Rejoice in Lord always~

    "Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice Phillipians 4:4

Psalms 100:

"Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!

Know the Lord is God!
It is he that made us and we are his;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him, bless his name!

For the Lord is good:
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.     

        

As I sit today, prepare and wait for my children and grandchildren to get here for dinner I reflect on this verse of Thanksgiving. It is a remarkable outburst of gratitude and joy. It is an appropriate passage for the Thanksgiving holiday, a time set aside to be grateful for the many blessings in my life, my husband, children, grandchildren, provision, ....HEALTH!

A harvest festival is celebrated by many cultures as a way to give thanks for the bounties of the earth and our life. A time set aside for "Thanksgiving" reminds me of the importance of giving thanks for what I have been given.

Giving thanks for people in my life and for the many blessings I have are very important. It is good for relationships. It is good for my soul. I don't mean to slight this kind of thanksgiving at all. But when I read this passage from the letter to the Philippian church, I believe that Paul is referring to a radical shift of gratitude, a type of thanksgiving that has nothing to do with recollecting my blessings. "Rejoice in the Lord, always," says Paul.  A way of giving thanks:

in the Lord and always.

Always?….. What if I hear that neighbors were in a terrible car accident, the mother died, the daughter is in critical condition, the father and son left without a mother, wife?  Rejoice always?

I don't hear Paul say, "for health and strength and daily food, I give you thanks, O Lord." Paul makes no reference to the blessings I often speak of when I offer thanks.

I am usually giving thanks for something: I am thankful for so many “things” - I’ve been taught from childhood to "count my blessings," to be grateful for what I have, and I AM ~

In contrast here though, I believe that Paul invites me to be grateful. Simply be grateful. It doesn't mean I don't rejoice in the blessings I can count, but that my sense of gratitude is not dependent upon these things.

As my family gathers today at my house with the smells of Thanksgiving – Lord remind me..

"Rejoice in the Lord always."

Happy Birthday to Gabriel ~

Happy Birthday to Gabriel our cherished grandson, our heart is open for you.

Though there will be days when you’ll run wild, your personality will shine through.

You brighten our life, you are such fun, and we will love you forever, our darling grandson

Our Conscience ~

Our Conscience is a gift intended to be a tool of the Holy Spirit – our one true Guide.

A few weeks ago, my mother and I got the awesome privilege of taking Brooklyn on a little road trip to Georgia to visit family. It was such a joy to be with her for a full 24 hours and really get to see how she responds, communicates and enjoys herself. She was so fun, her little comments and actions kept my mom and me in stitches. She was a joy.

She is almost 3 now, but more and more she is growing in body and mind. Not yet though to really discern what is right from wrong. She may get corrected from time to time from B&B, but she has not yet fully gained that capacity of discernment. Her conscience is still developing, and absorbing new data all the time.

As Brooklyn and Gabriel grow to adulthood, they will pay attention more and more to the words and actions of others. This programming continues throughout their lives, so every situation they encounter has the capacity to affect their decisions and actions in the future.

Brooklyn seemed to really watch all that was going on around her. She watched us take make-up off, and then put it back on, she watched us fix our hair. She was very observant. Listened to our conversations, more than I have every noticed before. She is collecting data per say. I want to be one of the persons in her life that offers sound life principles because both positive and negative results are added to the program. The ones who disappoint her teach just as much as those who impress. She is watching! Everything we do, she is watching. ~

“Let your conscience be your guide” is a well-known expression, but one that isn’t necessarily good advice. That’s because our moral compass is only as reliable as the principles with which we program it. Brooklyn and Gabriel are being taught by B&B with biblical instruction and training. With that, their consciences will be dependable to safeguard them through life.  -  The Holy Spirit – our one true Guide.

Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith. 1Timothy 1:5

Partial Obedience is Disobedience ~

Obedience. – Raising children to obey is (was) hard. We were never those parents who counted…”I am going to count to 3 and if you don’t stop, you will be spanked”…what?... when we told our boys to do something, it didn’t mean later, or when they felt like it, certainly it didn’t mean – when we count to 3…we taught them that….delayed obedience, is disobedience, and I am so thankful that B&B are following suite and disciplining with love and consistency.

