My grandmother has been in a nursing home for nearly a year now, dealing with too many battle to talk about.  Either way, the battles aren’t what we’re focusing on- but her life is!  It was a special treat to be able to spend another Thanksgiving with her today.  I’d say it’s been close to 5 years since I’ve spent a Holiday with “Mamaw,” so I was honored to do so today.  I want to tell you a little about her before I talk about her day…My Grandma was married to her “perfect mate,” my Grandpa, William Leo Gaines.  “Leo,” as she called him, served in WWII, in both France, and Germany (if I recall correctly.)  He made it home safely from the war to his sweetheart, bought a few trucks, and started his own trucking company.  He and my Grandma had two children: Barbara (my aunt) and William LeoII (my daddy.)  Unfortunately for generations of our family, William was killed in a truck accident when my Dad was only two years old.  I don’t know much about those early years, because my grandma never spoke of them much, my dad doesn’t remember them, other than the stories he heard.  I can only imagine the trials my Grandma faced as a widowed mother of two very young children.  The thing is, she never remarried.  Ruth led a successful career, and raised children who have done the same, she was highly involved in her church and community, and have raised children who are the same.  She placed family higher than everything but God, and have children who do the same.  Growing up I remember every Thanksgiving or Christmas at her house, filled with wonderful aromas that I can only hope to match someday.  I remember her warm smile, the little trinkets around her home that captivated me (and still do!)  I still remember her as “Mamaw.”  The woman who was always there, but I never seemed to get close enough to.  After so many years of her preparing our Holiday meals, sending us birthday cards with $5 bills, and just being there for her friends and family, it almost seems small to bring her from the nursing home back to her home for but a few hours to enjoy another Thanksgiving meal with her family.  My faithful parents travel hours almost weekly to visit her, and my aunt travels across state lines to visit her monthly.  I’ve come to the realization, that if this woman, who has faced so many challenges in life, can raise children and grandchildren who love and adore her, and who will drive hours to visit her for a three, to help her eat a few bites of Thanksgiving dinner, and to just be there for her like she was for us, then this woman must have lived a life worth taking note of.  I only wish I would have spent more times, asked more questions, and taken more notes when I could.  I obviously can’t live with regrets, but with the wonderful, precious memories.  I know she may never see this, but thank you Mamaw for everything.  Thank you for giving me the best Daddy a girl could ask for, and thank you for being there for everyone who ever needed you.

I’m looking forward to more visits with this inspiring lady, and hopefully more Thanksgiving dinners.  Now you know a little of what I’m thankful for…  Our entire family had a wonderful day together, here are a few pictures.  As much as I hate it, I didn’t take any pictures of Mamaw, because I don’t know that she was up for it, in fact I didn’t take many today.

Here is the link of Greg sharing his dreams, and of the message.

-Melissa

“Parents are the first gods anyone knows.  The experiences we have as young children with these all-knowing, all-seeing, and ever-present people called parents builds our future attitudes and relationships with the true God.  Children with warm and loving parents grow to see God as a God of love.  Children raised by harsh, punitive, and legalistic parents develop a mindset that defines God as harsh, punitive, and legalistic- a God to be feared more than loved.  Children raised by parents who are in control of the family, in love with their children, not afraid to express it, and willing to show their competence through careful use of their parental power and influence develop children who learn to trust God for their daily needs.

But What of children raised by power-less parents?  If we learn about God from our parents, what kind of God exists for the children of parents who are unwilling or unable to discipline and direct their children?”

Think of how you were raised as a child.  Now think of your initial, or current view of God based on the way you were raised.  Were your parents over-indulging, over-bearing, or did they discipline in love, setting clear, concise boundaries for “do’s and don’ts?”  I try not to over-think parenting…but I can’t help but remind myself every day, that the way I parent my children now, determines who they will become in the future.  We determine what sort of young people, and adults, our children will be.  That’s a pretty huge responsibility.