I like to think of my grandmother. She was an amazing woman who laughed a lot. One of the visible things I loved about her was her hair… it was purple or lilac to be exact.
Back in the days when hair color was just developing, people with gray hair didn’t have much choice about color except for a rinse that kept gray hair from turning yellow. So my grandma used this purple wash often which made her hair a lovely shade of violet. loved it. Especially when she was wearing a purple church gown and a violet-scented cologne, it was a sight and a scent to watch! What a memory!
Some of my friends are grandmothers and they give me lasting memories too. One of them does not take the lying grandmother. She wears bright and colorful outfits in teal and pink. She runs marathons, swims, works out daily at the gym, waterslides, and works 12-hour days as a nurse. she’s amazing! She expects to retire next January and I don’t think she will like it. She’ll either have to get a part-time job or stay on the treadmill for a longer period of time just to get her energy out!
So what memories are you creating that your children and grandchildren will remember? Do you take them out to special lunches or picnics and play silly games? Do you hide their pajamas in the freezer when they come over for the night? Is there a silly sound you do just for them? Do you teach them to play funny instruments like Boom Whackers? These kinds of fun things stay in a child’s head long after you’re gone.
The part of my grandmother that I take seriously is making sure my grandchildren know that I love the Lord with all my heart and strive to serve Him every day. They see me reading my Bible on the kitchen table with my devotional book. We worship together at night before we go to sleep. They see another Bible by my bed that I read if I get up in the night and can’t sleep, and they hear Christian music when they come to visit me. We turn off the TV sometimes and just talk. Now there is a new idea! I don’t allow iPods or MP3 players in the car so we can talk there either. It’s amazing how many scenes they miss and conversations fall out with ear buds stuck in their heads.
You are their grandfather! God has put you in their lives for a specific purpose. Make them reckon with Christ and meet their needs! And one more thing… I loved them!