Keeping in Touch

Packet from Mount Rushmore.

God has blessed me with 8 grandchildren. I love being grandma, and I enjoy my time with the kids.

Four of my little cuties live in the same state,and I spend a great deal of time with them.

Being close allows me to be with them. I can comfort them, encourage them, teach them, and just hang out with them. Being close gives me the opportunity to share milestones like that first smile, those first steps, the dreaded potty training, and I cannot forget the excitement over that first book they read. Being close gives me teaching opportunities involving every day situations. In essence I can be a hands on grandma.

Four of my grandchildren live 6000 miles away on a south pacific island. I still have times when I have had the privilege of comforting, encouraging, and hanging with these grand kids, but I've missed most of the milestones. So much time goes by between visits that they not only grow bigger, but knowing what they like and care about is a challenge. This distance has propelled me to be innovative. I realized early on that I could still have a healthy , productive, loving relationship with them it would just take different work on my part.

There are some books written about long distance grand parenting. I will share some of them with you.

I have come up with some of my own ideas. Some things have worked, and some things haven't worked .I will try and share both with you as I go along with this blog.

This year I have been on a couple of trips here in the USA. I keep a daily written journal, and when I get home I type it out and include post cards that I collected along the way. I usually have it bound at Office Depot or Kinkos.

I include a map of the USA, and keep track of the route. I include information about each state we travel through asking questions I think they might know.

I pick up little souvenirs and information about the place I am at. I often send pictures that I have taken or drawn myself.

The kids seem to like these packages, and they are learning something about me, and the USA at the same time.

Encouragment....

I received an E-mail from my son today and he was discouraged. I was reminded that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

After sending what I hoped was an encouraging note back, I got on my knees and prayed for my family. Prayer is one thing that I can do that will make a difference, and it is good for me because it makes me feel better. It is difficult being so far away. I am here, they are on the other side of the world, but our God is in both places, and He does not slumber nor sleep. God knows their needs, and my needs, and He can meet both. Thank you, Lord.

Grandmas Thoughts

I wrote this poem not to long after my kids left. It was published in Harvest Legacy, Summer 2007.

THEY ARE THERE!
They have finally arrived....
VANUATU
"Where in the world is that?"
Everyone asks...
"Far away, very far away."
I answer...
My feelings are mixed,
I am glad, but yet so sad.
They have worked so hard
And I am so proud.
They love and serve You, LORD,
A Mothers Prayer...
A Grandmothers Sadness...
Sometimes the emptiness is big,
And I cry.
Sometimes the peace is enough
And I rest in You.

I am determined they will know me
grandparenting is a very important role to me.
I love my grandchildren;they hold my heart.
Each one is unique,
And each one is special.
Teach me, LORD,
How to be a long distance grandma.
Please, let them know me in spite of the miles.
You are God, and You are with them.
You are there to comfort,
watch over, and care for them.
I rejoice in that, and I find comfort in this truth.
Help me to remember this daily.
I know that You love them and me,
And You will care for us all.

Blessed Be Your Name....

My son ,his wife, and four of my grandchildren have been full time missionaries for about 8 years. I think that I am finally used to the idea that they live so far away, but there are times that I really miss them. I hate not being able to pick up a phone and see how their day is gong. I hate that I don't know what they need, and that it is so expensive to send it if I do know. I hate that I can't see my grandchildren when I feel like it, and that they don't know me like my others here in the states do, but I'm thankful for e-mail and that I don't have to rely on snail mail. I'm thankful that they have a good mail system in Vanuatu and that everything I do send gets to them. I'm thankful that even though my grandchildren are so far away they can still know me it just takes more time and effort on my part.

I hate that they live such a hard life. They have no electricity, and no refrigeration. They are subject to diesese and illness that we can easily treat here. The truck they have constantly is breaking down, probably because the "nightmare road" into the village is so hard on it. It is expensive and time consuming to maintain, but I am thankful that they even have a truck ,and it is better than the last old jeep they had which had no seats or roof and very little floor.

I love that they are serving our Lord and Saviour full time. I love that my son loves God's Word as much as I do, and that he is translating it so that others who would not have it in their language now will. It is God's Word that will change their lives. I believe that with all my heart.

I just have mixed feelings about their service.

I felt guilty for years and always wondered if I was the only parent who struggled. I thought maybe I was not "being holy enough" that having a missionary son should be every christian moms dream, and I should not be conflicted.

One day as I was struggling in prayer over my feelings a word came to me over and over and it was "bittersweet."
Being the Bible teacher that I am I looked it up. The definition was SWEET WITH A BITTER AFTERTASTE.
That was exactly the way I felt so much sweetness, but always a sadness to go along with it.
It is okay for me to have mixed feelings. It is okay for me to sorrow over them being so far away, while rejoicing in their victories.
It's okay........

My desire is to be able to say to my God, Lord Blessed Be Your Name.
To say it both in the sorrow, loss, missing, hurt or fear, Lord, Blessed Be Your Name.
Or in the victories, growth, good changes and love shared.Lord, Blessed Be Your Name.

My desire with this blog is to connect with other missionary parents. We can hopefully share feelings, prayers, and practical ideas with how to stay connected with our missionary children and grandchildren.

"The LORD gave and the LORD had taken away
Blessed be the name of the Lord." Job 1:21b