Have you seen the Nina Needs to Go videos on Disney Junior?  I think the reason I like them so much is…not only do we have our own little tinkle toes that adamantly claims he does NOT have to go one second and will literally burst the next if we don’t get him to a bathroom…but in each and every episode Nana swoops in with her amazing stealth super powers and saves the day…often unbeknownst to Nina’s parents.  My favorite is the one in the home improvement store.  I wonder…do we look as clueless to our parents?…teehee

Growing up my grandparents had incredible super powers.  In my mind, there was nothing they could not do.  If mom couldn’t make it, Grandma would.  If dad couldn’t fix it, Grandpa could.  They could make the most incredible things out of absolutely nothing.  A table for Barbie out of an empty spool of thread, a milk cap and a little hot glue.  The tastiest sandwich out of half of a buttered hot dog bun topped with cheese and bacon broiled to perfection.  The most amazing frosting out of peanut butter, powdered sugar and ‘just a little milk’ (whatever that means…not clearly marked on a measuring spoon I can assure you…did she sneak something else in there!?). To this day my Grandpa makes the world’s BEST Texas sheet cake…no one can top it.  I look back now and smile, my heart warmed recalling countless memories.  Do you think I could be so creative on the spot with such ease for my children!? Pffff….not in a million!  You cannot imitate the wealth of knowledge and wisdom gained over a lifetime…and the most important secret super power they possessed? Love for their grandchildren!  Love that I am told you cannot possibly possess until you have grandchildren of your own.  And I see history repeating itself!

I can’t begin to tell you how much we depend on our parents on this journey of our raising children…especially lately.  They swoop in and save the day before we even realize we need them to sometimes.  Our kids are so happy just to be out in the barn, taking tractor rides or having bon fires with their Grandpas.  Today our moms are dividing and conquering our kiddos’ busy schedule due to preschool, new braces and a music program.  You’d think mama could spread things out a bit…sheesh!  But they will no doubt do it with joyful, happy hearts, smiles beaming from ear to ear, and springs in their steps (in the rain, no less) with the high probability of a very unnecessary, un-collaborated ice cream treat with a cherry on top for each child…or something of equal value from the golden arches . Hey, it’s their right!  They’ve earned it! They are doing for us exactly what their parents did for them.  They are to our kids what our grandparents were to us.  While we are thankful and desperately need it, it’s not the help that we appreciate the most from our parents.  It’s the legacy of faith expressing itself through love our grandparents handed down to our parents that is being extended to us and our children with more than just memories they will never forget…but their irreplaceable influence in shaping them into who God wants them to be.  Today I am so grateful for our parents…and their parents…and for a front row seat in seeing God’s great love and faithfulness continuing into the next generation.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.  Psalm 100:1-5