Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. Deuteronomy 7:9 (NLT)
Sometimes I like change, however, there are certain areas of my life I like to stay the same. I may get bored with a hairstyle but I’m not about to change my stylist if she is doing a good job. I don’t change furniture around once I have decided on the look I like. But seasonally, the decorative items rotate in and out from the garage storage. Mark always knows he’s in for some new “look” when he finds candles, flowers, or knick knacks on the kitchen island. The old in — the new out.
We had the wonderful privilege of returning to California last week, just a month from our previous trip. This time it was to watch Kate perform in her eighth grade play and attend Grandparents Day. It’s special for me to go to school with the girls since my children attended that same school thirty years ago. (How can that be?) Kate was outstanding and each girl shared part of their life at school with us.
But we also spent a lot of the with the “littles.” We ate together, took them to town and the bookstore, threw pennies in the fountain, attended church together — all special times. Little did we know that by the end of this month, this sweet family would be moving to the other side of the country due to a job opportunity.
So we will become THOSE grandparents — the kind that has to find ways to interact from a distance.
It’s a bit easier in this day and age with FaceTime, Skype, email and texting, but tears dribbled down my cheeks when I realized that it would be harder to get my hands on those girlies and give them a big squeeze.
I want to leave my girlies with memories of a Nana that loved them, encouraged them, was passionate about her faith, appreciated the freedom of living in America, and always showed them Jesus. Now, I have to search out ways to be creative and make connections. Our greater family will miss the ease of living in the same area, but we will never lose the sense of family that binds us together in love, whether near or far.