Memorial Day & Grandmother & Papa Camp

Our Pastor encouraged us on Sunday to be sure and remember those who gave their lives for our country along with whatever else we were going to do on this Memorial Day holiday.  As I was going through some old pictures and other stuff in my "craft room", I came across some old pictures of "Papa Glen" as he was serving our country.  I stopped and prayed a prayer of gratitude not only for his service, but for the fact that he was sitting downstairs in his recliner and that I was not in some cemetery placing flowers on his grave.  Many wives did that today. Help us all that are free, to remember why.  On a lighter note:  I did make great headway in getting ready for the yearly event known as Grandmother Camp. I put together the music and the main craft. So, heh, bring'em on...Then I stopped to check the ole blog and saw that my family and friends are supporting me as usual. Thank you.  Now I will ask you to pray that Papa & I will have the stamina to make the week.  Especially Papa, because you see the week before camp he has Vacation Bible School with a room full of 3&4 year olds at church.. Wow!! What a guy... Our 4 "grands" will come with all parts fully engaged and their will be precious little down time.  Let the games begin. I can't wait.  Praise the Lord I will have another week of vacation left to rest up before going back to work. Whew!!

Grandmother & Papa Camp 2010

One of the best things that we are doing to lengthen our legacy is Grandmother Camp.  We started this four years ago and it is a time when all 4 grandchildren come to Grandmother & Papa's for a week of fun and learning about God and His Kingdom.  I took the idea from a great Christian minister Esther Burroughs.  We always have a camp theme so that we have a learning base during the week.  Year one was "Down by the Creekbank" and we learned about God's world through the old Dottie Rambo kids musical of the same name. Year two was I-Hymns and they all got  I-Pods and we learned old classic Baptist Hymns; you know the ones we hardly ever sing anymore.  Year three was "Facebooks" and we learned the books of the Bible through the faces of the men who wrote them.  This fourth year is "God's Top Ten" and we are going to learn the Ten Commandments. Because regardless of what is or is not politically correct, they are still God's Law and very relevant for all ages today. It is a very intense week for the grandparents because we are 60-something and the youngest grandchild is 3, but it is such a blessing to watch these 4 children who rarely get to see each other come together right where they left off and have a wonderful time together. I pray that we will have the bodily stamina to continue this tradition as long as they will come. I do realize that the time will come when they will not want to come, but hopefully that is a few years away.  So young mothers encourage your children's grandparents to start a time of baby sitting made meaningful by throwing in a little Bible learning.  Even if they do go to their church's Vacation Bible School, that's is still precious little time in God's Word .  One more week would certainly be great.  It is not all Bible stuff though.  We go to the zoo, we go to friends gardens and pick peas, we go to the movies and we play games and crafts. Oh, the crafts are the best.  My oldest daughter Penny asked 6-year old Jordan what her favorite time at grandmother Camp was and she said.  "Craft-time in Grandmother's craft room".  I have a large room upstairs that used to be a sewing room and now it has become the craft room.  We have a 4x8 table to work on and plenty of space to do just about whatever. Penny then asked Jordan why that was her favorite time and she said: "Because that's where we learn about Jesus."  Well, friends that's why we do it.  That will take me at least 5 or 6 more years!! Make memories today with your children and then one day they will make memories for your grandchildren.  
I close out this post with the verse of Scripture that is my Biblical guide for this special week of our lives.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7:  "Hear, Oh Israel! The Lord is our God, the LORD alone.  And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all you soul, and all your strength.  And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today.  Repeat them again and again to your children.  Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again.    
 TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!
   

The Legend Behind Lanita's Legacy

It is really a short story, not a legend.  My daughter Penny Franklin-Living Above Ministries-seems to think that I have something to offer women out there in blog land.  And I do have a heart for young women who seem to think they are not going to make it for one reason or another.  I also have a burdened heart for the Christian family who I fear will not make it without a return to the Word of God and a lot of encouragement from those of us with grey hair and sagging chins. Those of us who have been through many waters and  more that a few fires.  When my mother went to be with the Lord at age 62 (my age now) I realized that I was in process of my legacy for my girls (now women). I am a Sunday School teacher of women older than I am. I love to read and have built quite a library over the years and I thought that was my legacy. But I am beginning to realize that those books are just the material side. The real legacy is all that God's Holy Spirit has taught me and stored inside this often fragile heart of mine. That is what wants to reach out and let you see that even a Much-Afraid pilgrim can make it to the high places with Him as our guide.  We all just need a little grace and glory as we experience sorrow and suffering in this training ground below. Whatever legacy we want to leave behind, we must remember we're making it now.  I want mine to be loving and learning our Lord. Join me on this journey .