Psalm 145 I will praise you, my God and King, and always honor your name. 2 I will praise you each day and always honor your name. 3 You are wonderful, Lord, and you deserve all praise, because you are much greater than anyone can understand. 4 Each generation will announce to the next your wonderful and powerful deeds. 5 I will keep thinking about your marvelous glory and your mighty miracles. 6 Everyone will talk about your fearsome deeds, and I will tell all nations how great you are. 7 They will celebrate and sing about your matchless mercy and your power to save. [CEV]
The Good News of our Grand Parents
Some Good Stories, some times of struggle and loss. Some victories, celebrations and traditions
Charlie taught showed me about crops like corn, soy beans, and peanuts
Ruby taught be about hard work, writing letters and where McNuggets come from
Raymond taught me about storytelling (stretching truths), difficult bible passages, and anger
Tommye taught me to care for roses, cooking sewing and creativity.
Traditions and celebrations
Charlie celebrated a hard work day with a trip to the country store for a 6.5 oz Coke, 4:30am is for the animals breakfast, and Sunday was for Church.
Ruby celebrated Sunday by preparing all weekend for Sunday dinner and Sunday school lessons, custom making back to school jeans, making Brunswick stew, and cutting corn and shelling peas for months of meals to come.
Raymond celebrated the start of school with new Converse Tennis shoes, cashing a pay check in pennies to look for wheaties, testing the new preacher with Bible test questions and listening to the Braves game and watching their fireworks from the front porch.
Tommye celebrated making Sunday school creative and fun for over 40 years, sets the rules for Christmas gifts at Thanksgiving dinner, and lived like everyday was a Thanksgiving.
FAITH LESSONS THEY SHARED
Charlie: It’s Sunday, your not staying in bed, your going to church. Did you forget to brush your teeth or is that the chicken coop I smell?
Ruby: Why don’t you play the piano in church this Sunday, or sing us special song? You go to Sunday school and learn something new.
Raymond: Run in this store and pick up a brown bag with my name on it because it will be closed on Sunday.
Tommye: God is love, that’s why i love you too. (and a 1000 other intentional lessons of joyful, creative, gracious, thankful messages and examples)
The Other Grand Parents
I have a hundred other grand parent models in a dozen churches who have shaped my faith, held me up and
Some Bad Stries, some failures and would-a-could-a-should-a
The Greatest Gift of a Grand Parent is to Give the Good Stuff to another Generations
Entrusting a legacy: Intentional Spiritual Growth
The Message we would leave for the next two generations and more..
The Self Examination
What would we do to make certain they would know and remember
What would we say or write or live our to be intentional
What are we doing vs what can we do
Today is a day of generations looking ahead to generations
Will we leave a legacy of debts or assets
Will we build for a future beyond our current weakness
Will we our journey is shared or they can figure it out on their own
Will we give it all so they do nothing or will we model what ethic and faith we hope for the future
Are we practicing as a generation to generation sharer, now?
If not, What are we waiting for?
