandparents reinforce their love.

Becoming a grandparent has been a most rewarding experience in our marriage.  It has been amazing how much we are still learning from them.  You don't want to miss it.  You can be a wonderful grandparent, too. God has created you for this role.

GRANDPARENTs DO HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY

In today's culture, parenting is an exceptionally challenging job for  young couples.What a blessing it can be for them when grandparents--whether living nearby or far away--are involved in their lives and their children's.  We cannot deny that our role as grandparents often stretches us beyond our capability. We can also testify heartily that building relationships with grandchildren can be a genuine gift from heaven.

The special relationship between a grandparent and a grandchild is entirely different from the bond that exists between a parent and a child.  Grandparenting, in comparison to the role of parenting, is a grand time of life.

As grandparents, we can bring  a deep sense of stability and security in the home. It is meaningful for grandchildren to know that they are loved and accepted by others in addition to their parents.  When we profess a faith that is real and personal, our influence on young lives is even more powerful.  The perceptive little eyes of our grandchildren are watching closely and taking in everything about us.  Our living testimony of faith can leave a profound imprint on their minds and hearts.

In God's eyes you may play a more vital role in God's greater plan than what is presently visible. God set us in families and you are a part of yours for a divine purpose.

GOD'S DESIGN FOR FAMILY

                                 God's Design for family


In many ways, families have strayed from the benevolent design of our heavenly Father.  We live in an age when courts, lawmakers, and social reformers presume to define what makes up a family.  But the reality is that the structure of a family was God's design in the first place.  After God created Adam, He declared that it was not good for man to be alone.  So, God created a companion for Adam, a helpmate--women--taken from man's side.  Children were added to Adam and Eve, husband and wife, as a blessing upon what God had already created as good.

With an agenda to destroy what the Lord has declared good, Satan has been out to destroy families ever since Adam's fall in the garden of Eden.  God's love for families, however, could not be thwarted.  God was determined to pour out His covenant blessings upon families--a covenant that would cost Him His own beloved Son.

We believe that the Lord wants to restore the foundation of strong families for His glory! His design has been for families to care for one another across the generations--to learn from one another-- to be knit together and to be sanctified together.  Along with the obvious challenges, the joys and blessings of transgenerational families "doing life" together are becoming lost, in many cases.

I would like to leave  you with this thought: " We cannot deny that our role as grandparents often stretches us beyond our personal comfort zone especially when we are tried!"