Just Who is Impacting Who?

Impactful Grandparenting is a two-way street. My grandkids equally impact me and are a source of joy as I see the Lord at work in their lives.

I wonder why we grown-ups often make faith so complicated. A child’s faith is inspiring. Innocent and trusting. Simple.

A few cases in point:

“God is beautiful”

I’m sitting with my 4-year-old grandchild as she plays with a Playmobil schoolhouse. She carefully places little plastic students in desks with the teacher at the front of the room.

“What are the kids learning about?” I ask.

“God,” she says.

“Why are they learning about God?”

“Because He is so beautiful,” she says softly. Wow.

My heart explodes.

One thing have I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
    and to inquire in his temple. (Psalm 27:4)

“Jesus in my heart”

“I just always feel joyful,” says my 8-year-old grandchild.

“Where does your joy come from?” I ask.

She says, “From Jesus in my heart.”

My heart explodes.

Same granddaughter. Different day, her prayer at dinner “…And, please God, let there be dessert. Because there’s always dessert at Grammy’s house.”

My laughter explodes.

^“And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10b

“See Mommy, I told you He’s real”

It’s Christmas Day and I have coloring sheets of the Nativity scene. My 5-year-old granddaughter points to Baby Jesus, saying, “See Mommy, I told you He is real. I believe!”

My heart rejoices.

“Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.” (Psalm 8:2)

“Won’t God be mad?”

My now-preteen granddaughter once interrupted my quiet time and saw me reading the Bible. She gasped as she saw all the underlining and notes I’d made in my Bible.

“Grammy!” she says. “Won’t God be mad that you wrote all over the Bible?”

I replied, “I don’t think so. I think it makes Him happy I am trying to understand Him more.”

She pauses a moment, then “Can I have your Bible when you pass?”

You cannot make this stuff up. And, funny enough, this past Christmas she asked for a journaling Bible – a Bible with wide margins for note-taking. Guess she’s decided God thinks it’s OK to write in them now.

My heart is full.

“I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.” Proverbs 8:17

Ok, I’ve regaled you with several of my favorite stories. There are more, but you get the idea. Sometimes God smiles and gives you an encouraging pat on the back. And it keeps me going. You can’t underestimate the value of your Impactful Grandparenting – or your grandkids impact on you.