God's Plan for Grandparents

God’s Plan for Grandparents did you even know you had a plan as a grandparent?

Proverbs 17:6 – Grandchildren are the crowning glory.

Do you love being a grandparent? I do!!! Nothing better than holding your baby’s baby… It’s something you won’t understand until you experience it. When we have our own children we can’t think of loving something more and yet… it goes to a new level when it’s the grands. We don’t love them more but different… The one big difference for me with grands is how I respond when they fall down or get hurt. When it was my kids I just said "suck it up buttercup" or "you ain't bleeding", however, with the grands, I do the big suck wind and all the drama. I do not know why. Everyone keeps asking "what happened to you"... I don't know except I'm an Oma now.

I want my kids to make me look good, not stupid – this is purely a selfish thing, but seriously, your job as a parent is to raise good kids that can adult. They are contributing to society, have morals, manners, love God, and love people. They will in turn do the same for their kids and you will look like you rocked the parenting thing even when you had no clue and God had to come and redeem some of your stupid…

Nothing makes me happier than my kids and grands (except Jesus of course and since Todd is supposed to come first, then he does too 🤣🤣). They need to see you are happy to be grandparents. They need to see the excitement you have when they show up at your house or when you get to see them. Even if it is via Facetime, let them know how happy you are to see those precious faces!! You are to provide a fun, safe environment so they can get away from home… just like the parents want a getaway, the kiddos want to as well. There’s never a time I talk to my grands that they aren’t planning their next getaway to Omom’s and Opa’s and my heart is happy when we are making plans. Even Aiden and Corbyn are planning get togethers between Texas and Arkansas at Omom’s!

Our job as grandparents is to pass on the faith and show our children and grandchildren for many generations what the Lord has done for us. Did he help you get through your stupid? Did he help you make smart decisions? Did he gently correct you while you were learning? Share the faith. Paul tells Timothy – go to the faith that was instilled in you by your mother and your Grandmother!!

As a grandparent you are there to encourage your children while they are rearing their littles into adults and you are there to encourage your grands. It’s your job to instill faith and God’s word into those littles. Sometimes the grandparents are the ones teaching the littles about God because the parents aren’t. If the parents are, then your job is to reinforce it.

1. Every time the grands come over it is your role to put your hand on that child’s head and say a blessing over them. You do not have to get over religious and make it long and lengthy. Just pray “Lord I thank you this child will live a long life because He/She honors his/her parents”. There are many short verses to pray over them. As those grands get older and into adulthood, they will remember grandma or grandpa praying for them.

2. It is our role as grandparents to spoil those grands!! Candy, games, McDonald’s – whatever. However, honor the parents' wishes –You do you and have fun with the kiddos. You will also need to do some correcting but it is not the same as a parent. Parents need your support, grands need a safe haven to go to. It needs to be an exciting place for them to go to just to get away from home.

3. When the parent or the littles start saying things that don’t line up with God’s word, teach them to speak what God’s Word says. It is our job as a grandparent to pray and help instill those same Godly values.

a. Recognize when your children and grand children are hanging with the wrong crowd – pray for them and for those friends. You are who you hang out with – pray that they find friends that sharpen them like iron.

b. We have too many kids today not wanting to listen to parents, or not being taught to listen to parents, even though the Bible says to honor thy father and mother (even if you don’t like some of their actions (your children or your grandchildren) – God has redeemed them from their past mistakes)

4. Most effective prayer that you should pray: “Father, I give you permission to teach my family to fear you, with that fear comes wisdom and with wisdom, long life riches and honor”. Call each child and grandchild by name when you pray this. Pray it every morning and/or every night.

5. God watches over His word – not our emotions. We can let our emotions get in the way and then we go and do and say stupid stuff. Keep your mouth shut and pray. It’s not our job to be the parents of the grands unless you are in a special situation. Let your kids raise their kids unless they ask for help. I didn’t like interference from outsiders and I do my best to stay out of the way.

If you are a retired grandparent, stay involved by volunteering – go to your church, hospital, retirement center, etc. otherwise you sit around and watch tv and you lose your purpose. God put you here to be a blessing to others…. Don’t stop because you are retired.

God gave you grands to instill faith, love, wisdom, and to encourage. Pray for your children and those grandchildren. Let them know how much you love them and how precious they are to you.