Take Root and Write

Soulful Spring Cleaning

My physical abode is not spotless or pristine. On Wednesdays' it is presentable because we have friends over and I take special care to tidy up; my house sports a country lived-in style. However, two times a year whether it needs it or not, (I don't believe I've ever had a 'not' yet), I get down and dirty to Spring Cleaning and/or Fall Cleaning. Funny thing, the same sort of thing with my soul.

Although soul cleaning should happen more often. Here's how I do it:

 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me" (Psalm 51:10 NIV).

1. Start at the top and work to the bottom. Like in housework, I begin at the top and end at the bottom. Pray. Ask the Lord to show you what areas in your life need attention." If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9 NIV).

2. Check everywhere. It might surprise you where dirt lies in your spiritual life. Seemingly smooth surfaces can harbor dust and grime. The thinnest layer of dust blurs the view to our Lord. Blow with a request to the Holy spirit and replace that dust with a clean slate of pure love. "The spirit gives life ;the flesh counts for nothing" (John 6:63 NIV).

3.Take a scrub pad to your Bible study. You may find yourself in a rusty reading rut. Try something fresh; a study guide, praise songs, maybe even a new Bible. Scrape rust off time in the Word and give a new sharpened edge to the sword of Truth. "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12 NIV).

Grandchildren A Blessing

Isaiah Lance Baldwin arrived in the wee hours of the morning last week. He is healthy and so our family adds one more bud to the tree. Being a grandparent can be such hard work from time to time, all that love...all that energy. Is it worth it? Of course!  

Children and grandchildren are a blessing from God! But even blessings can be burdensome at times. Different life situations, relationships, worldviews, all play into what kind of Grandparent we'll be.

My father never knew his grandparents and he was raised in a rough environment. He was a professional wrestler and invented a great 'life' for his character Irish Paddy Ryan. While dad grew up in a rat infested apartment, the son born from an adulterous affair, his character Paddy Ryan had an idyllic life in Ireland and came to the states to help his family back home.

I have no doubt dad tried to love. He wanted to love and from time to time a gentleness would come over him and he would play with his grandkids. But other times his inner demons tortured him and he threw up his bitter, angry, demanding and selfish wall. He knew nothing of unconditional love.

For this reason I decided that I would exhibit Christ's unconditional love to our grandchildren. (We figured we.did the best we could with our kids, and they turned out great. . .but..we really had no idea what we were doing so we can't take any credit there.

Now, unconditional love does not mean that we let the little monkeys get away with bratty, diva behavior. It does mean we give them way more leeway to be who God made them to be, even when that involves a bit of a mess or inconvenient timing, then force them to be who we want or expect them to be.

When we remember that grandchildren are a blessing from God, it's easier to lift them in prayer, and to trust them to the Father. My father is gone now, but it's my hope he knows that we understand. . .he did the best he knew how. I think he would delight in the flock of great-grandchildren he has.On this St.Patrick's Day we will celebrate the life of Dad's 'super-ego'  Paddy Ryan because that is who gave Dad what little peace he had on this earth.

As long as we are able, our grandchildren will know love from these grandparents just as we know love from our heavenly Father.

We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19 NIV)

45 is the new 55 -- WHAT? Life is Joy!

Being the cool youthful grandparents we are, you might often repeat, with me, the saying, "50 is the new 30." And, you'll find almost everyone who is fifty or close to fifty agrees. Except for these darn helpful folks in Sun City Grand in Arizona where they are considering lowering the age of the retirement community. Yes, lowering the age. This action is not sitting well with some neighbors who are fearful their safe haven will be swamped with youngsters and even younger youngsters! It isn't sitting well with older young people who are trying to remain that way, too!

The problem is not so much the ages as it is the economy. Many of the retirement villages housing units are empty because retirement age people are not retiring and or not able to sell their current home.

I confess I've never visited a retirement community. And at forty-eight years of age, I really wouldn't pick that as my first choice. Because, mostly, I want to have the grand babies come and stay as long as they want without having to pay a penalty.

I also think that the people protesting the lower age should  reconsider. Having younger people around keeps us young! Sure, it keeps us tired too and sometimes gives us a mighty big headache, but they keep us moving, which in turn, keeps the heart pumping, the blood flowing, and the lungs heaving. Also, when the young-uns leave, well, isn't the peace just that much more blissful?

To stay young it is not always necessary to buy into the culture that tries to box us in by age, hair color, etc. If our heart is young, our soul still dances with joy and our knees can withstand a good job, then live joyfully in the now with your grand babies. Remember how very fast their parent's childhood sped by and almost knocked you out?

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing. (Romans 15:13 NKJV)

When a Child Is Born so is a Grandmother *Italian proverb*

People ask how many grandchildren I have. After my response the person usually says, 'You have HOW many? You don't look that old!" Which of course makes me smile all the way down to my toes.

When I began to look for presents for my grandma friends who are also young, lithe, and cool like me :) I was unable to find anything about grandmas other than gray haired older women (who no doubt are wonderful grandmas) knitting, quilting or baking. Me? While I do knit a mean scarf, I'd rather be scuba diving, swimming, boating, studying biographies, touring old mansions, writing, or, of course being with the kiddos.

You get the idea of where this whole Life Part Deux started.

I credit grandbabies keeping me young. While I do have streaks of gray in my hair, I am not grayed out like my siblings who do not have grandbabies! And grandbabies keep me thinking young, too. I know more than I probably should about Dora, Diego, Wiggles, and any princess or puppy. Thankfully we're not too into spongebob or pokeman. I don't think they're my taste particularly.

You've no doubt heard that fifty is the new forty, forty is the new thirty and so on....well, that's my mind set. I'll be 49 in July, but really I feel 35 at the most! And I know I am not alone! I want to meet all the grandma's who are like minded as I.

Intro: Life Part Deux; Cool Grandmas!

Life Part Deux can be complex. It seems at times so many things work against us: gravity, time, even laughter – because it causes wrinkles! But that’s not what God intended. We only need to look at the women of the Bible to see the second part of life should be as fuller or fuller than the first. This is the place where we will discuss eclectic subjects : Grandparenting, menopause, body stuff, spiritual stuff …you get the idea.

By, Linda Baldwin

Column Posted Every 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month.