However, that doesn’t mean Brooklyn doesn’t try their patience…she is going on 3 now – so discipline it seems is an everyday occurrence. She is testing the waters with B&B on what she can get away with, or how far to step across that line. B&B are doing a great job at taking on this Godly challenge and raising Brooklyn and Gabriel in an atmosphere of grace, based upon the foundation of a relationship with Jesus Christ, they concentrate on building character instead of molding behavior.

So ….when God calls me to do something specific, how do I respond? I don’t raise my fist and yell…”I won’t do it”….instead, I usually struggle with the idea for a while. Sometimes I even argue a bit, telling Him all the reasons why it won’t work. Other times, I begin to doubt I heard correctly, or….do I run in the other direction completely like Jonah?

There is one other response that is often so subtle I don’t even recognize it as disobedience. Substituting my plan for Gods is a way to appear obedient, but yet avoiding doing what I don’t like…isn’t that how Saul responded to the divine command he’d been given? (1 Samuel 15)… In his eyes, saving a few animals to sacrifice to the Lord seemed like a better idea than God’s. Saul’s sin seemed obvious to me…but how often do I make similar substitutions?....God may be calling me to serve in a particular way, but because I’m afraid, I decide to serve in a less challenging way…. Saul was rejected as king because he failed to utterly destroy the Amalekites, instead choosing to keep the best of the best for himself and to sacrifice to God. But God didn't want his sacrifice, he wanted obedience.

God is calling me to live fully committed to Him. There is no way to improve on His plan for my life. If I try to alter it in any way…it can lead me to a powerless life and missed blessings…I don’t want to miss a thing …because partial obedience is disobedience.

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth” Deuteronomy 28:1

Lasting Heritage ~

The last couple of months I have been working on my family tree. I went to ancestory.com put in a few names that I knew and magic happened. All these clues, hints and documents appeared with names, dates and pictures! It was a fascinating journey and I have come to find out what a legacy and heritage that has been left behind for me.

I want to document this so that I in turn can leave this behind for my children and grandchildren. But I want to focus a moment on Legacy. Heritage. What can I leave behind for them with lasting value? Jewelry, silverware, pictures? Faith! Shouldn’t I also leave them our Savior?

The greatest legacy I can leave my grandchildren is the gift of faith. I need to model my faith to my grandchildren, letting them see what the Christian life looks like in real life. I need talk about what faith in Jesus Christ means to me. Engage them in discussion about spiritual issues. Express to them the ways my faith has changed, been challenged and has deepened over the years. Throughout the years, as my grandchildren mature in faith, they will develop an increasing gratitude of the heritage of faith that I have contributed!

As the grandmother Lois passed along the faith to her daughter Eunice and her grandson Timothy (2 Timothy 1:5), I also can transmit the faith to my grandchildren.

Jacob, the grandfather of Ephraim and Manasseh, was also an example of faith to his grandchildren. The last scene of Jacob's life was a scene of blessing and worship, shared by two of his grandsons:

"By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff"- Hebrews 11:21.

Among the Hebrews, the blessing, in the form of a prayer, was frequently the last earthly experience between children and parents.

The Hebrews well knew the best moment to make lasting impressions. The last words of a dying man are not easily forgotten, especially when they come from a loving parent or grandparent.

What a scene we behold!.... We have a glimpse into the last scene that Ephraim and Manasseh experienced with their grandfather. Here we have a "dying" old man who had been through many experiences in his life, too weak to stand, leaning upon the top of his staff, peering through clouded eyes at his son and grandsons. This one scene alone probably stuck in the mind of Ephraim and Manasseh for the rest of their lives.

Even today, the testimony of the old is a powerful one. Some may think that their years have robbed them of accomplishing much good in the Lord's house. But the oldest of trees bear the sweetest fruit. Jacob and Lois have taught us that until our dying breath, much good can be accomplished and the faithful testimony of loving grandparents will have a dynamic impact upon the lives of our grandchildren.

When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also” -2 Timothy 1:5

 I as a grandparent, do not consider myself old, but in the eyes of my children’s' children, as they grow, I have been around awhile and know many secrets of life. To my grandchildren, every word that comes from my mouth is marked with experience, leaving indelible traces on their little hearts and minds.

