To All Parents

A week ago our second grandchild turned 10. She finally hit the double digits her Auntie Robin told her. It was a joyous occasion for us all. Several days after the event as I drove her to my house Aubrey spoke up and had a question for Grandma. "Grandma,' she said all so soberly, "would my twin be 10 also?" Beating the words out of my mouth were the tears from my eyes.

While still snuggled in the womb where the two of them lived temporarily together Aubrey's twin was lost in a miscarriage. Aubrey started out with someone at her side but she would go on to face the world alone without the twin brother or sister she played together with in her mother’s womb.

After explaining to her that they too would be 10 I thought of an old poem I had found when Aubrey’s mom was just a little girl. The poem called "To All Parents." Indeed an old treasure with strong words that still held their meaning.


To All Parents

“I’ll lend you for a little time a child of mine,” He said
For you to love the while he lives and mourn for when he’s dead.
It may be six or seven years, or twenty two or three,
But will you, till I call him back, take care of him for me?
He’ll bring his charms to gladden you, and should his stay be brief,
You’ll have his lovely memories as solace for your grief.”

“I cannot promise he will stay, since all from earth return
But there are lessons taught down there I want this child to learn.
I’ve looked the wide world over in my search for teachers true
And from the throngs that crowd life’s lanes. I have selected you
Now will you give him all your love or think the labor vain
Nor hate Me when I come to call to take him back again?”

I fancied that I heard them say, “Dear LORD, thy will be done,
For all the joy thy child shall bring, the risk of grief’s we’ll run.
We’ll shelter him with tenderness; we’ll love him while we may,
And for the happiness we’ve known, forever grateful stay;
But should the angels call for him much sooner than we’d planned,
We’ll brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand.

Author, unknown


Grandma loves you Aubrey, Happy Birthday Girl, Happy Birthday. God bless baby twin!

Praise and Thanks #3

Our praise and thanks for today is…..

Praise you Lord for your salvation and strength (Ps 37:39)

***Too often we think its God’s job to stop all this bad stuff we need deliverance from. “If He wants to save us then save us, praise the Lord. I kind of like the sin life. I’ll live it then get saved later, He’ll forgive me.” Wrong attitude. The salvation or deliverance He has to offer is a rescue from our sins and their destruction that needs to happen now because later is too late. Praise the Lord He is willing and wanting to do such a thing. The issue is we have our part too. We have to be willing and wanting to be saved. The lifejacket is there, one size fits all. We are the ones who have to put it on. Praise God He will supply us with the strength needed to follow and survive whatever it is Satan will throw in our paths to stop us from God’s salvation. God cares about us. Satan is just out for a trophy to bring to Hell with him as many people as possible. We have praise in Jesus, the praise of His salvation and strength, use it!


Thank you Lord for our family, for their love and care.

***What a treasure it is to have a loving family. It’s a gift not everyone gets to open and enjoy. A gift that tends to get broken, lost, or taken away long before we are ready to let go of someone we love. Treasure them now, don’t wait till they die to honor and appreciate what you use to have. The dad or mom or grandparent currently in your life may be a neighbor down the street, a couple at church you absolutely love to spend time with, a youth pastor that filled the shoes of a missing parent, or someone else it doesn’t matter. What matters are you giving thanks for what you do have instead of dwelling on what you don’t have. Looking and longing to have what other kids have as far as family will not solve anything it will only create bitterness in your heart. Creating a family whether physically or spiritually is not an easy task. Whatever the role, mom, dad, brother, sister, grandparent, aunt, or uncle we all have our roles to play our duties to help contribute to this unit. Don’t be worrying about the others not doing their part. Just see to it that you are doing yours. God will help.

Remember…
We are exchanging please and thank you with Praise and thanks to God. Praising Him for who He is, thanking Him for what He has done, for the things around us, things given to us, gifts hidden all over the world for us to find.

X marks the spot!


© 2009 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing