Sunday Writing... 9-9-18... "GRANDPARENTS DAY"

Good morning!

Today in the U.S. it is Grandparents Day, a national day that not everyone knows about.  Today's writing by the same title is about how we honor our grandparents and others.  If you have grandparents still living, consider how you can use this day to bless them.

May your day be blessed as you do!
Jan

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Today's Devotional

 "GRANDPARENTS DAY"

by
Jan Andersen

There are many national days set aside during the year to honor various things.  Some of the more silly ones are: “Wonderful Weirdoes Day", “Pet Rock Day" and “Bluebird of Happiness Day" to name a few.  Others are more serious, such as “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Day", “Share Your Care Day”, and for some, “National Pet Memorial Day.”  All of these national days are actually celebrated today, along with “National Grandparent’s Day.”  Sometimes we wonder who decided to make these National days.  Some believe it is just a greeting card company’s ploy to sell more cards!  National days actually are declared by Congress in order to bring attention to certain causes, honor certain people, or sometimes just to be silly it appears.

There are many different ways to honor grandparents on this day.  For some that may mean a phone call, and for others they might get together for a meal.  Some will buy one of those special greeting cards, or if they are blessed with grandparents who are computer savvy perhaps an e-card.  Some of us have grandparents who are no longer with us on earth, and we may just remember the good times we had with them.  Others struggle with unpleasant memories, and would rather forget the whole day.  For a lot of people, however, the day will pass without them even noticing that it was National Grandparents Day.  What is more important than just honoring them on a certain day set aside by the government, is how we honor or treat them every day of the year, especially if they are in need. 

1 Timothy 5:3-4, 8 NIV Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.  But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God...  If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 

While God does not expect us to put ourselves or others in danger by keeping a grandparent or parent at home in an unsafe situation, He does expect us to treat them with dignity and respect and to help care for them in whatever way we can. That help may be in the form of emotional support, physical care, or financial assistance.  Or it may be by helping them realize they have to make some tough decisions such as when to stop doing things that are beyond their physical capabilities for safety's sake.  Whatever is done to help them, it should be done through faith in love.  

We need to remember that we all are getting older with every passing day.  We need to treat others as we would want to be treated.  This should even extend beyond our natural blood relatives.  We ought to treat every person with respect and honor.  There may be those we feel do not deserve it due to things they have said or done, relatives or not.  We should still pray for them and ask God to reveal to us what is the honorable thing for us to do.  May God guide us as we seek to find what is healthy and safe, respectful and honoring in caring for our families and the elderly.

Dear Gracious Father in heaven, we come to you with thanks for all of your gifts to us.  Help us to see our responsibilities to those older than us as a way to share your gifts and to mirror your love.  Bless them with enduring faith and your merciful forgiveness, just as you forgive us where we have faltered and failed to do what is right and honorable.  As we ourselves age, may we continue to be a blessing to our own family and those with whom we interact, sharing our faith and wisdom and prayers.  In Jesus’ name we pray,  Amen.

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Song:

"HONOR THE ELDERLY"

The Forgotten Ones

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Prayers are lifted up daily you by the Devotional Writers 

  and the Monthly Writing Staff of Women's Focus Ministries.

Blog Writers:

Jan Andersen, Sandy Billingham, Carol Steficek,   

 Brother Thomas Ukwute, Jody Ward,  Karen Bennett, 

Bre Miller, Cathy Friberg, and  Corinne Mustafa

Occasional Contributors:

Kathy Bireley,  Lynda Kinnard, Mary M. Wilkins,

Terri Baker, Beverley Napier, Kelly Dobyns

Glenna Williamson,  Shelly Keith, Amie Spruiell,
Lisabeth Lipp,  and Nandita Bhatnagar