Grandma, Come Quickly

Last night, I sat with my husband before a roaring campfire in the backyard of our home in central Minnesota. As we rocked gently back and forth on the wooden swing, John placed his arm firmly around me while our four grandchildren stretched out on a nearby blanket. Slowly, in a deep baritone voice, he began to tell a story filled with adventure and intrigue. The children’s eyes grew large as they imagined the life of poor old Phineas, the old buck who laid down his mighty rack of horns for the last time. As the story unfolded, I savored this special moment in time. The somewhat cloudy skies and cool weather had provided a perfect backdrop for the day that was now ending in this magical way.

Earlier in the day….

I stepped unto our back deck and heard two of the children screaming, “Grandma, Grandma, Come quick!!! Hurry!!!” Startled, I looked up to see their laughing faces and wildly gesturing arms. Since I didn’t feel like running if there was not a serious emergency, I shouted back, “No, you come here!

“Come, Grandma! Please, please come!” Reluctantly I rounded the corner of the house only to find them all huddled in front of one of the basement window wells. “Look! We found a garter snake eating a frog!” There it was…. a real live snake devouring a real live frog. I had never seen such a thing in person. I really can’t remember ever wanting to see such a thing in person but that was not the issue. They were amazed.

“Grandma, can we take a picture?” After I hurried inside, grabbed the camera, and quickly handed it to Gabe, he snapped a clear picture of the hungry snake and the poor, unfortunate frog. All four were mesmerized by the sight and watched that old snake for a long time.

A little later as I was walking past the garage I heard, “Grandma, come quickly!” Selma ran out, grabbed my hand and reverently led me inside. “Come and feel Sophie’s tummy,” she whispered quietly. With both hands I reached over and felt her cat’s midsection. “Do you feel the babies moving in there, Grandma?” Wonder at the miracle before her shone in my granddaughter’s eyes as she gently rubbed the soft fur to feel the feather light kicking inside. “I’m so happy that she’s going to have kittens!”

Unfortunately, I was not near as thrilled about the upcoming event. Selma’s cat lived in my garage and was going to give birth there. Somehow, I knew it was going to be my job to make sure that all went well and all of the new little kittens were groomed and ready for Selma’s next visit. But, I kept those thoughts to myself as I replied softly, “Oh, Selma, giving birth is truly a miraculous thing isn’t it!”

After leaving the garage, four year old Seth marched up to me and solemnly said, “Grandma, you haven't even played tether ball with me! I practiced two times and now I am really good!" His bright blue eyes looked up at me expectantly.

"Well. I guess we'll just have to play a game won't we!" As we began our tether ball "game”, I glanced at his little body so full of determination to play the sport just like his big brothers had. He stood there, feet placed firmly apart and waited for the stringed ball to come to him so that he could hit it back. With every ounce his slight frame could produce, he attacked that ball with vengeance. Eventually, he "won" and with that he had had enough of this new game. All he had really wanted was to prove that he could, in fact, do it!

"Good game, Sethie. Thanks!" "You're welcome, Grandma!" He shouted over his shoulder as he ran to find his mom and dad and proudly share his victory with them.

"Grandma! Look at this! Watch me!" Yet another voice yelled out. This time it was Caleb shouting from the area around the playhouse in the woods. "Grandma! Watch how I can ride these paths!" His six year old legs pumped the bicycle pedals with gusto as he hurtled over the dirt paths. Over inclines, around clumps of trees, and down the hill he cruised ever faster. My heart was in my throat as I watched how fearlessly and how confidently he approached the hill. His face was filled with concentration and joy as his bike sailed effortlessly over the small rise in the path before him. Face flushed with exertion and success he brought the bike to a standstill beside me and looked up expectantly.

“Wow, Caleb! That was awesome!” You can really ride that bike now, can’t you?”

“Thanks, Grandma.” He threw his leg back over the bike and prepared to attack the path again. I watched his back and remembered how small he had been when he had first tried to ride a bike. Although he had tottered on training wheels, he had been convinced that he should be able to go faster and faster and faster than was possible. His dream of speed and daring was coming true.

“Grandma!” I could faintly hear my name being called over the loud drone of the lawnmower engine. As I looked around to find the source of the voice, I saw ten year old Gabe perched upon the seat of the riding lawnmower, hands firmly holding the steering wheel as he rode around the yard. Back and forth, back and forth he aimlessly drove the mower. I looked over at John who stood smiling at the sight. “Are you sure he’s ok?” I asked. “I don’t think he’s ever driven anything before.”

“Oh, he’s fine. Look at him! I’m just gonna let him drive around the yard until he gets sick of it!” John turned and went back to the project he was doing. I looked at the sight of my young grandson riding around on an adult machine. He looked thrilled and happy.

As I watched, I realized that I was witnessing the beginning of the end of this little boy’s childlike innocence. I was observing the first stirrings of independence and desire to conquer life on his terms. As he drove around and around on that lawn mover, it was almost as if I could see the imaginations that were taking place inside of him. Instead of his grandpa’s old lawn mower, he was grasping the steering wheel of his own car as he drove down the highway to destinations unknown. He was pretending to be an adult making his own decisions of where to go and who to go with.

As I watched Gabe, I thought about Seth and his desire to be able to do anything that his brothers could do; Caleb mastering a way to tackle life with power and force; and the tender love and gentleness that Selma displayed toward her little cat. They were all growing up…. careening toward adulthood with a force that seemed to go ever faster. All day long I had heard the words, “Grandma, come quickly!” Now, I wanted stand and loudly shout back, “Kids, Slow down! Don’t grow up so fast!”

They won’t be able to obey me in this, my selfish desire. No, it is built into each of them to grow and mature and to one day create an independent life of their own. While their parents are doing an excellent job of training them now; soon they will need to decide for themselves what kind of life they will lead. They will need to search for personal answers to the questions that every life produces……

Earlier all four of them had recited their recently memorized Bible verses. One of their favorites was the entire chapter of Psalm 1 complete with actions. Now, I began to pray that each of these sweet grandchildren of mine would heed the words of that Psalm and become mighty men and women of faith. I prayed that each of them would become strong in the knowledge that only God is in control and that they would learn to become totally dependent on His grace and mercy. I prayed that the love of the Lord Jesus Christ would flourish deep in their souls and that they would learn to love Him with all of their heart and soul and mind.

My earnest prayer for my dearly loved grandchildren as they continue to mature is that they would indeed heed the words of this Psalm in thought, word, and action……

Psalm 1 “Blessed is the man……… Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And on His law he mediates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water,That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

Have a good day! Love, Sue