Modern Day Grandmother
His comment made me think, "What is a modern day grandmother? How are we different from our predecessors? And what do I want to be remembered for?"
Grandparents today don't want to look old, act old or be old. They want to be seen as cool and be in the know with all of the latest gadgets. I've even seen many "competing" in a variety of ways to be the "best."
In some ways we are very similar to grandparents of days gone by. We love our own and think they are the best. We brag on them and show off pictures. We desire to spend quality time with them. And we want to pass on traditions from our own heritage.
Technology has made a difference in many ways, allowing us talk to them from anywhere at any time. We can email, communicate through Facebook and Skype.
As I pondered the question about how I want to be remembered I thought about my own grandmother who meant so much in shaping and molding my life. She was loving and kind, accepting of all people. She lived her faith as an example to everyone. She spoke words of kindness. Her patience was demonstrated frequently. Her compassion with a homesick child was demonstrated by a stroll through the garden to watch a moon flower open at dusk. Her sense of fun was experienced around her pump organ playing songs and having a sing-along with her 4 granddaughters.
It was not the gifts that she gave me that I remember, but her character. It was not the amount of time spent with her that was important, but the quality of the time. It was not the words that she spoke (although they were filled with wisdom) but the example of a life well lived.
I want to be a modern day grandmother with purpose. I want to plan activities with meaning. I want to make memories that teach my grandchildren about Jesus. That's why we bake nativity cookies...that's why we bundle up and go outside on a cold snowy evening to pretend we are shepherds watching their flocks when the angels appeared and that's why before allowing Molly to take a gold glittered key home to put on her tree, I made sure she knew the significance of the key--that Jesus holds the key to the kingdom of heaven.
I want to be a fun grandmother but most of all I want my grandchildren to know Jesus, to love Him, to serve Him and to tell others about Him.
Although my own grandmother has been dead for more years than I can remember, I still tell people that she had the greatest influence on my life. Wouldn't it be great if my own grandchildren would say the same about me?
1 Thessalonians 2:8b Because we loved you so much, we were
delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God, but our lives as well.
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