NANA’S HOUSE by Teresa Kindred
Not long ago, I spent two whole days with one granddaughter, who was two at the time. It was a fun time with her.
At one point as she was playing, she bumped into some furniture. I was sure she was only feeling minor discomfort, but she still asked me to kiss her boo-boo and give her a band-aid for the spot on her back. Of course I was happy to oblige.
My husband and I are blessed with seven grandchildren, and I love them all dearly, but that day with my granddaughter reminded me of this:
Kisses and band-aids only work for so long.
Once they reach a certain age, these remedies are no longer adequate. But oh how I wish they were!
This isn’t my first rodeo, and if you’re a grandparent, it isn’t yours either. We raised five children to adulthood. I’ve been through my kids’ teenage years, and it’s tough. Even when your kids are good and stay out of major trouble, there are problems. It’s tough being a kid today. I’m so glad my teen years were a long time ago.
Now I see the teen years coming for my grandchildren. Our oldest grandchild is 16 and the other grands are not that far behind her.
It won’t be long before Nana can’t fix their problems with kisses and band-aids.
When my own children hit the teen years, my knees hit the carpet. I knew the challenges they faced and I knew who was in control. I prayed daily for their safety and their decisions. When my grandchildren were born I started praying for them, but their prayer needs change daily as they grow.
I wish I could always fix their problems with band-aids and kisses, and I’ll keep giving them comfort and love for the little spills and boo-boos. Maybe they’ll keep coming to me when life throws bigger challenges their way.
But really, I know better. I know who can fix their problems, and it isn’t me or their parents. God isn’t a magician who waves a magic wand … but He listens. He cares.
The best thing we can do as grandparents is pray for our grandchildren and let their parents know we are praying.
God is the great physician. He doesn’t need band-aids and kisses. He does, however, love our grandchildren so much that he sent his only son to die for their sins and for ours.
So please, remember: When your heart is heavy and you’re worried about your children or grandchildren, pray. It works better than band-aids and kisses. I promise.
Teresa Kindred is a freelance writer, former teacher, and author of several books, including The Faith-Filled Grandmother. She’s the mom of five grown children and “Nana” to seven precious grandchildren. She and her husband live in Kentucky. Her blog for grandparents is at NanaHood.com.
