Tag Archives: Christian parenting

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Always Busy

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“When we go to Nana and Pop’s – Pop will take us to the barn, Pop will give us a ride in the cart, we will play with Pop in the tree house… and Nana – well Nana is always busy.”

Our daughter was describing her son’s excitement about the planned visit to our home. She was telling me about all the things her boys planned to do with Pop. Her words were not intended to hurt me…

but they did.

“Nana is always busy.”

Our grandson is right. When our grandchildren come, I am always so excited to see them. I hug them, give a few words of greeting, and then I often head for the kitchen to either start or put the finishing touches on the next meal.

Someone has to do it….right?

Yet in thinking about our grandson’s assessment of Nana’s involvement in his life, I realized that I am always busy. I am an active person. When we don’t have company I am generally working on an art project (or several) or sewing something by hand. I love to make things by hand! When I watch a movie or TV I am usually making something as I watch. I do handwork in the car when traveling.

I also enjoy working in our yard pulling weeds, trimming plants, deadheading blooms, or just generally maintaining our flower beds.

It occured to me that my “busyness” was more of a habit than a necessity.

Yes, meals must be made and bathrooms cleaned, but I don’t need to do other things when our children and grandchildren come to visit. I need to focus more on THEM.

Our grandchildren LOVE playing with Pop because he gives them his undivided attention – well mostly.
(he has been known to fix something or other at the barn when he takes them down there or pull a weed or two from the garden) Pop does most of what they ask so they enjoy being with him and it is certainly mutual.

It is not an issue of competiton for the attention of our grandchildren. We currently have 11 grandchildren so there are plenty of opportunities to spread the love around. I enjoy the fact that these grandchildren love being with their “Pop”. The issue is that I was hurt by the honest assessment of our grandson because it pointed out to me what I was missing.

Our grandchildren will remember playing with Pop….and they will remember Nana being busy.

Jesus addressed this issue of “busyness” with two sisters, Mary and Martha. In Luke 10:38-41 it says –

38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what He taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to You that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

The Amplified Bible says – “40 But Martha [overly occupied and too busy] was distracted with much serving”. Does that sound like me? YES!

Jesus says to Martha – there is only one thing worth being concerned about – Mary has discovered it. Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus – spending time with Him.

Jesus indicates here that He is not all that impressed with our “busyness” – the stuff we are supposedly doing for Him. He wants us to fellowship with Him – to sit at His feet.

As God’s children we MUST choose that ONE THING – being with Jesus.

I am making a committment to be more intentional about the time I spend with our grandchildren. I want to focus on THEM – and not just be busy.

God wants relationship with me – He is not impressed with what I “do” for Him. He wants me to sit at His feet.

Our grandchildren want our time – more than a clean house, weeded flower beds or homemade cookies.

Well – maybe not the cookies……

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Never Too Young

Lincoln and candle

“How can I give this to God?”

Our daughter told me that she was amazed by her son’s question as they sat in church yesterday. She thought her son (almost five) wasn’t even paying attention. The pastor was sharing about the importance of offering ourselves and all we do to God. Our grandson was drawing on the children’s bulletin not appearing to be listening at all. Then he asked how he could give the picture he had drawn as his offering to God.

He was responding to the pastor’s message.

We should never underestimate the depth of little children’s understanding.

The disciples tried to “protect” Jesus from the distraction of children as he was teaching and healing those people who followed.

There were no nurseries or children’s ministries then. In fact, women and children were generally left out of religious gatherings during that time. Young boys were allowed to join their fathers when they were around 12 years old – as Jesus did when he went to the temple (Luke 2:42). Yet we know from various accounts in the gospels that many women followed Jesus – and so probably brought their children along as well.

Jesus valued the children and gathered them to himself despite the disciples’ efforts to turn the children away.

Luke 18: 15-16

15 One day some parents brought their little children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But when the disciples saw this, they scolded the parents for bothering him.

16 Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.

I think children’s ministries and nurseries are important. I feel that those who care for and teach the children are such a blessing and are serving God. I look back on my earliest memories of attending church and I remember Sunday School teachers who taught me Biblical truth through their lessons AND their lives. I am so thankful for their willingness to put up with me, one of those wiggly, talkative children. (one teacher even put me out in the hall for talking too much!)

I also feel that there are times when children benefit from participating in the service with their parents. We can learn so much from a child’s response to Biblical teaching and when we experience the service with our children or grandchildren we can talk about the shared worship time. I remember seeing scripture through new eyes when our children shared their understanding of a particular passage. Our example of praying, worshipping through singing, and attentively listening are all examples to our little ones as well.

If Jesus said we needed to be like children to be part of the Kingdom of heaven, then we have much we can learn from these little ones.

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Laugh At the Days to Come

Don't laugh now!

Don’t laugh now!

Our son told me years ago – and in fact reminded me of this recently – that before I tell a joke, I needed to run it by him to make sure it was really funny.

I don’t think so.

First of all, I am a 62 year old female. I don’t expect the things I find funny to be funny to young men.

Secondly, I do not find it funny when people are physically hurt. Males tend to LAUGH when someone falls down. I feel their pain and want to help them up. I am not sure I always trust my son’s evaluation of my humor.

Finally, what a person finds funny changes over time. I now find it so funny when small children say things really loud in quiet places. When my own children did this – it wasn’t funny.

I also think it is funny to tell my students that organic shapes (as opposed to geometric shapes) are shapes that have no preservatives or additives.

One student actually laughed, so I felt good about my effort to use humor in class.

Laughter is important. It lightens our mood, refreshes our outlook, and it can be contagious.

Solomon gives this wise council when describing a Godly woman.

Proverbs 31:25-26 NLT

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity,
and she laughs without fear of the future.
26 When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness.

Why is she able to laugh at the future? Because she has strength and dignity. I believe it also means that she doesn’t take herself too seriously.

She doesn’t know what her future holds, but she knows God holds her future.

Let’s laugh together with our children.

Let’s laugh together with our grandchildren.

Let’s laugh together with our friends.

Let’s laugh at the days to come because we trust in our Father’s faithfulness.