Here's to Praying Grandparents

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

When I look at the world today, I realize how important it is to regularly pray for our grandkids. Only God knows the challenges they will face in tomorrow’s world.

I’ve begun a prayer notebook to help me be intentional about praying for each of our grands on a regular basis. Since we have five grandkids, I pray specifically for each child one day of the week (Monday, Tuesday, etc.) and record specific prayer requests and Bible verses in a three-ring spiral notebook. It has five sections (one section for each of the grands).

There are many wonderful books on prayer. Two that I enjoy using are While They Were Sleeping: 12 Character Traits for Moms to Pray and A Grandmother’s Guide to Praying for Her Family.

While They Were Sleeping gives specific verses to pray for the following character traits: kindness, humility, teachability, forgiveness, obedience, discernment, purity, responsibility, courage, servanthood, contentment, endurance.

A Grandmother's Guide to Praying for her Family has 260 very short devotions, each beginning with a Bible verse and ending with a prayer.

God honors prayers; I’ve seen this in my own life and imagine that you have too. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells us to pray without ceasing.

What a privilege it is to pray for our grands. It’s a gift that money can’t buy. One that will affect not only their lives today, but also their future.

He is able,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

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© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

How to make an easy picture frame, tick-tac-toe board ... and more

Friday's Grand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

Popsicle crafts can provide hours of fun. Our grands have made the cutest, one-of-a-kind Popsicle-stick frames. They're so easy to create.

First, ask the grandkids to color plain Popsicle sticks with watercolors or magic markers. When they dry, they can be decorated with stickers, printed words, or designs. Glue the prepared Popsicle sticks into the shape of a square. Attach a piece of artwork or picture to the back of the frame.

I googled “Popsicle crafts” and discovered countless craft possibilities. One clever idea is a “tick-tac-toe” board. It’s so simple to make!

Place and glue four Popsicle sticks onto a piece of heavy construction paper—so that they make the shape of a tic-tac-toe board. Then cut out three identical objects for the “x’s” and “o’s” (these could be slipped into a zip-lock bag for storage). That’s all there is to it—presto… you have a travel game.

Have a great weekend!

He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

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© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo: © Monika Adamczyk | Dreamstime.com

Great-Grandmothers are Special

Tuesday’s Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

Last year our family had a mini family-reunion. A highlight was when my mother entered the room. The children had colored some pictures for her and several held flowers. As the little ones were waiting for their great-grandmother to arrive, you could hear excited echoes spread throughout the room: “She’s coming, she’s coming!"

When Mom joined the family, there was something good and right about showing honor and respect to her—the oldest member of our family. The one who has made countless sacrifices for every one of us. The one who knows the stories of six generations. The one who says over and over, “Things have a way of working out,” because she’s seen God’s faithfulness in the good and bad times.

I want to join Mom and pass on her legacy to my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I want them to know that they can always trust God. That He’s there regardless of the circumstances. I want to model a life that lives out the belief in the words of Romans 8:28—that ultimately all things work together for good when we love God and live our life according to His purpose.

What legacy do you want to leave? What legacy did your great-grandparents and grandparents pass on to you?

Is there any specific Bible verse that you’re praying for your grands?

Have a great week,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com

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Related posts:

Grandparents are Special
What Does Grandparenting Mean
Why are Grandparents Special?


© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux

"God must have been sleeping"

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

One of our grands is trying to stop sucking her thumb ... trying. The other day I said: “Did you ask God to help you?”

“Yes,” she replied, “But He must have been sleeping.”

A smile crept from my lips. "Let's see what the Bible says about God sleeping," I said and looked up "sleep" in the index. I turned to Psalm 121:4 and read out loud: “He who watches over you will not slumber [sleep].”

“Honey, does God sleep?”

“No,” she said, pausing for about a half of a second. “I guess I wasn’t listening.” Somehow her words struck me as quite profound: I wasn't listening. I wonder how many times God speaks to me and I'm not listening.

Psalm 81:13a says, “If my people would but listen to me. (NIV)"

The Message, a Bible paraphrase, words this same verse a little differently: "Oh, dear people, will you listen to me now?"

Today, I'm gong to make an effort to be still and listen. Really listen.

Have a great week,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com

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© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Audio Books

Friday'sGrand Connection Fun
by Mary May Larmoyeux

"You’ve been barreling down the highway for hours. Everyone’s dissolving into a state of terminal crankiness, including you. The kids cry “are we there yet?” each time a highway exit sign comes into view. The healthy snacks are long gone, you’re down to your last package of emergency Gummy Worms, and you’ve still got four more hours in the car ahead of you. You’re tempted to pull over on the highway and dump the entire crew. Don’t. Instead, pop an audio book into your tape or CD player, relax, and listen to a story."
—The National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance

Have you discovered audio-books? Available in both bookstores and the library, they are a great resource to share with the grands, whether they live nearby or around the world.

When I spoke to a group of grandparents last week, one couple told about recording books for their grandkids, and sending them overseas where they lived with missionary parents. The grandparents rang a bell to indicate when it was time to "turn the page."

Pops and I did the same thing when some grandchildren lived out of state. We mailed them audio-books that we recorded, along with a copy of the books that we read. Their parents said that the kids loved it! (We had a little introductory message before each book or story that we read ... telling the grands how much we love them.)

Here's an idea: We could ask family members of all ages to record a favorite story or small book. How fun it would be to not only listen to these tapes or CDs together, but also to discuss the principles shared in the stories.

A good friend's father loved to tell family stories. One of her favorite possessions is a prized recording of him telling the tales that he so loved to share. Although he is no longer with her, she can still sense his presence as she hears his familiar voice and contagious laugh.

It takes a little time to record a favorite book, Bible passage, or family story, but it's well worth the effort! If you've recorded audio-books, what tips to do have for us?

Have a wonderful weekend,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com

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© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © Stanko Mravljak | Dreamstime.com

Grandparents Are Special

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

Children's children are a crown to the aged. (Proverbs 17:6)

Last week I had a wonderful time speaking to the "Keenagers" of Geyer Springs First Baptist Church about grandparenting. What a great group!

I shared with them about how much I loved being with my grandparents. Life just seemed to stop at Nana and Grandpa's home. I remember Nana helping me draw pretend houses on big pieces of brown paper—cutting out the furniture from a Sears Catalog. And what fun it was to try to walk in Nana and Grandpa’s yard on a pair of stilts. I never did master that.

I asked the Keenagers about some of their memories with their grandparents. One of them said that she loves eating sauerkraut and remembers how her grandmother would let her eat a whole jar of sauerkraut when she would visit her.

Another fondly recalls her grandmother always prefacing plans with "the Lord willing."

One special lady is a wealth of family history. She shared how her grandmother, Little Mammy, would tell her stories about the times after the Civil War.

Another said that the "magic of Christmas" began with her grandmother, who lived with her family, asking her on Christmas Eve "Did you hear 'em?" Then her grandmother would say, "Santa Claus and his reindeer are up there [on the roof]!"

What are some of the wonderful memories that you have of your grandparents? Poet Nora Hetrick says grandparents “sprinkle stardust over our lives in all that we do.” I really like that!

Have a great week and sprinkle some star dust,
Mary
www.marymaywrites.com

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© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
Photo © 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux