Phillipians 4:8
“Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right.Think about things that are pure and lovely and dwell on the fine,good things in others.”
I had my granddaughter work with me a while back. I picked her up from school on a Friday with the plan being to play that afternoon and then get up and work planting flowers on Saturday. The weather had other ideas so we had to do the work on Friday right after school and play Saturday morning inside the house. As we were cleaning up and settling down for the night I told her I was just too tired to read to her that night and was that okay?
“Of course Gammie.You have been working a lot.
“Yes, I know I have.”
“You’re still gonna pray aren’t you?”
Since our children were babies and then when the grands started coming along we have prayed with them at night.It helps to clear the air of the days strife and struggles between each other. It helps to get their minds off themselves and onto friends, family and others we know who are in need. So praying at night at Gammies is part of their heritage, part of their memories of what you do at Gammies and Gampies house.
The question is always asked “What do we need to pray about?” There is nothing too small or big or awful or silly to pray about.I just know the God of heaven loves this time and is always pleased to hear the innocent and sometimes frighteningly grownup requests asked of Him.
“Do you want to pray or do you want me to pray?”
“You pray Gammie.”
I have tried to not let the grands see the utter despair and loss, tears and sadness I have been feeling in the past year or so but I also haven’t hid from them the tears when they come.This last time with Kaylynn, as I was gathering up the requests in my head so I wouldn’t forget anything and then settling into pray, I wasn’t two words from the start when she said “Oh! Don’t forget to pray for Gampie in heaven!” For some reason that just did me in that time. We always talk and pray for Gampie so this is nothing new but that night I just broke up over that sweet little voice asking for prayer for Gampie.
As I sat there choking back the tears and sobs, I felt her starting to become afraid. She saw on my face what I had been trying so hard not to let them see. Pure, heartbreaking grief. I told her I was sorry and not to be afraid but sometimes when I think of Gampie I cry and it makes me sad to think about him sometimes. That is when she said, ” It’s okay. You just need to think about good things, happy things.”
Simple as that. Think about good and happy things. Sweet and pure things. Lovely and fine things. Just think about her I told myself and the boys and all we have to teach each other in this lifetime. Think about what heritage I will leave to them past this time of grief and regrouping. Think about how many more times we will get to pray at night and ask each other “How can I help you in your life? What can we teach each other as we pray and ask the Lord we believe in to help us in our lives?” Oh my! What a precious time is that time of prayer when we can think on good things.When one of the pure and lovely things of this life is lying right there in front of you it truly is easier to think about moving forward with purpose.
Peace today.
PeggyB
