A Special Delivery

A Special Delivery Reflections by the Sea © Betsy Ore Glass July 17, 2012

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children, And the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. Proverbs 13:22 A month ago our family reached the highest level of joy we have ever experienced which was a very special delivery with the birth of our first grandson. There is a saying that suggests, “A grandchild can fill a space in your heart that you never knew was empty”. I think that says it all! We were eagerly anticipating his arrival and had planned for it, but the day he was born, to touch him and see his face, and to know that he was ‘wonderfully and fearfully made’ by our Father in Heaven, was overwhelming. This child is wanted completely, and loved fully. God has allowed this little wonder to be a part of our family and what a huge responsibility it is. As I looked into his eyes when I held him close for many days, I spoke to him about God and Jesus. I sang the children’s song, “Jesus Loves Me” and personalized it with his name. His parents have named him after his two grandfathers, but they have chosen to call him by a nickname, Jack and so we will too. “Jesus Loves Jack” was our theme song. Jack likes the piano and music and his countenance is especially sweet when he is serenaded or sung to. This responsibility of being a grandparent is not taken lightly. The Bible doesn’t mention our role as grandparents specifically but it does talk a great deal about parenting. Billy Graham has said that as grandparents we should, “Thank God for the privilege of being grandparents, and ask Him to help us be the best grandparents we can be. May our grandchildren remember not only the good times we’ll give them, but especially our example of faith and love in Christ.” I look back and I first learned of Jesus from my dear grandmother. We put together a scrapbook about Jesus from old church bulletins stuck in the back of her Bible. I still have that scrapbook and it is a treasure. Would there be “Reflections by the Sea” if she has not sown seeds of faith in me as a child? She was my teacher and my friend. It is said that “A grandmother is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher and a little bit best friend”. How true. I can be that! I know our little Jack was brought to us on the wings of angels and by the love of his precious parents. But I choose to hope that before his arrival from Heaven, the angels stopped off to see my father who gave him a few pointers about baseball that he can use on his journey. So this little boy that has stolen my heart will know about God and Jesus and baseball. Others will have to fill in the blanks about other things. But I’ve got those three things covered (with my husband’s help on the baseball!!). The miracle of life gets me choked up every time I think about it: the little nose, the pursed lips, the tiny fingers and toes; the tender eyes that give and receive love. To be blessed with a new child to love puts all of life’s priorities in right order and puts everything in proper perspective. The little things don’t matter. We get these moments where as grandparents we are being looked to for wisdom and guidance from the parents and then we are looked up to by the little grandchildren for how to behave, what to say and do. That is the inheritance that we can give…being wise and godly in our leadership over our family. It is a blessing to be chosen for this role and one to cherish and use well. And if I have spoken too much about grandmothers, let me not close until I have paid tribute to the wonderful grandfathers, of whom it is said, “May have silver in their hair, but have gold in their hearts”. I know that to be true!! If you are a grandparent, you understand what all the fuss is about. No matter who we are, or what age we are, there is a good chance that whether past or present, we were prayed for, loved, thought of and cherished in only the way our grandparents could do it. Whether it was a biological grandparent or someone special that was placed in our life and acted like a grandparent, I believe we are to be grateful for that and pass it on. The lesson is to love. What we give will be returned to us in abundance.