This Is Where Everything Changed

This Is Where Everything Changed

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

The Instant Grandparent

Psalms 144:15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall!  Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord!

It happened suddenly one day. There I was, thinking at 46 I was still young. And out of nowhere I became a Grandpa. I was not prepared for this startling revelation, but that is what happens when you remarry. I had not given it a lot of thought, obviously, because it startled me when Alisha (my grand daughter) called me Grandpa.  Pam, my wife, has a son (Michael) and he has a daughter (Alisha.) One of the real bonuses of having a grand daughter is I have someone who can I can take to see movies like Avatar, Harry Potter and The Muppets.

Having kids can be a blessing, and a trial. There are times when I know that I am so very fortunate to have kids that it literally brings tears to my eyes. And there are times when the trials I go through with my kids brings me to tears. That is how life is. There is no guarantee, warrantee or instruction manual that comes with being a parent. It is a learn-as-you-go type of deal. But grandchildren are an entirely different matter.  There is this little person who you have the opportunity to be involved in the life of. You have the opportunity to share the love of Christ with this little person at a time in your life when time, experience, and hopefully wisdom can be brought to bear. You are given the chance to influence a young life in a manner that will leave a lasting impression. The legacy for you, and for Jesus is right there in front of you. The time spent with grandchildren is a gift from God. So, what do you do with that gift. Sure, you can fill the time with play, let the kids eat all manner of sugar filled goodies, spoil them and then sending them back to their parents whirling like a top. Or you can look at the time as an opportunity to help a child grow in their knowledge and love of Jesus. The time pressures and work demands on young parents can be tremendous. And being able to step in to help in this manner is a blessing. When we look at Psalms 144:15, helping our children & grand children, to see what a blessing we have in our Lord, is what we should be all about.  We can play an important part in their spiritual development at a time when it may not be a priority, or a possibility, with their parents. And oh by the way, if you do not have children or grandchildren you can still participate. Do you know someone with young kids or grandchildren what could use some help? Give this some thought and prayer. Open a dialogue with that friend and offer to help. Let the Lord lead your efforts. Let the Holy Spirit give you the words to speak. The good news that “Blesses are the people whose God is the Lord” should be shared with all.

PRAYER: Almighty God, You place children and grandchildren in our lives as blessings. Even when we do not have these blessings we are given opportunities to share the love of Christ with others. Guide us Lord to step out in faith and reach out to the many who do not know You as their Lord. Young or old, it does not matter. The harvest is plentiful and the workers are few. Give us the tools to help in gathering the harvest for You. This we ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.
 

No comments:

Post a Comment