The testimony of the old is a powerful one.

 It is strength and a blessing to have a Godly heritage, to have fond memories of Godly grandparents for:

"A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold" - Proverbs 22:1.

When I remember lives of faith, the testimony of the old, I have example set before me, an example that will add fuel to the fire of my own faith. I wonder how many grandchildren have had temptations set before them when something within them would say: "Would my grandfather do that? Would my grandmother do that? How will this make my family look? There has been many a child, grandchild brought into the fold as a result of a grandparent’s prayers and example.

I as a grandparent have a passion for leaving my grandchildren with a wonderful legacy and I must be intentional about investing into their young lives.

The Sounds of Laughter ~

Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” Psalm 126:2

I love to laugh! And lately with Brooklyn going on 3, with all the new things she is learning and saying – we have been laughing a lot. It seems that every new word or sentence is funny. As she tries to come in to her own and be a part of the talking family – so many things she says and does is funny.

Her trying to tell us something here – in her way.

Brooklyn is all about love and laughter. Since B&B have so many child-rearing jobs already, I propose that I as a grandparent take over the job of fostering their funny bones. B&B can take them to the doctor and make them eat their peas. I want to be on laughter duty!

I believe that laughing together is a way to bridge the generation gap. It creates special bonds, strengthens relationships and helps us share special moments. Its presence or absence makes a big difference in the quality of our lives.

There are lots of ways to make Brooklyn laugh—and it doesn’t take much effort. Her sense of humor will change with age. Even if today we can’t figure it out! As a baby she didn’t understand humor the same as she does today – but Gabriel responds to comedy-gestures, facial expressions, silly sounds or bouncing on your knee. Or someone kissing his hand. 

If Brooklyn is being silly, I want to play along and be silly too. It encourages her sense of humor and makes that moment special.

Brooklyn may not understand jokes and riddles, but soon she will. She might even add her own hilarious punch lines. Here is a joke I might tell her someday.  "Why does a leopard have spots?" Answer? "Because he doesn’t like stripes." Make sense? NO! But encouraging her humor is more important than the punch line.

I as a Nana want to make sure love and laughter are an everyday occurrence in my house.

What Are Grandmas For?

Grandmas are for stories
about things of long ago.
Grandmas are for caring
about all the things you know…
Grandmas are for rocking you
and singing you to sleep.
Grandmas are for giving you
nice memories to keep…
Grandmas are for knowing
all the things you’re dreaming of…
But, most importantly of all,
Grandmas are for love.

 ~ Author Unknown

Secret of Life ~

Greg and I were relaxing on the deck one night listening to some of “my favs” on the play list – a Faith Hill song started playing.  – it was not one of her hits per say, only if you had the album and listened to it endlessly as I did when I first purchased it, would you know it. “The Secret of Life” – I started to listen more closely to the words.

The secret of life is a good cup of coffee ~ (I can relate to this!)
The secret of life is keep your eye on the ball (ehhh)

What's the key that unlocks that door?"
Sam don't say nothin', just wipes off the bar
And he pours them a couple more

As Brooklyn and Gabriel are growing, their lives are full of fun, toys, trips, food, naps and pretty much “enjoying life” – are there really secrets to life? To Happiness? To Fulfillment? Or do we just go through life in a cloud, hoping that we find love, success and somehow stumble upon “the secret”?

Sam looks up from his Sunday paper
Says, "Boys, you're on the wrong track
The secret of life is there ain't no secret
And you don't get your money back"

What if the secret is – a change in my goals? I only have one chance at life, “we don’t get our money back or 2^nd chances”.  Is my goal to acquire wealth, material things, position at work? What if I replaced those goals with Godly goals? For those things to be replaced with a desire to live for what God would have me live for. How I spend my time, my money. Am I here to be light of this world, but not in this world? What if the real secret was an inner change, a renewed mind, a new insight into the real values and goals and meanings of life?

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,… Romans 12:2

The secret of life is gettin' up early  (not so!)
The secret of life is stayin' up late (I go to bed early)
The secret of life is try not to hurry (I don’t)
But don't wait (I like this!) Don’t wait!

