II Timothy 1:5: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”
In honor of Grandparents Day, I wanted to take time to thank grandparents who invest in the lives of their grandchildren and help make the lives of their children easier with that investment.
When I was growing up, we moved frequently so I didn’t have the privilege of living by either set of grandparents. I was blessed to see them about once a year but otherwise, we had to make do with phone calls and snail mail. My sister and I were incredibly fortunate to have a wonderful family adopt us and I still consider them my grandparents today. They stepped in and filled a need in our lives, accepting us as one of their own. (Love you, Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop!)
My children, however, are blessed to have both sets of grandparents close by to spoil them. This includes taking them out to eat, playing games, doing crafts and messy art projects, marathon videogame sessions, rewards for reading, and of course, plenty of one-on-one attention.
Grandparents are unique because they help fill in the gaps since parents just can’t do it all. They usually have a little more time to go at a slower pace and have the wisdom of years to help positively influence the youngest generation.
My husband and I are doubly blessed because not only do our parents reach out to our kids, but they extend their love to us as well. We have received help with chores around our house, yummy meals, financial help at exactly the time it was needed, and most of all, prayer support. My mom volunteers her time and energy twice a week to come play with our littlest so I can have a few hours of uninterrupted time to work. My mother-in-law makes family dinners at least once a week so we all have a chance to slow down and catch up on each other’s lives. My father is known as the “Veggie Tale, Pop-Pop” as for years he kept our kids stocked with all the Veggie Tale movies. And, Papa is known for maintaining a pool he never swims in just so his grandkids can cool off on a hot summer day.
One of the biggest blessings my mother-in-law continues to give me is that she purposefully uses language when talking about my husband, her son, that honors my place as his wife. I have never felt like I had to compete for his affection or that we were in competition. We are team. I strive to pass on that same gift when our sons marry. Our family has never had to deal with the stereotypical “in-laws,” on either side. My mother has blessed me by providing a godly example while I was growing up so that I can in turn teach my children that the mother is the heart of the home. I know that I am not providing as good of an example as she did for me, but I keep trying.
So, today, I want to honor our parents, my children’s grandparents, as well as my biological and adopted grandparents. Without their love, support, and positive influence, our lives would not be as rich as they are today. We love you Mom and Dad, and Mom and Dad!