Four Steps to Making Great Memories with Grandchildren!

One of my favorite devotions from the Grandmother's Biblewas written by Bobbie  Wolgemuth and is entitled, "I Will . .  I Will . . ."  She says, "Psalm 9 contains a great 'I Will' activity list to remember when you spend time with your grandchild. First, start with an attitude of praise. Tell the Lord what you are thankful for. Count your blessings, name them. It will be easy to have a heart full of thankfulness after you've named even a few. Your heart will be full and running over with the kind of attitude which pleases God and spills over on the young ones with the love of the Savior. 

Second, tell the children what God has done in the past. One of our greatest resources as grandmothers is the history we have lived. Everyday miracles fill our memory banks.  Pull a few past marvels out of your memory treasure chest and tell your grandchild of the Lord's wonders. 

Third, be a happy grandmother. Open the door with a smile and a hug. Let your face show the gladness of the Lord. Your inside joy should envelop your grandchildren with every encounter, no matter where you are. 

The fourth 'I will" is my favorite: sing. Sing with your grandchildren. Leave a song in their hearts."

Did you catch the four steps for making great memories with your grandchildren? They are:

1. Start with an attitude of praise. What is something you can praise God for? This is a great time of year to look back at the previous year to find things for which you are able to praise God. 
2. Tell your grandchildren what God has done in the past. This requires us to be intentional about thinking, remembering, and talking with our grandchildren. If our grandchildren are able to see how God has worked in our lives throughout our lives, they will be better able to see and believe how God will work in their lives, too!
3. Be a happy grandmother! A few years back when the movie  Inside Out released, my grandsons watched it at my house. After we watched it, my oldest grandson said, "Grandma, you are Joy." (In case you have not watched this movie, there is a character which represents the emotion, "joy".) I am happy to think my grandsons have been able to see God's joy in my life!
4. Sing with your grandchildren. When he was young, my oldest grandson told me one of the top five important things for a grandma to do is to sing, so apparently he would agree with this! When my grandsons were little we had a special bedtime song - our own version of, "You are my Sunshine". I sang it at other times, too . . . and over the years, the boys have sung it to each other as well.

So, what do you think? Which of these four is the easiest for you to do? I think the third one is the easiest for me, because I am so happy and blessed to be the grandma to my three, sweet boys . . . it is natural for this happiness to show through.

Which one do you have to work at the most? For me, it would be the singing. I do this a little now they are older, but could do it more.

Is there anything you would add to this list? I think I'd add to be focused and intentional. To be sure to, "redeem the time". We are not getting any younger . . . and neither are our grandchildren. We need to be intentional about passing on a confident faith and about praying for our grandchildren.

This weekend my grandsons will be over for a sleepover. I have ever so much for which to be thankful, for sure! Do you have any special days where you get to spend time with your grandchildren? What do you do? So, today, or tomorrow, this weekend, or the next time you are with your grandchildren, remember these four things and help pass on a heritage of confident faith by the things you say and do!