Christmas Through the Heart of a Child

I love experiencing Christmas through the hearts and eyes of children. They teach us so much. Last weekend I took a walk in the snow with my sweet granddaughter, Brenna.

"What would you like for Christmas?" I asked.

"Grandma, you're not Santa Claus!"

"I know I'm not Santa Claus. But I want to buy you a gift for Christmas. What would you like?"

"Grandma, it's NOT MY birthday. It's Jesus's birthday!"

 I could almost hear the SHEESH!!! in her rolling eyes! Adults can exasperate children with our stupidity.

Brenna made me think, What will I give Jesus for His birthday? Good question.

How about you? What will you give to Jesus this Christmas? I suggest your children (and you) include Jesus on your Christmas gift list. Then we'll sleep like Brenna knowing Christmas isn't all about us. It's all about Jesus.

 

 

Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay

Close by me forever and love me I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,

And take us to Heaven to live with thee there.



Wishing you a December filled with peace-filled sleep and splashes of serenity,

Grandchildren Lessons

Dan and I adore and enjoy our eight grandchildren. They teach us much about Christ and living the Christian life.

Last week five-year-old Brenna and two-year-old Charlotte played in our backyard. Without warning, Charlotte stepped on a bees' nest setting off a flurry of bees stinging both of our sweet girls. As Dan ran to reach screaming Charlotte, he witnessed Brenna (ignoring her own bee stings) with her arms around Charlotte trying to protect and comfort while brushing bees from Charlotte's skin. Brenna never cried and never left Charlotte's side.

Jesus said we are to change and become like little children. 

How are we doing with that command?

 Our Christian homes and our Christian churches should be safe havens from the stings of the world. May we be like little Brenna who to me was a picture of Christ. She died to self and her own pain so she could soothe her sister. Jesus said "Let the little children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."

I hope I never grow up!

Oh, To Be A Child Again!

"Do you want me to read to you from Grandpa's Bible when he was a boy?" The verses he underlined when he was only ten peek our interest.

Sitting with Ava and Gracie, I read "And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32

Holy Words are read and the Holy Spirit does His work. A quietness fills the family room.

With moist eyes, Gracie breaks the silence, "Ava I am so sorry I didn't share my bike with you. And I forgive you for being mean to me today." The sweet cousins hug and pray together.

Jesus said to let the little children lead them. Little children led me today.

When was the last time the Word of God brought tears of conviction to my eyes? May I be as quick as Gracie to forgive and seek forgiveness. Oh let not a root of bitterness find soil in my heart — ever!

My splash of serenity to you today!

Grandboys and Dads and Walks and Snakes,Oh My!

 Thirteen years ago today I became a Grandma. Life changed. It got better.

Happy 13th  Birthday, Connor Joe. You are a delight to my life.

 I wrote this piece many years ago after a walk with baby Connor and hope one day it will be published in Splashes of Serenity: Bathtime Reflections for Drained Women.

“In the cool of the evening, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking around in the garden….”  Genesis: 3:8 (GWT)

“Let’s take a walk!” my grandson, Connor, suggests nearly each time he visits. Our walks take us into make-believe Africa hunting for the pair of stone lions gracing the driveway of a house three blocks away. The owner gave permission for Connor to sit on the lion’s back. He does and “roars” for everyone to hear. It’s fun for a four year old. I love our walks too. They bind us together on life’s journey. I have Connor’s full attention as I tell him tales of my childhood and walks with my dad.

For as long as I can remember, my dad and I took good walks. We walked in his garden. The corn stalks grew way over my head and my dad was my protection. He once commanded, “Don’t move!” Stopped in my tracks, I looked down to see a long black snake at my feet. Walks in the garden weren’t such fun once I realized a snake resided there. In the winter, we walked up snowy hills and rode down on the old wooden Flexible Flyer sled. Dad would lie on his tummy, and I would lie on his back holding on for dear life as we sped down icy slopes. What fun! As we grew older, we had great walks and talks about life and unseen snakes and lions that prowl around seeking to devour naïve young girls.

I have a picture to commemorate one of our best treks. On Dad’s 87^th birthday, we walked 27 holes of golf. Dad shot the best score of his life—two over par. Now that was a memorable day as shown from the ear-to-ear grin on Dad’s sweet face photographed, framed, and placed predominantly on my piano.

It was only a few months later Dad became sick and was hospitalized. We sat together in stillness knowing our days together would soon end. The twinkle in his eye sparkled as his mouth looked up in a grin. “Let’s take a walk,” he suggested. The doctor gave his approval. I think in dad’s heart he pushed himself for one last walk with his daughter. We shuffled down the hospital corridor. With one hand he held onto me. With the other, he held the IV pole. We talked about all the walks we had taken. I said the best walk had been the 27 holes of golf on his 87^th birthday. He disagreed, saying the best was walking me down the church aisle to marry my husband. Our eyes were wet on that day as they were now. I lightened the moment with a joke about his wanting me married so he wouldn’t have to pay my dental bills. But we both knew dad was giving his final blessing and approval of my husband, Dan—the man we both loved.

Dan and I treasure our long walks. Walking together is a priority to keep our bodies and our marriage in good shape. Our hands and hearts touch as we walk and talk about life—how good it has been, and how blessed we are by our love. Sometimes we encourage each other by pointing out lions and snakes the other might be missing. We leave nothing unsaid, for we never know which walk will be our last.

Death can come at any time. It came quickly for Dad. The walk down the hospital hall was our last walk together. Shortly after, Dad held God’s hand and peacefully walked to Heaven.

