Christian Grandparenting Blog

Growing up, I was always physically smaller than most kids my age. That meant I was “easy pickins” for bullies. It’s fascinating that in Junior High the leader of the “gang" who  bullied me most was actually shorter than me. But he was physically tough with a dominating personality. I was small, skinny, and rather shy – the perfect target. The kind of bullying I described here still happens, and it is a traumatic experience for any child. However, bullying today has evolved into something more sinister. Today’s bullying is more than a personal, physical encounter like I experienced in school. Social media has elevated bullying to a pervasive level of intimidation and shaming unlike anything previously known. Your grandkids might be victims of this kind of bullying. Knowing this, what can a grandparent do if their grandchild is being bullied?

Kindness is the fifth characteristic of the fruit of Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) which results when we allow the Holy Spirit to develop spiritual maturity in us. While kindness is a quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate with good deeds, it is more than a moral principle. It is a spiritual fruit that transforms our lives and the world around us. The Greek definition of kindness is “benignity, tender concern, uprightness” and is the result of kindness of heart and kindness of action. Maintaining an attitude and expressing tenderness to others is often hard and we cannot accomplish Christ-like kindness on our own power. It requires God’s Spirit working in us.

During the course of one week, I had the opportunity to twice witness father-and-son interactions that reminded me of the importance of godly men. Children need committed fathers who are willing to devote themselves to their children’s training. Their children will, in turn, train their children in ways that only committed men can do. This is how family values cut across generations. I have no doubt the men mentioned above will support their sons in training their future children to be respectable men and leaders. 

Children are ecstatic about this vacation from school. That is, until the summer doldrums arrive (and I am not talking about the weather). Summer can be long, hot, tedious and rainy. By mid-July, if not sooner, our grandchildren will be repeating the phrases their parents once used: “I’m bored.” “There’s nothing to do…”Experience taught us that the best way to handle the summer doldrums is to be prepared. Therefore, the Christian Grandparenting Network staff has assembled a list of our favorite ideas for summertime fun. Categories include: Full or Half Day Trips, Crafts and Games, Kitchen Fun, and Backyard Activities.

The birds outside my window keep jockeying for position on the tubular feeder that has room for two or three at a time to tug seeds through the fine mesh housing. Patience has its rewards. Perhaps, the biggest challenge to my patience is waiting as my teenage grandchild works – sometimes struggles – to overcome developmental hurdles. It’s difficult because my natural inclination is to swoop down and fix the problem the same way I did for him as a toddler. Things are different. Now that he’s dealing with rapid-fire hormones, his problems are more cerebral than physical. 

Many of us are familiar with the parable of the Friend at Midnight found in the eleventh chapter of Luke’s Gospel. The word parable means something laid alongside another. Jesus masterfully employs parables to teach and illustrate divine truths. A parable is a simple story with two levels of meaning. The first level is concrete and easy to understand. It contains a narrative with a familiar setting and engaging storyline. The next level, which can be more difficult to grasp, contains the underlying message. Comprehension of the second level depends on the heart of its listener.

One of the godly characteristics from the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) is “longsuffering” which is translated as “patience”. When we think of patience, we often associate it with self-control, or restraint while waiting. But the patience listed in the fruit of the Spirit has a different meaning. It comes from the Greek word makrothumia and means forbearance or longsuffering. It’s not the patience we need while sitting in traffic, a phone call from the doctor, or our long workday to end. It’s the ability to bear ongoing hardships in anticipation of future relief from God. It’s enduring suffering without complaining. It’s being slow to anger while waiting on God to provide comfort.

If you’re like me, when someone mentions a camping program, you might imagine bunk beds in rustic cabins with separate shower houses, and activities designed for younger bodies—not aging ones. GrandCamp, however, is a different kind of “camp” experience designed specifically for grandparents and their grade-school age grandchildren. At GrandCamp you not only enjoy hotel-style accommodations with private baths but get to participate in fun activities designed for both grandparents and grandchildren to enjoy. And if there’s an activity you in which you do not feel comfortable participating, you can still cheer your grandchildren on enthusiastically.