Welcome to a place where we can share ideas about grandparenting, especially ways to pass spiritual values and family stories to the next generation.

Mary is the co-author of The Grandparent Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart.
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Co-author of The Grandparent Connection: 365 Ways to Connect With Your Grandchild's Heart

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Grandparents ... gifts from God



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Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux


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

As a child, I loved being with my Nana and Grandpa. Life just seemed to stop at their home. I remember drawing pretend houses with them 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.

There’s just something special about a grandparent interacting with their legacy. But what exactly is it?

I asked Pops what makes grandparents seem so special. He thinks part of the answer lies in perspective that only comes with age. I think he’s right.

“Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day,” Marcy DeMaree says, “and now the day was complete.”

“I loved their home,” Susan Strasberg says about her grandparents. “Everything smelled older, worn but safe; the food aroma had baked itself into the furniture.”

Nora Hetrick says in her poem "Grandparents Are Special," that grandparents “sprinkle stardust over our lives in all that we do.” I really like that!

Grandparents Are Special
By Nora Hetrick

Grandparents are special
in so many different ways,
Their hearts are filled with love
and they brighten up our days.

Grandparents are great listeners
when we need them to advise,
Because they’re always understanding
and are truly very wise.

Grandparents have great smiles
because they’ve been smiling for so long,
And they even make us smile
when everything is going wrong.

Few can bring the warmth
that can be found in their embrace,
And little more is needed to feel loved
than the smile on their face.

They’re a supply of precious stories
yet they’ve time to wipe a tear,
And give us reasons to laugh
as they grow more precious through the years.

Nobody can do for grandchildren
what grandparents are willing to do,
Because grandparents sprinkle stardust
over our lives in all that we do.

Grandparents are so generous
and they make sure we have the best,
So I’m thankful for my grandparents
and I know I’m truly blessed.

May the land yield unto them
a perfumed garden always growing,
With a warm breeze and a quiet sea
that’s filled with love overflowing.

(from www.voicesnet.org)

What memories do you have of your grandparents? Why were they special?

Have a great week,
Mary

Mary's Examiner.com column

© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

The Gift of Prayer


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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. Prayer is really a priceless gift.

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.

How do you remind yourself to pray for your grandkids. Why do you think prayer is important?

He is able,
Mary

© 2008 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Valentine recipes to bake ... and more


Friday's Grand Connection Fun

by Mary May Larmoyeux

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Last Friday I shared some Valentine crafts that we could make, and today we'll check out some special recipes to bake.  :)





These wonderful treats all sound delicious to me!

And here are a couple of bonus ideas that have nothing to do with cooking:

The first is great for conversations between kids of all ages:  Heart Animal Facts. Example:  The heart of a blue whale is as big as a _____ .  (Answer: car — amazing!)

Coloring Page (Teddy with big heart—yep, I've printed this for Pops' and my grands.)

Of course, the real message of Valentine's Day is love. Now's a good time to remind ourselves and our grands of God's perfect love.

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."
                                  —Psalm 118:1
 
Happy Valentine's Day,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
Grand Connection blog
Examiner.com column

© 2010 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Grandparents can model what really matters


Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought
by Mary May Larmoyeux

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The older I get the more I realize how quickly life goes by. Marybeth Curtis captures what really matters in life in her poem "The Measure of a Man":

The measure of a man is not only measured by feet and inches,
but his ability to encourage others to grow.

The strength of a man is measured not by brawn and muscle,
but by silently suffering in the face of adversity.

The wisdom of a man is measured not in the cost of formal education,
but through priceless advice from years of life's experiences.

The faith of a man is measured not by mighty sermons preached,
but by a humble life of Christ's example.

The love of a man is measured not by costly gifts or earthly treasures,
but by freely giving of himself and his prayers for an eternity with family
and friends.

I think that Marybeth's words are good reminders for all of us ... regardless of age. As grandparents we have an opportunity to invest in the next generation and model what really matters in life.

My grandparents modeled unconditional love and caring hearts. I hope that Pops and I will do the same for our grands.

What do you want to model for your grandkids? What did your grandparents model for you?

He is able,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
Grand Connection blog
Examiner.com column

© 2009 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
"The Measure of a Man" © Marybeth Curtis. All rights reserved.
Photo © Suzanne Tucker/Agency: Dreamstime.com