Saturday, November 27, 2010

Dear God,

I was writing you when five-year-old Lucy wandered in to the new room just off the living room. As always when grandchildren come to visit, she came to my chair and crawled up on my lap. As we sat there in quiet silence, my arms wrapped around her in a big hug, I pointed her to the emerging dawn. "Look, Lucy, see the light coming up? Every new day God gives us the light as a gift." She nodded in agreement and then told me she knew something that was even better than the light. When I asked her what it was, she confidently responded, "God and Jesus".

I thought to myself. Will Lucy always think that? Will she grow up to doubt, wonder or reject these early beliefs? Will she allow faith to grow inside her? Will she carry this discerning knowledge with her every day frequently turning to it to inform her decision making? Will she rely on faith to help her weather the storms of life? Will she trust the One who holds the gray clouds?

I have the real privilege of spending quality time with my grandchildren. We don't get as much time as we would like but whatever time we do have, we make good use of it by singing or playing or imagining or doing fun things. Because the kids enjoy their cousins so much they usually come in twos, the little ones or big ones or all of them together. We laugh so much and I always squeeze them with big hugs and tell them I love them. I want them to know they are right when they say God and Jesus are the best. May they never fail to say a good word about you.

Thank you
for parents
who teach
their children
about you,
Good God.
Thank you
for teachers
and friends
who model
the Christian life
and by example
offer it
to growing children.
Thank you
for all those
who have shared
with my grandchildren.

Love, Andrea