What if the secret is: Trust?

I want to make sure that when I spend time with Brooklyn and Gabriel that I instill Gods values and that my dependence on him is evident. My trust is in the source that provides what I need. Through trust I learn to rely on God in a way that shows my reliance and surrender to Him.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5-6

I believe that as I learn and help teach my grandchildren to depend on God, my life will be larger than I could ever have imagine and better in every way.

Secret to Life? It’s not a secret really when we search, and if our hearts are in the right place – we will find it!

As Brooklyn and Gabriel trust those who care and love them, my prayer is that they will seek and find the Love of our Savior Jesus Christ.

“You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 29:13

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:

I usually dedicate this blog to my wonderful grandchildren, today I am going to honor my dad, and I wish so much that he could’ve been here for them. He would have loved them so, and had such a great time playing with them. I can hear him say now…”what a dandy!” – And they would have loved him like we all did.

On this day, five years ago my dad passed away in his bedroom with me and mom sitting by his side, awaiting each breath, anticipating his last. It finally came, and that was it. He was gone. It was June in Tennessee, had not rained in 3 or 4 weeks, we looked out his bedroom window, and there it was, raining. A sad day indeed.

As I think back on this day, I can still recall almost every painful detail of the funeral and the days and weeks following, as my family tried to come to grips with our loss. What were we to do without dad? I thought the hurting would never stop. I had not lived in this world ever, without dad. How was I to go about living in a world without my dad? It was like I was now a part of some club that I didn’t want to be in.

Dad would always say “I had a wonderful life.” With my mother, the love of his life by his side and with peace in his heart, I would have to agree. He did it all, raised a family, traveled the world, and did it with strength of character, integrity, and honor.

Thank you, Dad, for everything. For the laughter, the encouragement, the support. For letting me go as I grew up. For giving my life wings.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die … a time to weep and a time to laugh … a time to mourn and a time to dance… Ecclesiastes 3:1-4

While my Dad may not be here on this earth anymore, he will always be in my heart. The time to weep and mourn his death has passed, and NOW I shall laugh and dance ~ until we meet again.

While I fear my words are poor vehicles in sharing my thoughts, I do hope the following photos will speak volumes, and provide a glimpse into the life of the man I so dearly loved and so deeply miss.

Serving Others ~

Everybody can be great. . . because anybody can serve.
You don't have to have a college degree to serve. . . .
You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I began to think the other day about service and service to others. Do I do enough? Am I serving to my full potential? How can I do more, and most importantly how can I help B&B and teach my grandchildren about Godly service?

I can teach, and most importantly show, that I serve God by serving others. My actions show that my faith is real . Servant hood is the key to helping develop my grandchildren into strong, service minded young adults.

When I serve others I am reminded that nothing in this life lasts as long as the bonds we form with other people, and there's no better way to connect ourselves to others than by working together for our common good.

Jesus Christ said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). This doesn't mean I have to die to show my love for my friends. I lay down my life every time I put someone else's needs before my own. The “friends” mentioned in the scripture above can be understood to be everyone we meet, since Jesus also commanded us to “love one another.”

Because everything I have comes from God, I should be willing to share it all anyway. I don’t have to look far to find opportunities to donate my time and energy. The beauty of following Christ's example is that I don't need to evaluate who, when or how I serve, I should just act. Service can be planned or spontaneous, for someone I know or a stranger. I should not look for recognition, I receive no reward, and my only motivation should be love. My prayer is that by my actions I can be an example that my grandchildren will want to aspire to model.  Again, by serving others, we serve God.

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." - I Peter 4:10

Train Up A Child ~

My son is now a parent of two, a role I have cherished since both my own little bundles came into the world. I worked hard over the years to be the best I could be. I researched best parenting practices and stayed abreast of new developments in medicine, safety, nutrition, and education for young children and teens. I felt I was well-informed and capable. I felt Greg and I were good parents.

So why wouldn't my son want to take advantage of all that wonderful experience? After all, Greg and I raised our own children, and they turned out great. Imagine how much help we could be with our new grandchildren!

NO thanks!..B&B are doing a great job, why would we want to interfere?

