Cars 3 Lessons for Grandparents

Cars 3 [1] — Image courtesy of Pixar Studios

This week, my husband and I took our grandson to see the new Cars 3 movie. It is a family friendly movie with a revved up story line. While it entertained our grandson, we caught the message that we are to share our wisdom with future generations.

In the movie, Lightning McQueen is an aging patriarch of auto racing who becomes a mentor to a talented but underappreciated young female race car named Cruz Ramirez. Their road is filled with potholes, but both rise to the challenges. He is forced to face the fact that an exciting chapter of his life can now only be seen in the rear view mirror. Under his guidance, Cruz gains confidence to pursue her dreams.

Through the process, Lightning has to dig deep into his past to unveil timeless lessons about work, ambition, and relationships. He hits overdrive, applying old-school techniques to Cruz’s high-tech training. The idea is clear that younger generations are eager to hear from their elders, willing to learn from them. In return, their enthusiasm gives a power boost for older models. It’s a win-win!

For me, the biggest message of Cars 3 is that God gives us no retirement plan. We might be slowing down, but as long as we have a few pistons firing, God wants us to continue sharing what we know about Him.

Resist the urge to put on the brakes. Take your grandkids to a movie – or to a ball game. Get to know their interests, hopes, and challenges. Tell them what you know about living a life of faith in God. Remember to tell me about your time together at: SpiritualLegacyMemoir.com.

The Upside of Powering Down

breno-machado-17850 We had a blockbuster of a summer storm earlier this week. That’s saying something, because in my lifetime I’ve been in close proximity to a couple of tornadoes that came and went without much interruption to my life. The drill goes something like this: head to a windowless, interior room (preferably in a basement), wait for the wind to pass, come out of hiding, assess damages, and resume normal activities.

This week’s storm was memorable in a different way. It decided to take out the electrical power for a large swath of my neighborhood, thereby rendering itself quite a nuisance. Temporary loss of power isn’t uncommon in my area. But losing power for more than a few hours is noticeable. This one had us down for 21 hours. That was long enough to seriously consider how much we take the use of electricity for granted.

I was home with my grandson when the storm hit. We got to sit downstairs with a smart phone in case a “duck for your life” alert was issued. It didn’t happen. We did spend some time reviewing those weather safety rules the meteorologists are always announcing on TV. We performed this little exercise for memory. No power means no TV, no WiFi, no computer… no whatever it is that uses electricity.

Admittedly, there were a few “I’m scared” moments. But, the storm’s upside came as a forced shutdown of normal activities. As happy as I was to hear the power kick in the following morning at 5:17 a.m. (according to my bedside clock), I understand those powerless hours were a gift in several ways.

It became a running joke to watch one another flip on a light switch for no apparent reason. We gained a new level of respect for flashlights.
With the fridge off limits and stove out of commission, our preferred lunch option was a few blocks away at the burger restaurant where power was not interrupted (a definite upside). Ditto for the dinner hour.
Back at home we assembled a puzzle, we colored, we read books, and we made up stories. We spent more time than usual directly interacting with one another.

My grandson seemed to relished the adventure and the extra measure of attention he had in the absence of electronic devices. We might try this exercise another day, except we will keep the fridge, stove, and lights turned on.

How did you spend your time the last time you had to power down? Let me know at: SpiritualLegacyMemoir.com.

Blank Page

Placeholder Image So, I’m sitting here staring at a blank page. Sound familiar? Nothing is going to happen until I start hitting keys on the computer and stringing sentences together. That’s the reality of writing. It’s not as difficult as it might sound – really it isn’t. All it takes is a moment while my fingers are poised above the keys for thoughts to emerge. I just need to give those thoughts some direction.

Spiritual Legacy Memoir is about writing for children. In my case, that’s primarily for my grandson. He was with me in the morning before I started to write this, sharing time over breakfast before school. In the midst of downing a bowl of Captain Crunch, my grandson said, “I like this cereal better than the Cheerios his Dad has at home.” I considered the nuances of that statement.

For one, it means his Dad is providing his son with less sugar-laden cereal than I allowed. (Let it be noted here that I also give said child generous portions of broccoli and carrots.) It also means Dad and I have a common interest in the well-being of this child, beyond food and school.

What’s more important than filling my grandson’s belly with cereal is filling his heart with a love for the Lord. His Dad and I share this goal. You probably have similar shared goals with parents, adult children, or guardians of a certain child. What would you say to that child if you were staring at a blank page right now? Go ahead, write it down.

