Friday, December 1, 2017

Jesus Loves the Little Children


Luke 18:15-17
Now people were even bringing their babies to him for him to touch.  But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them.  But Jesus called for the children, saying, "Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  I tell you the truth, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."

Our three granddaughters, Virginia Rose, Savannah Jane and Alexandra Nancy, are such unique individuals.  Though they hail from the same parents, the variations in their looks and temperaments never cease to amaze us.  The girls give a whole new meaning to the term "gene pool."

Virginia, age seven, is at one point, a silly monkey -




and at others, quiet and gentle, as when she reunites with her beloved cat friend in Oxford, the one she dubbed "Princess" during our last Thanksgiving visit to my mother's.  Let's compare this year's photos with last year's.



2017



2016

My, how she has grown!

Virginia is outgoing, laughs easily, and loves to give hugs even more than she likes receiving them.  And though she talks a LOT, she listens well, too, and is always ready to help around the house.  Smart as a whip, Virginia can whoop me at Uno or Sorry! in a heartbeat!

While all three girls adore their Daddy, three-year-old Savannah is truly a Daddy's Girl.


We worry, however, that by the time she turned three, she is hardly talking; what she does say sounds like gibberish, or perhaps, a language of her own invention.  Thank goodness her speech has vastly improved, although unlike her big sister, Savannah doesn't talk much.


At home, Savannah is just as happy to play by herself as with her sisters.  Her imagination, it seems, runs in overdrive; she can find joy and contentment in her own little world.  If any of the girls has earned the right to be called mischievous, it's Savannah.  Just ask Virginia!  And hugs?  Right now, only if they come from Mommy or Daddy.


Alexandra, at age two, has a mind of her own.  Like Savannah, she's not keen on the hugs from anyone but her parents.  When her Uncle Daniel asks for a hug this past holiday, she simply grins, waves her arms in the air, and declares, "No, no!"


She may be the littlest, but Alexandra isn't shy about trying to keep up with her older sisters, whether it be running around the house or out in Mom's spacious yard.  As you can certainly see in these photos, she is the only brunette in the bunch.  Though all three girls have blue eyes, hers are darker in hue; her candid stare has an uncanny way of peering right into your soul.

But there are two things that all three girls share in common:  Their love for the outdoors -


and kitty cats!


All so different.  All so adorable.  All so precious in the eyes of Jesus.

And you know what, friends?

So are you!

Amen!

24 comments:

  1. Oh my goodness!! Your little granddaughters are just adorable...all three of them! My, but you are blessed!!! They are each uniquely beautiful in their own way, and they will be giving their parents all kinds of fits in the days to come, especially when they reach puberty! Praying for them now to stay sweet and pure and loving Jesus always, as Jesus always loves them forever and ever!! Thank you for sharing these sweeties with us. You are blessed!!!

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    1. Thank you so much, Pamela! Yes, I dread those pre-teen and teen years when it comes to having three girls in the house. With God's help, may they stay their beautiful, sweet selves in spite of it all. And yes, we are most blessed!
      Love and blessings!

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  2. Great that they each get a chance to be themselves!

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  3. There is NOTHING as precious as our grands and yours are a boatload of precious! Keep making those memories!
    Blessings!

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    1. You know it, Lulu! I love this saying: "If I knew how much grandchildren could be, I would have had them first." LOL! Yes, we'll keep making memories.
      Love and blessings!

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  4. These pictures and descriptions are absolutely precious. In reading the comments you mentioned that you dread those pre-teen and teen years. You do not need to at all. I remember when my daughter turned 13. I held her close putting her face directly in front of mine (LOL) and said "You are the sweetest young woman I have ever met. Don't ever change." She never did. I reminded her everyday how precious and beautiful and smart, etc. she was - no matter what her mood might have been. She has the same attitude now about her children. People around her are constantly saying "Just wait until they are teens!" Her response "I can't wait - it will be wonderful, just as mine was." Maintain that attitude and see what happens :)

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    1. Oh, Carol, this is the best advice I've ever been given! Yes, I will do just that, and pass this onto my daughter. Just this simple reminder that our daughters/granddaughters are sweet and admonishing them to stay that way is such a gift to them and to us.
      Love and blessings!

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  5. ahh this warms my heart. Yes three precious gifts from God!! You are blessed!

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    1. Yes, they are our precious gifts from God, Jean, and we are so thankful for them every day.
      Love and blessings!

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  6. Oh Martha, this post is simply beautiful! Your granddaughters are beautiful and precious. It's fun to see how siblings--with the same genetics--can be so vastly different. My mom and her baby brother were so very different in every way, however, you knew they were related if you looked at their eyes. And yes, we're all precious in the eyes of Jesus!

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words, Kim! Yes, the gene pool, it seems, is capable of endless variety - that keeps life interesting to say the least. And we are so precious in the eyes of our Lord, thank goodness!
      Love and blessings!

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  7. Best wishes to you and your whole family. May I wish you and yours a Happy Advent and a very Blessed and Splendid Christmas.

    May God bless you all always.

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    1. Thank you, Victor! We are excited about the Advent and Christmas seasons with the grands. Virginia helped decorate our tree last evening.
      May your Advent and Christmas be blessed, too!
      Love and blessings!

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  8. They're adorable!!!

    Oh man. I have three daughters so I know the task ahead... But they are indeed gifts from God. And He makes them so different. It still astonishes me.

    So awesome you get to share the gift of family. Points to the love and grace of our Father.

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    1. Yes, the gift of family certainly does point to our Father's love and grace for us all, Floyd. The girls are our precious jewels, and we so treasure their presence in our lives.
      Love and blessings!

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  9. Love seeing the pictures of the girls and their growth. Great application as well. What is really interesting is how much older they get but how much younger you and Danny look! :)

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    1. Oh, wow, Bill, you are most complimentary! Some days, I just don't even want to look in the mirror, but God reminds me that I've earned those "life-lines." Being a grandparent is worth getting older!
      Love and blessings!

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  10. What moments captured beautifully. Lovely family photos. And thanks for the great reminder, in the end we are all so special. Greetings!

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    1. Thanks for your kind words, Blogoratti. Yes, we are all special in the eyes of God. We can take much comfort in that!
      Love and blessings!

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  11. Hi Martha! I love the photos of your grandchildren, each one different and special in their own ways. By the way, I LOVE the game Sorry, we play it here all the time.
    My oldest granddaughter is a real talker too, so that made me smile :)
    You are so special too my friend. Such a talented writer and mom and grandmom too. God has blessed you with a lot, and you use it all!
    Have a wonderful Advent and Christmas celebration!
    Ceil

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    1. I'm so glad you enjoyed the photos, Ceil, and to know your oldest granddaughter is the talker, too. Lol! I wonder if that's a trait reserved for the eldest child in the family. Sorry has become our new go-to game when Virginia is here. It wowed me how quickly she caught on.
      And I'm honored by your kind words. I'm so grateful for our friendship. Just think - if you hadn't guest posted on Deb's blog, I never would have met you. Such a loss that would have been for me!
      Happy Advent and Merry Christmas to you, too!
      Love and blessings!

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  12. I second that! All my kids are so different, and my two grandchildren, born just five weeks apart, are night and day. But they and we are all God's children, loved in his sight.

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    1. Sounds like the gene pool was very active in your neck of the woods, too, Galen. And God certainly does love us all!
      Love and blessings!

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. . . Good Tidings of Great Joy . . .

  . . . Good tidings of great joy . . . ~Luke 2:10 Pictured above are my daughter, Sarah, son-in-law, John, and their three girls, Virginia,...