Monday, July 25, 2016

Monday Morning Memo: Seeing Jesus

I am thrilled to share with you that Emma Christine Fulton made her appearance last Friday at 4:51 pm.  She weighed 6 lbs 10 oz and was 21” long.  She is absolutely gorgeous and perfect in every way and it only took me a nanosecond to fall completely in love with our little princess!

We have now tripled the number of grandchildren this year, which is just fine with me.  They sure bring light to a very dark world and hope at a time when things can seem hopeless.

Emma’s arrival has me feeling very sentimental and emotional.  I feel so blessed to be a part of these young lives and also feel a huge responsibility to be the right type of grandma.  I don’t want to be a grandma who just gives them anything they want and spoils them rotten.  Along with all the fun…I want to have a part in turning their eyes towards Jesus…showing them that there isn’t anything more important than having a relationship with my Savior.

So I feel impressed to write to these grandchildren of mine and I invite you to read along.  Some of you have been a grandparent for much longer than I have, so please feel free to share your wisdom with me.  We are all in this together…and I’m sure you also want to impact the lives of your treasured grandchildren.

Dear Elias, Ezekiel and Emma,

I was told for many years that being a grandma was something wonderful, and even though I knew that was probably true, there was no way that I could really understand until I became one.  As each of you entered the world, my heart just expanded to hold more love than I ever imagined was possible.  As I looked into your eyes, I vowed to do all I could do to be the grandma that Jesus wants me to be.

I want each of you to know that I will always have time for you.  Remember that grandma loves you more than you will ever know, and spending time with you is a blessing. I want to have fun with you, explore with you and laugh with you.   I want to listen to your funny stories and play make-believe.  I want to hold you, read to you and kiss your boo-boos.  And there will be times when I will just want to “be” with you…without having to do anything at all.

I will not be successful as a grandma though, if all you remember about me is that I was someone with whom you had fun.  More importantly, I want you to be able to remember me as a grandma who loved her Jesus with all her heart.  When you are with me, I want you to see Jesus.  When I talk with you, I want you to hear words from Jesus.  When we explore this great big world together…I want you to find Jesus.  When I hold you close to me…I want you to feel Jesus in a special way.

There is nothing more in this world that I want for you, than to love my Jesus with all your heart.  He will never leave you or disappoint you.  He gave everything so that you can walk with Him with every step…every day…and someday spend eternity with Him.  

Unfortunately, I’m not going to be a perfect grandma, but I hope my love for you will outshine my imperfections.   My prayer is that as we do life together, each of us will learn and grow from each other, and be better Christ-followers as a result of our relationship.

Elias, Ezekiel and Emma…there is a song that you will probably tire from hearing me sing to you…but it sums up what your presence means to me.  I love you so much and you are definitely my sunshine and you make me happy when skies are gray.  So as you roll your eyes when I sing to you once again…just remember that my heart is so full of love for you that I can’t help but let you know.  Thank you for making me a grandma…you are truly a blessing to me.

Love & Lots of Kisses,

Grandma

“But watch out! Be careful never to forget 
what you yourself have seen.
Do not let these memories escape from your mind 
as long as you live!
And be sure to pass them on to your 
children and grandchildren.”

Deuteronomy 4:9

Monday, July 18, 2016

Monday Morning Memo: Hand in Hand

I shared with you last week that we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our granddaughter.  Well…we are still waiting!  She is taking her time entering this world and so we are learning another lesson in patience J

I love being a grandma.  People told me that it would be wonderful but I couldn’t completely grasp how great it would be until I held our first grandson.  He totally stole my heart and then his brother did the same thing less than two years later.  So I am confident that when Emma decides to make her appearance…she will also make this grandma’s heart swell and I will be totally and completely in love once again!

One of the things that makes my heart melt is when Elias, our oldest grandson, takes my hand when we are walking together.  It’s a very simple gesture…but I feel emotional every time he does it.  There is something about having his small hand in mine that makes me feel so blessed that I am able to have a part in his life.  I don’t take that opportunity lightly and I want to spend as much time with him as I can, building a relationship that will last a lifetime.