Don’t forget to share your ideas and experiences about writing for children at SpiritualLegacyMemoir.com.

A Lesson From the Squirrels

photo-8 The squirrels are at it again. They’re on the neighbor’s bush munching away at the few remaining seed pods. Thing is, this untrimmed bush only has a few spindly branches with most of the seeds dangling 20 feet off the ground. The branches are so thin they bow and sway under the weight of the squirrels when they scamper up to reach the seeds.

But there the squirrels sit, eating lunch with their hind feet and tails tightly wrapped around a skinny branch, balancing against occasional bursts of wind like seasoned acrobats. Squirrels have a reputation for getting what they want regardless of obstacles. These squirrels have their seeds, and they have a valuable lesson to share. It’s called persistence.

If something is important, I mean really important, you must be willing to work for it. That’s true of education and career choices, and it’s especially true about what we do for our families. Congratulations to everyone who has traded personal convenience to provide children with food, clothing, shelter, health care, swimming lessons, music lessons, and on and on. But, there is another far more important investment to be made for children. It is an investment in their spiritual well being. How are you sharing your faith values with them?

Kids need to know how faith in Christ applies to them. One of the most engaging ways to disciple children about God is to talk about Him through their lives. Use their accomplishments, failures, and frustrations to share what you have learned about joy, sorrow, and dependence on God. Write little messages, telling them how God has answered your prayers on their behalf, how you are now praying for their future.

It only takes a few minutes to jot down your thoughts, a minute more to find life-giving words in the Bible to support them. Sharing your faith with younger generations is more than a good idea, it’s a directive from God. Be persistent. Give children food that lasts an eternity.

“One generation shall commend your [God’s] works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.” – Psalm 145:4

Get Hooked

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“What do you think Papa would like to get for Christmas?” I said.

“A fish hook. Papa loves to fish.”

My grandson has already developed a taste for outdoor sportsmanship and is making future plans to teach his children how to fish. Truth be told, he is already an accomplished fisherman.

I dutifully added “fish hook” to our shopping list, knowing something my grandson doesn’t know: my husband has only a modest interest in fishing. His biggest incentive to pick up a pole and tackle box is that fishing is an enjoyable activity he shares with our grandson. That thought stayed with me through the day.

During the past summer, my husband took our then 5-year-old grandson fishing nearly every day – just to be together. My grandson initiated their expeditions by saying, “Papa, this is a good day to go fishing.” They returned home with catch-and-release photos as proof they really did get the big ones.

Generational lines blurred and bonding took place while they sat on the porch, recalling everything they did during that day’s expedition. “The days I spend teaching him to fish will pass quickly, but he will remember our times on the fishing pier for years to come,” my husband said. Papa is right.

Their explorations have already left a positive impression on our grandson. Kids remember the things you do with them. I still remember helping my grandma pick flowers from her garden. Find out where your grandchildren’s interests lie, and make a point of spending time together, exploring their world.

What kinds of memories are you making with your grandchildren? If you would, share one of your favorite grandparent stories on my website: http://www.SpiritualLegacyMemoir.com.

The 4th Quarter

Some of the most exciting action and sensational scores happen during the 4th Quarter of a football game. Players’ emotions overflow. Spectators fuel the energy with cheers, chants, and edge-of-the-seat engagement with action on the field. This is no time to relax. It’s like that fat lady singing thing when all parties involved know every decision and every effort made from this point on counts toward the final score. If players are determined to finish with a crowd-pleasing win, every member of the team has to stay strong. The same is true for the 4th Quarter of life: those years when people realizes 75 percent of their days are showing up in the rearview mirror.

It’s a human tendency that we value success, our call to stay in the game of life until the clock runs down. But, unlike football, the game of life has eternal implications for us and our spectators. And unlike football, there will be no more games to play when life’s clock runs down, no opportunities to recoup the losses. Now, let’s put this into perspective. Take a wide receiver. He is responsible to perform a specific function as part of a team: catching a pass and running it to the goal for a touchdown. The thing is, if wide receivers don’t give their best effort, it is unlikely they will be able to score any points. Likewise, grandparents fill a valuable role with their family team.

There is another important difference between football players and grandparents. We’re not just fighting against another team. We’re fighting against the powers of darkness and spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12) We are an integral part of a family with a God-given command to share our faith in Christ with the generations that follow. If this were to become the only significant achievement we reach in life, we will have scored a winning touchdown and a prize that surpasses any trophy made by human hands.

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14