Encourage Your Grandchildren With - You Make My Heart Happy

I have another blog, grandma's cookie jar. One of the things I do on it is review items grandmas/parents may be interested in - such as a lot of books. A publisher recently invited me to review a new book for children, Pinky Got Out! (I'll be posting my review on Wednesday, May 22nd). 

My grandsons were at my house this weekend and when my youngest grandson saw it, he asked his poppa to read it to him. After they did this, I asked my grandson if he liked the book. He said; "It is the best thing ever . . . except for you, grandma. Nothing is better than you, grandma!" My heart is so happy!

Love Makes Peace & Forgives

There are many "aspects" of love which I want my grandsons to understand - Love is kind, patient, puts others first, etc., but one very important part of love, which is often overlooked, is - Love makes peace and forgives. Whether it involves making peace with and forgiving a sibling, friend or as they grow up their spouse, the truth is love makes peace and forgives. 

Prayer to be Equipped

Heavenly Father,

We come together today to glorify You and give You thanks for the blessing of our precious grandchildren. They are the, “crown of the aged” (Proverbs 17:6), and they bring us indescribable joy.

"Keep a Firm Grip on the Faith"

The Bible presents Satan as a "roaring lion" and says he is looking for people to "devour" in 1 Peter 5:8. This sounds frightening; and if we look at the world around us it is easy to see how he is doing this with so many.

However; this verse does not tell us to run ad hide under our beds. No! It tells us to be clearheaded, alert, watchful, on our guard. The following verses say it this way in the Phillips translation . . . 

Love Honors Others & Puts Them First

While I want to focus on love this summer with my grandsons - God's love for us, our love for God and others - with the end of the school year upon us it provides us with a wonderful opportunity for our grandchildren to show love and honor to the people who have been their teachers for the past year. Consider helping them with some of the following ideas . . .

Intentional Love - Help Them Love God's Word

What does it look like to be intentional when it comes to loving our grandchildren? This is an important question for us to think about -- and for which to find the answers -- so we are able to be focused and intentional Christian grandparents. One way we do this (and the most important thing) is when we have the great privilege and joy of pointing our grandchildren to Jesus. But what does this look like and what do we do after they believe in Jesus?

I believe it begins with equipping them to be people who are able to grow in their walk with Jesus – for themselves, by having a love for God's Word. Yes, there is much we are able to do – and should do to help them, but they need to learn to grow in their own walk with Jesus; they must not just depend upon us to give them what they need to grow. A great place to begin is with helping them develop a love for God’s Word! How do you do this? Consider the following . . .

Love is . . . Thankful, Humble & Puts Others First

I want my grandsons to be people who are truly thankful, humble and who put others first, so this summer along with focusing upon how much God loves them, how they are able to love God and others with their all, this grandma will pay attention and notice when the boys show love by doing these things, too. 

Our world often makes it seem like putting yourself and the things you want first is the way to live, but we know the opposite is true. God wants us to have true joy and it is found, not by envying others, boasting and thinking of ourselves, but by being thankful, humble and putting others first. This is the truth, so I will model these things to my grandsons.