Train Up a Child

You haven't heard from latley because I have been really busy! I have been babysitting Kate for the past week; her mom and dad will be home tomorrow night from a week at a middle school camp in TN where Nathan has been leading the worship; Kate has spent the past 8 days at Camp GiGi's. We have had fun, but I know why we have kids when we are young! I am pooped. The arthritis in my hands has flared up from lifting her in and out of the tub, hi chair and crib. But she is such a joy and a blessing. I have been reminded so many times this week about the verse that says "train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." Her nite-nite ritual that she shares with her mom and dad and with her GiGi is to rock and sing and pray. She knows all the words to "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus," "Great is Thy Faithfulness," "Jesus Loves Me," and others. It is so precious to hear her singing along with me. We pray and when I say "In Jesus' Name," she then says "Amen." And she always says "God bless Emma, Molly, Baby Jack, Miss Autumn, Mr. Dan, Mommie & Daddy, Mickey (Mouse), and Alex." She folds her little, tiny hands and says the grace over our meals.
Her mommie and daddy have done such a great job training her up in the ways of the Lord. And what sweet assurance to know that God's Word says that when we do that she will not depart from it! Tonight we went to Chuck E. Cheese. As I watched her, my mind time-traveled back almost 25 years ago...and it seemed like I was watching Jennifer, laughing, riding the rides and playing the games...intrigued yet scared of Chuck E. How quickly the years go by...I remembered too tonight as Kate and I sang and prayed, how we had those same rituals with Jennifer and pondered how faithful God is. We trained her up in the way she should go and she has not departed from it...she is a godly woman who fears the Lord, a Proverbs 31 woman of faith, a devoted wife and a loving mother. We have come full circle and I am pleased and in awe watching her mother Kate and live out her faith in her family. I am reminded too of my own mother and grandmother. Memories flood my heart of my mother reading to me from the Bible before I left for school and praying with me. I can see my grandmother on her knees at the foot of the bed, praying out loud andI learned from their example. Other godly women like Aunt Rhon, Rausia and Granny talked about the Lord, prayed and sang the old hymns and I watched them and I learned. My grandmother taught me to memorize Scripture and to this day those verses I learned at her knee have not left my memory (tho alot of other stuff has!) Thank you, Mama. Thank you ,Grandma. I love you, "my girl," Jennifer and I love you, precious Baby Kate. Dear God, may I be an example of a godly mother and grandmother and woman. I pray Kate will one day fondly look back and remember these times at GiGi's, praying and singing hymns and reading the Bible and she, in turn, will pass this godly heritage and legacy of faith on to her children and grandchildren.

Granny & her Bible