I find it hard to be a good Long-Distance
All of our grandchildren live about 1500 miles away from us. We have no idea what to say on the phone to them, nor they to us. It is very difficult. We do not know what they like or do not like. They do not know us either. We are strangers to each other.
Recently I decided to try something new ....started with the one who has says over and over to her daddy that she misses us....even though she barely knows us. Therefore we started with Alyvia. She is five years old.
I bought a book for her Birthday, but instead of sending it,
I kept it here with the plan to READ IT to her over SKYPE
and then I would send it to her.
Our son Andy was receptive to that idea....and downloaded Skype on his phone so we could try this.
As I become more comfortable with the process of Skype and learn where to hold the book so she can see the pictures.....it is becoming a TREASURE that we both look forward to!
My son lets me know when it is a good night for them, or I will shoot a message off asking if it is a good night. When we agree it is a good night, we agree on a time. My granddaughter has her bath and gets in her jammies and then they go to her bedroom and we begin to Skype.
The book we just finished was called He's Got the WHOLE WORLD in His Hands, an Ideals publication. It is actually a well known song::
He’s
got the WHOLE WORLD in His hands
He’s got the WHOLE WORLD in His hands.
He’s got the EARTH and the SKY in His
Hands
He’s got the NIGHT and the DAY
in His hands.
He’s got the SUN and the MOON in His
hands
He’s got the WHOLE world in His hands.
He’s got the LAND and the SEA in His
hands
He’s got the WIND and the RAIN
in His hands.
He’s got the SPRING and the FALL in His
hands
He’s got the WHOLE WORLD in His hands.
He’s got the ITTY BITTY BABY in His
hands
He’s got the YOUNG and the OLD in His hands.
He’s got EVERYONE HERE in His hands
He’s
got the WHOLE WORLD in His hands.
He’s
got the WHOLE WORLD in His hands
He’s got the WHOLE WORLD in His hands.
So since I want my grandchildren to know who I AM as a person:
I also taught her some sign language. Her daddy, next to her, helped her form the right shapes on her hands. The underlined words above, are the words we SIGNED together.
We also added verses for fun :
He's got Grandma and Alyvia in His hands..
He's got Daddy and Grandpa in His hands...
Since we finished the book:
I asked Alyvia if she was ready for me to send the book to her in the mail so she could read it to me. She decided she needed more practice on the words, so we will go over the book again....singing and signing as we go.
Do I think this will take away the gap from us?
NO
But I am hoping that I will get to SEE and know the REAL Alyvia over time.
I am hoping that she will SEE and know the REAL me, her Grandma, far away, who adores her.
I am an Absent Grandma in many ways.
I miss out on all their sports activities, all their recitals, the Birthday parties, school programs, all their fun events, not there to invite them over for supper, and yes, will continue to miss sending Birthday cards from time to time.....I am not there. I will not be nominated for Grandma of any Year.
BUT....God has us here.
We love being in full time ministry. We love the little Church God has called us to. We are where we should be, because that is where He wants us. And we are most happy when we are in the place where God wants us.
Here is where we are.
There is where our grandkids are.
That is our reality.
I will just keep trying to find ways to connect.
Yet the greatest gift I can give them is prayer.
My hubby and I pray for their parents.
We pray for our grandchildren.
We believe in GOD! We believe in Prayer!
