Family Stories

They love to hear the stories. They usually ask me for one as we are driving down the road and my mind is elsewhere and I am concentrating on the traffic ahead. Sometimes I'm really frustrated at their interruptions. Car time's often reflection time and a moment for quiet, unnoticed worship. Today my heart is in a worshipful place. The songs of the season bringing tears to my eyes and even the boy in the front seat is moved by the music.

In this sacred moment they asked for the story of Grammie. The way they ask, so precious, "Mom, tell us the story of OUR Grammie". She is theirs and they adore her. All her Grandchildren adore her.

Grammie is a beautiful story of God's redemption. Our Grammie, well she had an almost abandoned childhood. This most precious women was a child of divorce in that era of our country when divorce was shameful and it was a scarlet letter she wore, burning on her shoulder. The divorce was instituted by her mother and her father loved his children but felt at a loss to care for them and so he handed them over to the state. She suffered at the hands of those workers, paid good money in exchange for a child's care. But there is no substitution for a mother's love and a father's protection.

Then our Grammie, well, she met Grandfather and he loved her from the first.  He vowed to care for her all the days of his life. Grammie and Grandfather had their first baby and then they met Jesus and everything changed, they were forever changed. There was one more baby and then our Daddy was born and we are all a family. Grammie is a model of the Proverbs 31 woman. She had everything to complain about, justifiable reasons to be bitter and yet she is meek with a servants heart and together they are fierce prayer warriors in the kingdom. Grammie will tell you that God does miraculous things.

There is silence in the car. We didn't know Grammie's story started sad. We are so glad Grandfather took care of Grammie. He is like a knight. I smile because I think Grammie has said that about him too.

 

Sharing with them the stories removes the blinder. It reveal the blessings they have, earned on the back of others. As they understand Grammie and Grandfather's union and the purposeful choices of these precious folks they can truly appreciate the cornerstone that is the warm family unit they know as, The Negvesky Party of 5!

So Thankful for Grammie and Grandfather and ....

#514.
The blustery wind has ceased

#519.
Waking to piano practice of Christmas music

#520.
Finally getting to put all the rugs back (had to wait 6 weeks after the floors were refinished and the rolled rugs in the corner looked like a person standing waiting to pounce...really freaked me out)

#521.
Dad's silly antics at the Full Sail Christmas Party

#522.
Stuff your Santas in a Sack....or Santa and the eight tiny reindeer I made the kids win for me and then I had to stuff 'em all in my purse

#523.
Kids using their present of Gift Cards to shop and give gifts to others

#524.
The entire family knocking around Target and shopping for each other and trying to avoid each other so we don't see our gifts.

#525.
Actually making my Bed today

#526.
Being handed the Grocery Shopping list for our Christmas eve dinner neatly printed and organized in a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet.