The Martians have landed . . .

The Martians . . . I mean, our family has landed . . . and I can't find my husband! Oh, there he is, hiding behind the ping pong table.

To my Grandchildren, Love is Spelled T-I-M-E

To my six grandchildren, love is spelled T-I-M-E.

T ouching: Lots of hugs are in order for the little ones who are currently ages 4,3,2,1,0 (two newborns). No, not blast-off, although some days it seems like we're ready to take off with all the noise and toddler activity on the ole' Rife homestead.

I nvesting: Chuck and I have discovered that investing time in our grandchildren's interests goes a long way in building a relationship with them. For Ethan, it's working with him to snap buckles. He loves to work with his hands. For Daniel, it's lining up toy cars and zooming them across the kitchen floor. For Kylie, it's building a Lego house or singing favorite songs. For Rebekah, it's playing dress-up or reading stories. For two-month old Hannah, it's holding her while she giggles at my face. For three-week-old Gabriel, it's praying for him from a distance and anticipating our reunion in just a couple weeks. And for all the grandchildren, well the ones who can wrestle and run, Grandpa Trap is a favorite game that teaches them to persevere and "Never give up!"

M aking memories: Seizing the moment to make a memory, whether at the park playing on the slide and swings or snapping pictures of the kids jumping in the leaves, is a treat that will carry us through when we are separated once again.

E ating fun stuff: Grandma and food seem to be synonymous, so better have some healthy, yet fun stuff on hand. For Ethan, it's Grandma's chocolate smoothies. Little does he know that I sneak a handful of fresh spinach into the mix. :) For Kylie, it's what she used to call, chocy milk. For Rebekah and Daniel, it's mac and cheese and whole green beans. An ice cream cone for dessert is a treasured treat!

All these pursuits take TIME, but this is what spells LOVE to my precious grandkiddos. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

THE TRUTH PROJECT

How you counter the culture makes a difference in your child’s life.


During a recent camping trip with a few families from our church, I (Eileen) was adding more wood to the fire when I overheard a conversation among three of the boys.


“I wonder if there are any bears around,” Max commented, fear written on his face.


“You know, we’re animals, too,” Bradley said, stirring a stick through the dirt.


Max’s brother, Joey, jumped in, hands on hips, glaring at Bradley, “We are not!”



“Are too!”



Max rallied to his brother’s side, “We are not animals; we’re human beings!”



“Well, in school the teacher said that we are the highest form of animals,” Bradley insisted, to which Joey replied, “Well, this isn’t school, this is Bible land we’re standing on now!”



My Bible rested on the picnic table, so I said, “Well, let’s see what Genesis chapter one has to say. I read through the text detailing God’s creation and landed at verse 26, Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’



The boys listened intently. I had caught them at a teachable moment. Explaining that man was set apart from the animals because he was created in the image of God with intellect, emotion, and will and given rule over the animals, I pointed the boys to God’s Word, the Truth.



I left that encounter more convinced of the need to ground our children in the truth of God’s Word to counter the secular, humanistic culture in which we live. Perhaps, as a Christian parent, you desire to do the same, but just don’t know where to begin.



A good resource is The Truth Project compiled by Focus on the Family and taught by Dr. Del Tackett. A DVD-based curriculum comprised of twelve one-hour lessons, The Truth Project communicates the Christian worldview verses a secular worldview. Carefully researched, biblically sound, and masterfully presented. Every parent should go through this course, then lead their children through it before they leave for college.



Visit www.thetruthproject.org for more information.