THE BLESSING OF CHILDREN

Time passes so quickly and it is hard to believe that it has been ten days since I last posted to this blog, but that is just one example of how time flies.  Everyone is so busy these days, including me, and I am up in years and considered retired.  My husband and I often say we don't know how we ever had time to work even.  LOL.

One of the aspects of our lives that keep us busy is grandchildren and we love them all.  Several of them are busy finishing up the school year.  Two of them just finished EOGs and are done for the year.  Now they are into trampolines and swimming pools and other fun type plans for the summer.  Another is trying to finish up High School and I had forgotten how stressful this can be.  She is scheduled to graduate on June 8th.  My oldest grandchild finished truck driving school this past year and SHE is out there on the road having a blast.  Proud and Happy!  

We are so proud, of course, not just of what they do, but of  who they are even more so.  There are several others, ten in all, of the grans, and it would take a book to tell about all that's going on but it is all exciting and sometimes stressful.  When I finish telling you about all of them I would need to start on the great grans.   Much prayer is always needed for all of them and it is a delight to be their prayer warriors.

Grandchildren are wonderful people.  We get to be very involved in their lives and yet we do not really have to parent them.  We get to give lots of love and encouragement and not too much discipline is required on our part which is always nice.  It is such a joy to me to be able to watch them grow and build their lives.   It is sad to us that some of them live so far away and we hardly ever get to lay hands on them.  We have found Facebook to be a wonderful way of staying connected. Go figure!  I never would have thought I’d ever be saying that, but there you go!

I always say that when a baby is born to a family it is a sign from God that He is blessing that family by entrusting another child into their care.  I know that many times kids don't get taken care of in families and I think that is the saddest thing on the face of the earth.  The only reprieving thought is that God says that He is the Father of the Fatherless, so there is a blessing hidden even in the neglect.  Not that the neglect is any kind of a blessing but a sort of reverse promise if you will that they will have the very best Father of all.  I know I did!

I just happened to remember that a dear friend of mine had just had a new grandbaby and that this baby was the cutest I’d seen lately so I asked permission to post her picture to my blog.  Guess what!  Her grandmother was delighted!  I could hear the overwhelming joy she was feeling in her voice.

While we were talking, she shared her joy with me!  She tried to convey to me the joy of the day she came into the world.  Lola Marie!  Now isn’t that a beautiful name for a blessed little girl.  After a bit of a struggle she finally got a look at the gorgeous creature – her very first grandbaby!  She told how she was glad she knew how to pray as the delivery was taking place.  I was praying with her as I know many of our other friends were too.  God answered our prayers!

She told me how she loves to sit and hold her and look into her eyes and tell her how beautiful she is to her Granma.  She hinted to me about all the many plans she has to spend time with her in the future.  She shared with me the joy of watching her son being a good Papa putting his little girl on a palette and announcing that it is their playtime and then talking and laughing with her.  He already has his special name for her and his love and devotion are obvious to my friend.  Little Lola is also blessed with a very talented and intelligent Mom and other grandparents whose love for her is endless, of course. 

What a delight for this grandmother to witness her precious grandbaby receiving the nurture and unconditional love we all need as children.  I was so glad I asked about the picture because I got a good word picture to share with you.  Speaking of pictures, take a look at this beautiful baby.  What do you think she might be saying?  I hear her thinking, "of course I'm beautiful and what else do you have to say to me anyway?".

Remember, now, if you or your children or grans did not have that same awesome experience, God has wonderful healing available to us all.  He doesn’t think anyone ever gets too big to be held in his arms and look up into His face and hear Him say how beautiful we are to Him!  If you have never had that experience I hope you will try it today.  Even some of you who had wonderful experiences of love and nurture as children still may need to know that it is how God really feels about you too. 

2 Corinthians 3:18 says “But, we all, with unveiled faces beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord”.  This is how babies come to know who they are, by gazing into the faces of their loved ones and hearing their tender words of love.  It is also how we can be healed by having one experience after the other of spending time with our Eternal Father who has loved us from our conception and will love us forever, no exceptions!

So, here we go, close your eyes now and imagine that Father God is drawing near.  See Him bending over to scoop you up in His everlasting arms of love and see Him smiling into your face.  Just be like a baby and gaze wide eyed into His countenance and allow yourself to be healed!

I would love to hear about your children and grans.  Post a comment for me and I will look forward to reading it.  I hope that you all have started out with a plethora of wonderful plans for the summer.  And I especially hope you have a few great ones with your children and grandchildren.  I’d love to hear about what you are planning to do.  Some of the other followers might like to get some ideas from you.  Please share!

It is so interesting to me how when I started to write this blog I didn’t think I had much to say, but I just wanted to catch up with you all.  As I started writing, it just came rolling out and more.  As always,  I hope and pray that the Son is shining into your lives in many ways today as well!  I’d love to hear about that too.  

Blessings to all!