Though I have graduated into the role of grandmother and part-time caregiver, my days are busy. The tasks that take my time now are different from those that absorbed my energy as a mother of young children. Still, my heart remembers.

Remembers the early morning wake-up cries and constant need for attention.

Remembers the easy laughs and late-night pillow fights that keep them up past bedtime.

Remembers the worries when they are sick and the prayers for healing.

Remembers the consequences of poor decisions, the heartbreak of watching them fall.

Remembers the joy of watching them give their life to Christ, plunging into baptism with hearts surrendered to Him, filled with love.

Oh, I remember every little thing, and you do too. It’s a mother-thing.

The saying about our children representing our “hearts walking around outside our bodies” carries a deeper meaning that anyone can imagine until their hearts walk beside us, celebrating, breaking, swelling with pride, hiding in shame… As parents, we cannot escape the overwhelming feeling of desire to see our children grow in wisdom, strength, and grace. But some days seem so hard. The challenge of finding a reason to be grateful can bring an uneasiness to our weary soul, but in our hearts, we know the blessings are there.

What did you do with or for your children that brought you (and them) joy?

What did you do because you had to, to keep peace or teach them a lesson?

What part of their character shines, even in the hard times, filling your heart with praise to the God who chose to give them to you?

My personal list of memories of my daughter and grandson that bring me joy is a long one, but the list of things I needed to do to keep peace or teach a lesson is long too. At the end of it all come days of rest.

Rest as they grow old enough to walk next door for a playdate.

Rest as they mature enough to drive themselves to school.

Rest as they leave for college with all their earthly belongings in the back seat of their car.

Rest as they email, text, and send silly emojis to let you know they’re thinking of you and, sometimes, even seek advice and wisdom and strength.

Rest as they continue their journey closer to the heart of God while you pray and trust that they will never stray, or if they do, they will quickly return to better things, better decisions, a better life that is not about you but is all about them making their faith their own. Believing that God is who He says He is, and He can and will help them do everything He puts on their hearts to do.

We are all familiar with the verse,

“Train up a child in the way (they) should go; and when (they) are old, (they) will not depart from it” (Prov. 22:6).

I find it interesting that the verse moves from “training a child” to “when they are old”. It gives me the feeling that there is a lot of living to do between those two points, and all that living may not be in line with God’s ways as much as we pray it will be.

The hope is that when they are old, our sweet children and grandchildren will return to God if they have strayed, and they will never again depart from the path God has prepared for them.

In the resting and praying and trusting, we enter a sacred space with God in which He holds our children and grandchildren… but also holds onto us and heals, and helps, and leads us into a safe space to dwell in His presence and peace that truly does pass all understanding.

This month has been so busy I have hardly had time to unpack and repack before leaving on the next trip. One week was vacation in Steamboat with my husband. The following week -- a Christian Writer’s Conference to which I could drive, but the drive was 9-hours long. Praise God, He filled my mind with book ideas and worship and led me to a book on tape that kept me busy the entire way home so I could see my husband a day earlier than planned.

This week our grandson is spending Spring Break with us in Southwest Florida. We love having him here, but we have to admit we don’t have the energy we had even three years ago. We get weary and worry that he is bored. Somehow, he continues to smile and allay our fears. Still, we miss the vitality of youth and envy younger parents and grandparents who run through the park, dive off the diving board, and kick soccer balls across the field. What a blessing it is (and was) to be that parent and grandparent who could participate in all their interests and even give them a run for their money, gently pushing them toward greater skill and the thrill of competition.

You are greatly blessed if you are as weary as we are, a bit overwhelmed at times, yet grateful for the days and weeks you get to spend with your children and grandchildren sharing eternal currency – love, compassion, gratitude, wisdom, and self-awareness of wants, needs, reactions, and dreams. That is the currency of God. The abundance that we give and receive throughout our lives and carry with us to heaven when our days on earth are done.

From one weary, grateful heart to another, I pray you will find a quiet space to silence the noise in your life so your spirit can hear the voice of God saying, “I love you. I am here. I will carry you through this day and every day. Rest in me. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Don’t let your own confusion, doubt, and fear silence the voice of God. He has divine direction waiting for you if you will take time to reply, “I love you. I am here. Please carry me through this day and every day as I rest in You. Thank you for giving me an easy yoke and a light burden to carry because You are carrying it with me.”

Simplify.

Prioritize.

Breathe.

Receive.

God is closer than you know.

With gratitude,