The practical positive of being hand in hand with him is that I am assured he is by my side.  As with most two year olds, his legs want to often take him where he shouldn’t go…so if I have his hand I have more control as to his path.  Even though he may not always think that is a good thing…I know it is in his best interest to stay by my side.

I was thinking about this recently when I was reading in Amos 3:3.  It asks the question, “Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?”  I like the way this verse is worded in the version The Message, “Do two people walk hand in hand if they aren’t going to the same place?”  Of course this is a rhetorical question that is easy to answer.  There is no way two people can walk hand in hand and go in two different directions.  It’s just not possible. 

This is so applicable to our walk with Christ.  If we are going to go on the path that He has planned for us, we must be willing to walk with Him; hand in hand.  When we let go and think we can walk on our own…is usually when problems begin to arise and we start to lose our way.  We need to realize that even when we don’t feel like walking with Him, it is imperative that we do it anyway, because it is always in our best interest to stay by His side.

I just can’t help but believe that Christ also gets emotional when we want to take His hand and walk with Him.  He loves us so much and wants to continually work on our relationship that will last beyond our lifetime. I know how much I love my children and grandchildren…but that doesn’t even hold a candle to the love that my heavenly Father has for me.  I don’t know about you…but that thought gives me chills, makes me feel so blessed, and makes me never want to let go of His hand.

 “No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good,
    and this is what he requires of you:
to do what is right, to love mercy,
    and to walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8

Friday, July 15, 2016

Kathy Are You There?

This may seem like a rather strange post...but I'm trying to locate someone!  I received an e-mail yesterday...saying that someone had commented on my blog post.  It was Kathy, who I went to school with back in Van Nuys, CA!  I have not seen or talked with her since, so it was wonderful to get a message from her.

The problem is that the message came to me through an outside server, and her message isn't showing up on either of my blogs and so I have no way to message her back.  She had some questions that she needed me to answer and I would love to do that if I could find out where to e-mail!


SO...Kathy if you read this...please e-mail me directly at luanfulton@gmail.com and let me know where I can e-mail you back at.  Praying you see this soon!

Monday, July 11, 2016

Monday Morning Memo: Newborns

These days are filled with expectation in our family because we are anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first granddaughter, Emma.  Her actual due date is tomorrow so we are now just waiting for her to realize how cramped she is in her present surroundings and decide it’s time to make her appearance!

Even though I haven’t met her yet, I realize that she won’t be able to crawl, or walk, or talk in words that are understandable when she enters this world.  I’m guessing she will cry at times when her parents wish she wouldn’t and won’t sleep when they wish she would.  She won’t be ready to eat grandma’s cooking and believe it or not, she won’t even be potty trained!  

None of these things though, will dampen my love for our precious Emma.  I won’t be upset with her when I hold her for the first time, telling her how disappointed I am in her because she hasn’t mastered these skills.  The reason is that I don’t expect her to be able to do any of those things.  She will be a newborn and anyone with any intelligence knows that a baby isn’t ready to crawl or walk or do the other things I listed.  Those things will come, but it will take time while her body and mind grows and she develops into the young person that God intends her to be. 

Why is it then that when a person makes the awesome decision to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior…we think they should immediately look, act and speak like a fully developed Christian?  They are babes in Christ, just like a newborn baby.  It may be too much for them to even crawl in their walk at the beginning…but in time they will crawl, walk and even run on their journey.   They may cry and say things that we wish they wouldn’t and won’t make decisions like we wish they would.  We shouldn’t expect them to, nor should we tell them how disappointed we are in them because they don’t have everything in their life cleaned up.

Isn’t it amazing that we want grace from others for ourselves…but fail to extend grace to those around us?  Let’s remember that we are all a work in progress and that those who are newborns need to feel and see our love regardless of what stage of development they are in.  Those times of growth will come for them and for us, but it will take time while our faith grows and we develop into the faithful followers that God intends us to be. 




“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord,
you must continue to follow him. 
Let your roots grow down into him,
and let your lives be built on him.
Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught,
and you will overflow with thankfulness.”
Colossians 2:6-7