We want to instill confidence, not our own way of doing things.  ~ I remember the days right after B was born? They were exciting, but a little scary. I wanted to do everything right. Was he gaining enough weight? Was the pacifier going to give him an overbite? Should he learn to walk barefoot or in shoes? Should I breastfeed or not? When should I begin to potty train? A few decades ago, experts were split on many of these issues. Ultimately, we had to make our own decisions and hope they were good ones. It took time to build confidence. Unsolicited advice muddies the waters and just makes it more difficult. B&B have to build confidence in their parenting skills, too. They have to learn to trust their own decisions, just like we did. (And by the way, they are doing a fantastic job!!)

B&B may decide to raise their children differently than we raised ours. ~ B&B are more relaxed than I was. Many are waiting longer to begin potty training. Children are often encouraged to participate in decisions about food and clothing choices. Both parents may decide to work outside the home. I won’t take offense if B&B makes different parenting choices than I did.

Advice will be most welcome when sought, not offered. ~ Sooner or later, they may want a second opinion from someone they trust. I believe that if we have provided loving support without meddling, that they might come to me or Greg for advice.

Relax, and pat myself on the back!  ~ Greg and I raised two great boys. We worked hard and taught them well. I trust B&B to make good, informed decisions for their children, while we get to sit back and relish the joys of simply being a grandparent. Congratulations! I think we have earned it.

Poem of the day ~

GRANDPARENTS

Grandparents bestow upon their grandchildren
The strength and wisdom that time
And experience have given them.

Grandchildren bless their Grandparents
With a youthful vitality and innocence
That help them stay young at heart forever.

Together they create a chain of love
Linking the past with the future.
The chain may lengthen,
But it will never part...

~Author Unknown~

A Day Out ~

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

A few weeks ago Greg and I decided to take Brooklyn out for the morning and do something special. Nashville has lots to offer, actually most cities have plenty to offer in terms of sightseeing, from museums, plantations, to local parks. But this day was planned for a trip to a great Nashville pastime. ~ Phillips Toy Mart! It has many exciting stations that children can visit in the store and educational items as well. Children are encouraged to walk around and take in all the sites ~ Brooklyn did!~ She played with trains, dolls, puzzles, had fun trying to bounce on a ‘bouncy ball’ ~ We ended with a lunch at Chic-fil-A. IT was an amazing morning making memories.

I believe another tradition has started for Greg and me, and as soon as Gabriel is old enough to enjoy this adventure he will be coming along also to join the fun.

Grandparents Rule~

Ask any child….. Grandparents rule! They're known worldwide as great companions and often shower their grandchildren with special treats and lots of love.

So what might I say if B&B said I was "spoiling them"…. My response might be….. "I'm not spoiling them, I'm creating memories".!

Roots ~ they will be called mighty oaks, a planting of the Lord, for the display of His spendor. Isaiah 61:3

Today is my oldest son’s birthday – he turns 30 today, and I can remember that day (like most moms) as it was yesterday. The first time I held him in my arms, was a moment I will never forget. He has grown into such a fine you man and is making a great dadda to his little ones. I am forever grateful that we had such a community of believers and family around us to help us guide and nurture this young man. He comes from a  rich legacy of believers, family members and preachers that have come before him and set the path. A legacy of deep roots!

So as Brooklyn is learning the old children’s song from Sunday School – “Deep and Wide” – she is starting to sing along and enjoy the song as much as I do. As she extends her arms wide and then up and down I am reminded of the love our heavenly Father has for us. Deep, rooted love!

These deep roots are like lines of life flowing and extending through the family tree.

Like water feeding these deep roots of a tree, I as a grandparent along with their Godly parents can extend and strengthen the existence of my grandchildren. When a grandchild receives stimulation from all four grandparents, the "tree of life" grows stronger, and everybody lives longer, healthier lives.

Deep roots, like we as Christians are…. one mind, one body and one spirit. The family tree and its roots are interconnected. Each grandchild has a specific contribution to make to the happiness and health of the family body. When we identify and support the individual needs of the grandchild, the entire family benefits. Each grandchild in the family tree has a specific gift to give the family. I want to recognize, encourage, and feed that gift, so that they can reach their full potential.

