Hey ladies! I don't know about you, but sometimes these long winter days can seem, well, long! My niece posted a cute quote on Facebook the other day, "January was a long year, but we made it!" I'm not one to wish my life away, but there are days I long for the sights and smells of springtime.
But as we are naturally forced indoors a little more this season, it's a great time to pray for our grands. Nana Kathy and I spent about 6 months a few years back praying once a week for each other's kids and grandkids. What a blessing! It was so comforting knowing someone else was praying for my family.
So I'd like to ask each of us to take a few minutes to respond to this post by listing the names of your children, their respective children (if they have them), and any specific prayer requests you feel led to share at this point. Then if you are agreeable, please pray for each other's family at least once a week over the next month. I look forward to hearing praise reports!
Also, each month I'd like to post a question/challenge, or anything else to stir our thoughts on how to best minister to our families who live far away.
I'll start:
Nina & David Morgan
Son, Clint Morgan, daughter-in-love, Laura, and 3-year old Winslow Grace
Specific prayer needs: They live in Phoenix, so they are very far away from any family. Clint is in a very difficult rotation until March, which calls him away from home at all hours of the day and night. Laura really needs 1-2 women she can call on to help her out, especially when Winnie gets sick, etc. Also please pray that they allow God to be the center of their lives.
Daughter, Whitney Scantling, son-in-love, Michael, 3.5 year old Ella Jo, and Baby Boy Scantling due May 29.
Specific prayer needs: Whitney is a nurse practitioner, and is not happy in her first and current job. She has been given some options for the future, but my prayer is that she will learn all the Lord has for her in this current position. Michael is a state trooper, so I pray daily for his safety. I also ask for prayer that they put Jesus first.
Question: What is something unique you do to help your family who lives far away feel connected?
I have a NeeNee's treasure box at my house that is full of Dollar Store gifts, gadgets, and other small, random things. When Ella is here, I always pull out a "prize" as Ella calls it. Since Winnie doesn't get this first-hand, I try to send her the same little gifts every couple of months all at one time. For example, I'm mailing a box of Valentine's randomness today.
But as we are naturally forced indoors a little more this season, it's a great time to pray for our grands. Nana Kathy and I spent about 6 months a few years back praying once a week for each other's kids and grandkids. What a blessing! It was so comforting knowing someone else was praying for my family.
So I'd like to ask each of us to take a few minutes to respond to this post by listing the names of your children, their respective children (if they have them), and any specific prayer requests you feel led to share at this point. Then if you are agreeable, please pray for each other's family at least once a week over the next month. I look forward to hearing praise reports!
Also, each month I'd like to post a question/challenge, or anything else to stir our thoughts on how to best minister to our families who live far away.
I'll start:
Nina & David Morgan
Son, Clint Morgan, daughter-in-love, Laura, and 3-year old Winslow Grace
Specific prayer needs: They live in Phoenix, so they are very far away from any family. Clint is in a very difficult rotation until March, which calls him away from home at all hours of the day and night. Laura really needs 1-2 women she can call on to help her out, especially when Winnie gets sick, etc. Also please pray that they allow God to be the center of their lives.
Daughter, Whitney Scantling, son-in-love, Michael, 3.5 year old Ella Jo, and Baby Boy Scantling due May 29.
Specific prayer needs: Whitney is a nurse practitioner, and is not happy in her first and current job. She has been given some options for the future, but my prayer is that she will learn all the Lord has for her in this current position. Michael is a state trooper, so I pray daily for his safety. I also ask for prayer that they put Jesus first.
Question: What is something unique you do to help your family who lives far away feel connected?
I have a NeeNee's treasure box at my house that is full of Dollar Store gifts, gadgets, and other small, random things. When Ella is here, I always pull out a "prize" as Ella calls it. Since Winnie doesn't get this first-hand, I try to send her the same little gifts every couple of months all at one time. For example, I'm mailing a box of Valentine's randomness today.
Blessings to each of you who are, like me, Grandloving Across the Miles!
Steve and Terri
ReplyDeleteSon>>Greg, daughter-in-law Andrea - twins - Carson & Kailey (11)
Daughter>>Stephie, son-in-law, Christian - Shaylee(11), Makynlee(8) & Brynnlee(5)
Daughter >>StaceyJane, son-in-law Joel - twins - August & Shepherd (almost 3)
Yes - three 11 year olds and 2 sets of twins.....we need a team roster!!!
I will gladly share tons of prayer requests about each and every precious big and small family member over time. But for today, could you focus on our middle child - Stephie and her family? She is married to a Baptist minister and they recently accepted a new position in Houston. Steph and the girls are currently living in a small town in north, central Missouri (about 3 hours from us in St. Louis.) Her husband, Christian has already moved to Houston and Steph is alone with the girls in Missouri. Their house sold quickly and they are moving to Texas at the end of February but have yet to find a new house in Houston.
PRAYER REQUEST #1 Pray they will recognize the house that God has already picked out for them with the neighbors, friends and school that is perfect for all of them. Not only will my granddaughters be away from all family members on both sides of their family and all of their friends, teachers etc. My daughter and son-in-law are facing the same situation. They will meet people quickly at church, I'm sure but I'm praying for them to find at least one couple they can become very close to. Also, that this time of single parenting and being away from wife and daughters would end quickly.
PRAYER REQUEST #2 MY daughter's family have just finished a season of fostering 5 different children (3 families.) My daughter was working a full-time job while parenting 4 or 5 children at a time. Join her in prayer to find a home that they can afford without her working. She has missed valuable time with her girls while doing God's work with other children. Her youngest is also in need of eye surgery fairly quickly, so she will have time for therapy before Kindergarten starts. PRAYER REQUEST #3 Brynnlee needs an excellent surgeon and intensive therapy to correct a vision problem we just discovered. It causes her to have her head in a constant tilt in order not to see double. She has a lot of trouble with coordination, as well as, reading. Then she needs a therapist to help with the muscles in her neck.
IDEAS for grand parenting across distance:
MiMi & PaPa Camp - annual gathering for a week, in the summer of all the grandkids. Parents get time to focus on each other, while MiMi & PaPa enjoy a jammed-packed week of themed activities with t-shirts, video, selected books, crafts & even special menus. This is a specialty of mine and I can go on and on about our reveal days, countdown, pre-camp activities, post camp memory making, photo books, video, themes etc. I love helping other grandparents plan their own camps too! Let me know if you'd like to hear more about this. Last year's camp was "Choose Your Own Adventure Camp" - each of the kids got to choose from a menu of activities and PaPa and I got to make our choices as well....camp ended up included fishing, horseback riding, water park, slime making and snow cones!!!!
I LOVE the MiMi and PaPa Camp! I think I remember Laura mentioning it. As mine get older, and we retire, :) I'd like to look at something like that.
ReplyDeleteI will definitely add your prayer requests to my list. I knew there was some separation coming, but didn't know the details.
Thank you MiMi for sharing!