Psalm 128:4  Stand in awe of God’s Yes.

v. 5  And enjoy your grandchildren.

(The Message)

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Here are two trustworthy sayings to commit to memory and to luxuriate in every day:

God is better to us than we would be to ourselves.

God’s best gifts are the little ones in our lives. 

I’ve had two workdays this week that were as rich and rewarding as any I have known. Conversations flowed with richness. Conclusions felt strong and secure. Motives and meaning combined to create significant insights. 

One of our granddaughters required a ride to daycare one morning. We discussed God, the universe, and other things. Carrying her across the parking lot, up the stairs through the building, and up another flight of stairs let to a hug around the neck, a kiss, and a declaration that makes me ever more glad to be alive. 

The same granddaughter needed a ride home. We sang and danced in the car. We stopped for a smoothie that no doubt ruined her appetite for dinner. We watched the young woman who prepared our flavorful beverages as she combined fruit, juice, and ice in just the right combination to produce vibrant colors and peak taste sensations. 

This same child joined my bride and me for our weekly dinner on the following day. We dined at a different establishment from our norm. Don’t tell her mother, but we had chicken strips and French fries. This tiny tot ate every bite. She strategically savored her combo meal with the appropriate and proportionate measures of chicken to potato. 

At one point, she laid her head on the table so that she could see inside the packet holding her fries. She assessed how many remained so that she would know how many bites of chicken she should take before returning to those fries.

My bride plucked up the bag while our granddaughter was finishing off her chicken. She tossed it in the bag with our other refuse when the tiny tot protested. My bride carefully removed the waxed paper containing three smile fries. Our Small Fry then savored each one, thereby maximizing her meal. She was satisfied. 

God is better to us than we would be to ourselves.

God’s best gifts are the little ones in our lives.

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I will celebrate God’s grace and kindness every day as I think about our grandchildren and spend as much time as possible with each one of them.

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Our Father, your best gifts are the people you place in our lives, in particular, family members who enrich us with laughter and tears, adventures and naps. Empower us to enjoy life as much as our little ones do. Teach us to savor the little bites that provide the flavor of life. Amen.