When they are young and later on in life I can help provide the roots they need…. Unconditional love.  A sense of history.  A listening ear. A storyteller’s heart. Chocolate chip cookies or lessons in sewing. I can touch their lives in all these ways and more.

Grandchildren need both wings and roots. Roots to keep them firmly planted in our Father’s love and wings so that they soar to their true potential.

Today I celebrate my son, and I am so thankful for our Fathers love! Happy Birthday!

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep is his love.  Ephesians 3:17-18 (NLT)

The Power of Patience!

Patience, ~ The quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.

Brooklyn is not yet at that age where impatience is big a problem.  She just takes things as they come and enjoys the benefits of them. She is still too young to recognize the needs of others or that waiting is an inevitable part of life. As she grows though, she will eventually have to deal with impatience. Some of the first lessons we learn as children is how to wait!  Waiting and self-control are two basic requirements for little ones. Learning and practicing patience early helps our little ones with relationships and social skills. But…why then,  is it so hard for us as adults to learn and practice patience?

How do we respond to delays in God’s promises? With calm acceptance, or annoyance and disbelief? Each time we feel impatient about a situation, we must remember…this is an opportunity to choose a mature response, OR. Act like a spoiled child.

Why do we need patience?
~ To maintain healthy relationships, protection from foolish choices, stability, prayer and endurance during difficult times.

During these difficult times, God is working for our good, stretching our faith and molding us into the likeness of His Son.  If God provided everything for us instantly, there would be no reason to walk in faith. The path of obedience is not always easy. To say yes to God, can very well mean saying no to what we want. The only way we can receive the full benefits of what God has for us is to trust Him through the delay and wait patiently for Him to act on our behalf.

We will never find lasting security in anything of this world, but we can completely trust in the Lord’s plans and rely on His promises.

So beyond modeling patience for Brooklyn and Gabriel as he grows, maybe I could help teach them patience with a garden or a flower-pot. Involve them in the process of planting the seeds, caring for it and watching it grow. As they observe these changes they see that everything in life takes time to happen.

We must trust God when he puts us in the “waiting  room” – He knows what He’s doing.

Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  James 1:3-5

Hearts Forever ~ Happy Valentines' Day !

Grandmas hold our tiny hands for just a little while, but our
hearts forever.   ~ Author Unknown

Happiness ~

Psalm 86:4
Give me happiness, O Lord, for I give myself to you.

Happiness is different things to different people, but one thing’s for sure – happiness is a choice and a journey, not a result or a destination. Happiness comes from love, enjoying the moment, feeling into the hearts of others, appreciation and gratitude.

Maybe this is the reason why grandchildren bring so much happiness to us grandparents, because we see a new second generation of life and we watch them grow on a daily basis.

Brooklyn seems to have her own language and live in her own little world.  I often wonder? What does she think or dream about? She has no responsibilities, no bills to pay.  She is probably just thinking about the new things she is learning in life and all the happiness that others bring to her.

Fortunately, she can teach me to remember the good things in life simply by watching her little eyes, mind and her actions of life by learning something NEW for the first time.

It's funny how I sometimes forget about the first things that I learned so long ago.  But yet, through Brooklyn’s eyes and mind it’s the little things that make me so happy just watching her grow day after day, week after week.

Somehow this little child seems to give me the energy and inspiration to "Get up and Go".  It's as though I am living in this little child's world.  I completely forget about the world around me.

One of the best things about being a grandparent is that I have an easy time finding joy in my grandchildren and happiness in watching my son and daughter-in-law raise them.

Book of the Day~

Favorite Book of the day.

I can’t wait to start reading this to Brooklyn and Gabriel!

Corduroy, and its’ eternal message of kindness, friendship and unconditional love.

This is one of my favorite children's picture books that my boys grew up with, and I always enjoyed reading it to them. I still have it on my shelf, just waiting for Brooklyn and Gabriel to fall in love with it also. It is about a stuffed bear (Corduroy) who lived in a department store. One day a little girl comes in and wanted to purchase him but her mom said that he was missing a button so they left without buying him. That night Corduroy goes exploring the department store for a button so he could fix himself. He ends up in an area of the department store that had sofas and lamps and beds. He tries to take a button off from the bed and falls on the floor with a big bang. The security guard then hears this and finds Corduroy in this area and takes him back to the toy department. The next day the same little girl comes and buys Corduroy with her own money. When they get home she sews on a new button and he is perfect to her. I think this is a sweet book that shows the power of unconditional love. Corduroy discovers that someone loves him with his imperfections.

