Sunday, August 28, 2016

Reflections from this weekend......on being grandma.

I saw this picture tonight and decided it would be a great picture to use for this blog!  It may not be the best picture - but I just love this very casual shot!  This is Doug getting a ride on his great grandma Baker's leg.  And in the background Gwen is having a fun time with her grandpa.  This was taken in 1983 when Doug was about 18 months old and Gwen was three.  Now - here is why I just love this picture..............

This weekend, during scrapbooking, we do lots of talking.  Talking for hours on many, many subjects.  Today Tim brought the kids to swim in the hotel pool, so I got to see Lia, Ellie, Zeke and Anna.  As they were leaving, I casually said to Gwen "I don't get to see them enough"!  She really laughed at that!  I am actually so fortunate that I get to see the kids at least once a week.  And I am just so thankful for that!  The gals were all laughing at my comment and the conversation turned to thinking about the future.  I realized that when I was in my 30's and 40's, I really didn't think much about the future.  I don't recall having any dreams or plans regarding what my life might look like when I retired.  So the conversation turned to what these gals (mostly in their 30's) thought about for their future.  Gwen said that she thinks often about being a grandma and just how wonderful that will be.

Boy does she have that one correct!  Being a grandparent is the icing on the cake.  You get all of the good stuff with very little of the plain stuff on the inside.  I love that this picture kind of reflects what it is like to be a grandparent.  It is FUN!  There are always lots of cuddles and hugs and lots of games.  When I look at this picture I am really amazed by Grandma Baker.  She had really bad knees with arthritis pains.  I remember seeing her with a heating pad laid on her knees.  Yet, here she is bouncing that not-so-little Doug on her foot, which I am sure was a strain on her knee.  But look at the smile on her face. It is clearly the joy of being a great grandma that is shown on her face.  And grandpa seems to be having just as much fun as Gwen.  I am sure this was a tickle fest happening.
And here is the follow up picture.  Grandma Baker is bringing Doug up close for a kiss and hug!  And Grandpa and Gwen are connected hand in hand.  We don't have many pictures of Gwen and Doug with their great grandmas.  And we don't have a lot of casual pictures of them with their grandparents either.  I am so blessed to have piles of pictures of Ken and I with our grandchildren.  And I am blessed to be able to preserve those pictures for the future.  

While I love just being with the grandkids, having fun and playing games, the biggest joy for me is praying into their future.  I love looking at each one of them and seeing their strengths and talents.  I love watching them grow into exactly the person that Jesus designed them to be.  And every day I pray for them with specific direction for their future.  I love seeing them learning and growing in new ways each day.  And I love sowing seeds of love and joy and peace into them.  

Yes, I am so thankful that my children got some of this wonderful "grandparent blessing".  And I am so thankful that I have photographic evidence of that.  Frankly I have an overwhelming number of pictures of me with my grandchildren to even begin to choose one for this blog!  But each time I look at those pictures, I remember the joy of passing on the blessing of Jesus to them.  

No matter where you are in life.... you can sow these seeds of blessing into your generations.  If you are young and still have grandparents and/or great grandparents, ask them to pray for you!  Ask for their blessing.  If you are busy parenting right now, ask your own parents to pray for you AND your children.  If you are in that grandparenting stage with me, make it a point to connect with your grandchildren - physically and spiritually.  Pray for them - specific prayers for their today and their tomorrow.  Let's raise up children who are covered in prayer and filled with the joy and love of Jesus!

Jesus, I am reminded of you taking little children onto your lap and blessing them.  Help us all to draw our children and grandchildren into your love.  Holy Spirit, remind us to pray and stand with all parents as they seek to raise their families in your ways.  Amen



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