Must be God likes walks too. “I will walk among you and be your God.” He says in Leviticus 26:12 (NIV). God walked in the garden with Adam and warned him of snakes. God desires to walk with us and us with Him. He knows what lies ahead on our trail and He wants to journey with us, talk with us, bless us, and protect us from lions and snakes. Sometimes, He’ll pick us up and carry us as I do Connor when his little legs grow weary on the rough roads. Most important, I don’t think there will be any disagreement  that the best walk will be that last walk when He ushers His followers to Heaven.

Life is a journey of steps. We’ll meet some lions and snakes along the way. Even so, we should enjoy life’s hike and make sure the people trekking with us know how much we love them.

S.O.S.:  Dear God, thank You for walking with me through all the gardens of life. May I pay close attention to your warnings of lions and snakes and bears, oh my! Let me hear Your voice and obey when You lead me down a path that is Your choosing and not mine. Thank you for treasured times with those I love. Most of all, thank You for the assurance that You are with me, holding my hand, walking with me, and preparing a road for my steps. Keep me from stumbling and when I do, thank You for being there to carry me. I love You, Jesus. Amen.   

May your life walks be filled with Splashes of  Serenity!

Life Lessons Learned From My Grandchildren

The house is now quiet. Six of my eight grandchildren visited me this week. Oh, how I miss them. Grandchildren are like a splash of serenity in a world where all else is chaos. God tells us in Matthew 18:3, to "become like little children." So, I make a practice of observing little children and learning how to behave.

This week I learned:

Children aren't afraid to fall

But they watch where they are going.

They love without expecting anything in return.

When your hat is on backwards, you are still beautiful.

It's okay to lay down on the bowling alley coaxing your ball to knock down more pins.

It's more fun holding hands than going solo.

Letting someone else go first makes you happy.

Really happy!!!

It's the simple things like a good old dog named Fudge that make you smile.

Life is short. Grandchildren grow too fast. Treasure each moment because before long they are taller than you.

Children are God's Splashes of Serenity in a world filled with sadness. Take time to enjoy them and observe how they live and love.

Treasuring each of you today,

Elaine

The Blessings of Writing and Leaving a Legacy

I hit the "send" button. My book, We All Married Idiots: Three Things You'll Never Change About Your Marriage and Ten Things You Can, is in the hands of dear Anna, who is incorporating 30 pages of edits into the manuscript and making it all into a book we hope will impact lives.

Today, I rest and recover and reflect, thankful for all who prayed and encouraged and sacrificed. Was it worth it? Oh, yes! This letter from my 7-year old granddaughter tells it all.

Gracie writes,

"Grandma,

... You mean alot to me! I would give you 3 wishes if I could. Thank you for teaching me how to write a book, now I can pass it down to my kids when I grow up!

Love,

Gracie & family"

Reminds me of why we sacrifice hours and days and years to write. This is why: "Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord." Psalm 102:18

Has God placed a book in your heart? Write it down so future generations can praise the Lord. Be that Splash of Serenity in their lives.

Thanking God for words and books and friends and granddaughters who will create future generations to praise the Lord!

Elaine

Serenity Came Down at Christmas

Today I welcome the man who has splashed me with serenity and love for 41 years. Recopied from the C&MA Northeastern District newsletter, may its truth give us cause for pause.

Another Advent season is upon us and with it the joyful
expectation of, and preparation for, the celebration of our Savior’s
birth. This Christmas day as Elaine and I are gratefully recalling the birth
of baby Jesus, we will also be excitedly awaiting the birth of baby Isaac, our eighth grandchild who is due to arrive December 27th. As have our other
grandkids, we know Isaac will light up our lives in wonderful ways.

The light a newborn brings to his family is dazzling but it pales in comparison to the light that came into the world with the birth of Jesus Christ. Though not often regarded as a Christmas hymn, P.P. Bliss’ “The Light of The World” conveys a powerful Christmas message:

The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin;
The light of the world is Jesus;
Like sunshine at noonday His glory shone in,
The light of the world is Jesus.

The darkness of our sinful world is pervasive. Every day reminders of that
truth come to us through our newspapers, televisions, computers, and smart
phones. Just when we think sin has hit us with its best (worst) shot, some
new headline or news thread reminds us that Satan is as active as ever. He
still prowls around like a lion, looking for someone to devour. Every
depressing, even disgusting, account of his successful attacks reveals how
desperately people need to come from the darkness of their sin into the light of God’s love and mercy through Jesus Christ.

As we all move through this precious season of the year, may our eyes,
minds, and hearts be fixed on Jesus, the light of the world. May our lives and our churches shine the brilliant light of our Savior into the darkness of our world as we remember these darkness-piercing words from Dwight Hall’s
song, “Lord, in This Urgent Hour.”

Millions are lost from Thee,
Great God of Majesty,
Oh, Savior, set them free,
Great God of love.

Lord, let your light shine through us,
Dan

Thanksgiving Day! Poem by my Granddaughter, Gracie

A writer reads books and observes life and writes about it. My Granddaughter, Gracie, seven years old, wrote this Thanksgiving poem on Thanksgiving Eve:

Thanksgiving Day!

It is Thanksgiving Day.
Grandma and Mommy bake the corn casserole for our fine feast.
My Aunt gave the good turkey who was on a farm.
And now the turkey is as bald as can be.
My mom eyes the boxes as she looks for yummy treats
For this fine Thanksgiving Day!!!

by Gracie Price ~ seven years old.

My grandchildren are all here! I'm surrounded with splashes of joy and wonder on this fine Thanksgiving Day!

Be blessed,

Elaine