God loves us this way, unconditionally. His love is very different from human love. God's love is unconditional, and it's not based on feelings or emotions. He doesn't love us because we're lovable or because we make Him feel good. He loves us because He is love. He created us to have a loving relationship with Him, and He sacrificed His own Son (who also willingly died for us) to restore that relationship.

We do not have to be perfect for someone to think we are wonderful. The little girl liked Corduroy even though he was missing a button.

 "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
 Romans 5:8

 In this verse we find no conditions placed on God's love for us.

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."
- Mother Teresa

Memory: ~ The act or an instance of remembering, recollection ~

Our memories are steeped in smells, feelings and flavors. I remember my own grandmother lifting me up on the bathroom sink right before bed to wash my face with a soft, warm cloth. I can still feel that warmth - smell the scent in her soap. I can also remember the smell of her linens, freshly dried on the clothes line as I climbed in her tall squeaky bed.

Over the holidays Greg and I had a special day with Brooklyn to decorate gingerbread cookies. She is only two, but she understood what we were doing, and enjoyed this "memory making" event just as we did.

I as a grandparent may be the most fortunate person on earth. I have the time and tools to create joy and memories in my grandchildrens' lives, like reading a story slowly -- not skipping any words because it's past bedtime, then I wrap these memories in love. As I grow older, I have time...it's a privilege of age.

I can't spoil my grandchildren by giving these sorts of gifts: experiences, treasured mementos, and a piece of myself. I believe if I make time to be a strength in my grandchildren's lives, with open arms, open ears, and an open mind, I will make many memories for them.

Someday we may take them to Disneyworld,...that will create a lot of memories...but in the long run, they'll remember me more as trusted friend and someone fun to be with..who makes beautiful memories. Fancy price tags just don't matter!

Remember the days of old: consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.  Deuteronomy 32:7

A new year ~ 2012

So, today on this first day of 2012.  I started to think about Joy… I am so expecting a great and wonderful 2012, to see what God has planned for my family. My son took a leap of faith yesterday in his life, we are planning a summer vacation with our children and grandchildren...and I am so joyful today for my New Song family - 2012 is going to be great. But....

What is Joy? A deep feeling or condition of happiness or contentment, something causing such a feeling; a source of happiness, an outward show of pleasure or delight; rejoicing!

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. Psalms 28:7

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. Psalms 32:11

Other than my relationship with the Lord, there is no greater joy in the world in my opinion, than grandchildren. One cannot tell someone about the joy of grandchildren.One must experience the joy to know what a grandparent is talking about.

I loved being a mom but being a Nana is a blessing beyond my expectation. It isn’t as the old adage says that grandchildren are better because they can be sent home. Being a Nana allows me a growing  friendship with my grandchildren that isn’t the same as with their parents. The boundaries of Nanahood are much different from those of motherhood. I enjoy closeness with my grandchildren that I have never experienced before. I am the soft pillow they run to. I want to teach them that Nana is always there to cuddle, and encourage. That Nana will always listen and is very interested in what they have to say.

In the presence of my grandchildren, my soul finds refreshment... joy! My wonder in life renewed. Their tiny hands are a sure comfort when folded in mine. Playtime on the floor with my grandchildren is like a walk back in time. I also see in them bits of my own sons and relive those happy days again.

God is good to allow this special time of life to witness the cycle of human life repeat itself. In a way, an extension of mine and Greg’s unending love. In my grandchildren, I find continuity of life, joy and a completeness that takes me by surprise. It is said that grandchildren nourish the soul and I’ve found that saying true. Some days I may feel old but in the company of my grandchildren, I am once again very young. They are my reason to laugh, play, and act silly. I even find myself giggling again and singing childhood songs that my mother taught me as a child. When I am with them I find, once again, all the simple pleasures of life. Joy.

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green” - Psalm 92:12-14.