One of the joys of being a grandparent is discovering that grandchildren often make excellent teachers. This book offers 52 brief devotionals for grandparents, each built around the idea of lessons learned from grandchildren.

Lessons I Learned From My Grandchildren

By Delia Halverson

Abingdon Press

Copyright © 2008 The United Methodist Publishing House
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-687-65078-1

Chapter One

LESSONS OF EXPERIENCES AND JOYS

Lessons of Each Special Day

Scripture: All of you nations, clap your hands and shout joyful praises to God. —Psalm 47:1

Our twin granddaughters learned early on, even before they could talk, to express their joy with clapping. They clapped when they saw someone they knew. They clapped when they accomplished something new. They clapped when a special show came on television. They clapped when their grandfather put their favorite dish on the table. (He cooks the main meals at our house!) And they clapped when we sang praise to God.

When the girls first sat in high chairs for their meals, I began singing a special song to them at breakfast. It uses the words of Psalm 118:24 (NRSV): "This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Even though they did not understand the meaning of the words, they knew that it was a song of joy, and they reacted with their clapping. Even now, when we sing the song, they immediately break out in smiles and cheers accompanied with spontaneous clapping.

Each day with grandchildren is special. I never know just what it will hold. It may be the day that they learn a new word, such as floor or dinosaur. Or it may be the day that they accomplish a special dance step or a complicated karate move. Or it may simply be another day with the same games and toys. But nonetheless, it is special to them, and I'm finding it special to me.

Once we are adults we get hung up in busyness. Life is a rush from one job to another, from one meeting to another, or from one relationship to another. We not only forget to clap for joy over the simple accomplishments, but we forget to recognize each day as a day that God has made and a day that we live for God.

If slowing down with grandchildren does nothing more, it can teach us to find joy in each day. It can teach us that there are ordinary things in life to celebrate, as well as the extra-ordinary. It can teach us an awareness that we have forgotten in our "maturity." It can teach us to feel unashamed about celebrating with joy and with excitement—celebrating the specialness of today and the specialness of relationships!

Reflect

~ What happened today that you can clap about?

~ Besides clapping, what other ways can you celebrate the joy of a moment?

~ How can you find a way to remind yourself of the many moments that are special?

Pray

God, you have given us days, some routine and some unusual. Help me see the specialness of each day. Help me lose all my reluctance of celebrating your gifts of new days. Amen.

Lessons of Laughter

Scripture: And a little child shall lead them. —Isaiah 11:6c (NRSV)

It is a joy to watch my grandchildren in some of their antics. At times I simply smile inside and try not to burst into laughter, because they would not think it was a laughing matter. Other times I laugh with them, feeling the explosion of endorphins through my body. And then there are times when I laugh until my sides hurt and tears spill over and down my cheeks!

Research indicates that endorphins make a difference in our physical and emotional health. When was the last time you really laughed until the tears ran down your face? Perhaps laughter is one reason children tend to be more physically fit than we adults. It is estimated that children laugh an average of four hundred times a day, while we adults laugh only about fifteen times a day. What a difference! Where did we adults lose it? Why can't we follow children's leading and remember to laugh more frequently?

There are other areas where we can follow children's leadership and make our lives more meaningful. Here are some suggestions:

• Look for the little things: select one square foot of ground, and write down everything you see in that square.

• Start out for a walk with no destination in mind, and let your interest in your surroundings lead you.

• Take off your shoes and splash through the next rain shower.

• Investigate different items in nature just to enjoy their different textures.

• Run in circles with a puppy or a child.

• Fly a kite or hug a tree.

• Ride a bike or open the windows of the car and feel the wind in your face.

• Walk through the grass barefoot, and giggle as the grass tickles your toes.

Most important of all, take the example of children who learn from their mistakes and simply get up and try it again. Bad past experiences cannot be changed. If we don't use them to learn, then they make us miserable as we continually bring them to mind. Learning from our mistakes makes them worthwhile. Laughing about them buffs the sharp edges, so that we can hold them in our hands and find the kernel of learning inside.

Reflect

~ Count the number of times you laughed in the past twenty-four hours. How can you increase your laughter time?

~ When have you put everything on hold and enjoyed an adventure as you did as a child?

~ What past experience can you use to learn from and laugh about, instead of regretting or cursing it?

Pray

Dear God, through children you give us examples of a joyful life. Help us follow the leading of our children and appreciate all the opportunities of life. Amen.

Lessons of Quiet Times

Scripture: But so many people were coming and going that Jesus and the apostles did not even have a chance to eat. Then Jesus said, "Let's go to a place where we can be alone and get some rest." —Mark 6:31

Grandchildren seem to have boundless energy, particularly the younger ones. How often we say, "If I could bottle that energy and sell it, I'd be a billionaire." Older grandchildren don't always exhibit their energy, yet they may have the energy to go to a party and dance most of the night away. Which brings me to the lesson I've learned from my grandchildren about quiet times. We all need some "downtime." It may come in the form of exhausted sleep or it may come as a simple time of reflection within ourselves.

As I've cared for my little twin granddaughters, I've come to recognize that when they become irritable, they are actually tired and are not getting the sleep they need. Their good spirits and happy smiles usually return when they have adequate sleep.

God created our bodies in such a manner that we must have sleep or we will become ill. If God is all-powerful, as we believe, then God could have created us so that we did not need sleep. Consequently I see sleep as a true gift from God. Sleep is our Creator's way of saying, "Relax; rest in my care and renew yourself for tomorrow."

Jesus exhibited another way to rest. He often drew away to be by himself and pray. The humanness of Jesus required that time of quiet reflection. When we go day after day without drawing apart to spend quiet time with God, then in essence we are saying that our spiritual lives are stronger than that of Jesus, and that we don't need renewal as Jesus did. I think not. I think that we have revved up our lives so much that we fool ourselves into thinking we don't need quiet times. We fill our ears with music,...