August 26, 2016
Dear Grandchildren,
Wow! What a summer! Our congratulations to Moses and Alexis for their new baby, Eli, and to Nick and Rachel and their new baby, Porter, and to Steven and Karly for their new baby, Luke.
Also congratulations to Greg and Sommer for their August 6th wedding, and to Kyle and Jaclyn for their upcoming September 3rd wedding.
Now, if that’s not enough wonderful news, we congratulate Jon and Alanna and Scott and Becky for their new plans to get married next summer. That’s a lot of good news.
Also, we want to thank everyone who helped us complete the barn project. The results exceeded our expectations and also the work it created, exceeded our expectations. We especially thank Jessica and Sarah Ann for taking the lead in so many areas. I especially want to praise God for Grandma’s involvement — her ideas and fingerprints are all over this barn project, and she’s a fantastic businesswoman.
I want to address the married couples and especially those who now have children to raise. Here are two question to ask yourself:
What are your expectations as you live your lives as a couple and as a family?
What expectations do you have for your children?
Matthew 9:29 is a great word from Jesus speaking to the blind men. “Then he touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith, let it be to you.’ And their eyes were opened.” Although this is a verse about men needing healing, I believe we need the same kind of faith to live our lives and to raise families dedicated to God.
It starts with our expectations!
Another way to look at this verse is according to your expectation, Jesus will meet us there. It’s a dual responsibility. We have a part to play and it’s using our faith.
Here’s another question: “Do you live life with great expectations that Jesus wants to use you and your family to make a difference in this world and in your work, school, and community?”
We have to realize we live in a world marred by sin and it’s easier to be negative. But realize that this type of attitude touches us and our family.
When I teach parenting classes, I see the effects of that negative culture and how it touches parents. It’s easier to believe we have terrible two-year olds or teens who are driving us crazy.
Here’s where we have to change our expectations! It’s terrific twos, tremendous threes, fantastic fours, fabulous fives, sensational sixes, and super sevens. Our teens want to make us proud and live up to our expectations.
I know it’s not easy being a positive parent sometimes. I remember when one of my boys was being praised by the middle school counselor. When the counselor told me what a nice boy my son was, I really thought he had the wrong boy. My expectations were fairly low.
We need to be speaking over and believing in our kids, cheering them onto doing great things for God. First, they need our example, living positive, authentic, and transparent lives for our Savior, but not perfect ones.
It’s putting your faith or expectations on the line — so to speak—in your words, prayers, and actions. When you send your children out into this negative world, speak positive words and have positive expectations that let them know you believe in them.
Realize they will make mistakes and will get discouraged; thus, it’s important to make your home a wonderful refuge for them. Realize that how they manage their mistakes and frustrations start with you, for they look to you to set an example. So, ask yourself, “What do they see when I get discouraged and get down on myself?”
As parents, we need to start early training up our children, and may I say, it’s the one of the most important things we can do for them. It’s not training down a child, but training up reminds them that you trust them to make good decisions and that they can make a difference for the Savior today.
As a parent, I wish I would’ve done all the things I’m asking you to do. It’s too late for me, but it’s not too late for you. Here’s a suggestion that will help you in your journey:
First, believe God is in control and desires to empower you to be a great parent, a great kid, and a great grandparent.
For 2nd Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
This verse tells us he wants to help us live our life and to help us walk with great expectations. It’s a battle ground for growing our faith. Walking and living this way is a battle which starts with your mind that first believes in him then in his promises he has for you and your children. When a father and mother are in agreement and walk together with God, this is very powerful.
So, perhaps you’re thinking, “Grandpa, what are you trying to say?” I’m talking about living a life of victory! Faith activates God’s power so we can live in victory because in him we have a destiny to live for.
For Grandma and I, our prayer for all our children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren is for you to live in victory, living out your God-given destiny.
Until next month,
Love,
Grandpa