Someone said, “Grandchildren are so wonderful, we wish we’d had them  first.”  Well, it doesn’t work that way, and children are wonderful  too!  The psalmist wrote: “Behold, children are a gift of the LORD;  the fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are  children of one’s youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them…”  (Psa. 127:3-5 NASB).   Then regarding grandchildren, Solomon  wrote: “Children’s children are a crown to the aged…” (Pr. 17:6  NIV).
We had the  opportunity to attend “Grandparent’s Day” at Santiam Christian School near  Albany, Oregon a week ago and spend the day with Alicia, our daughter’s younger  daughter. It was truly a wonderful day. Each class through 6th grade shares some  thoughts about grandparents and then sings several songs to them. At that point  we get to go to our grandchild’s classroom where they have prepared something  special for their grandparents. Alicia’s class had made placemats with Proverbs  17:6 printed on them. Then each of us traced a hand on construction paper to put  on the placemat and on each finger, Alicia put things about us that she  appreciated. We also traced her hand and did the same. These were glued to the  placemat which was then laminated for us to keep.
After  that Alicia was free to leave so we could take her to lunch at the  place of her choice–Arby’s. After lunch we had Alicia go with us to help pick  out gifts for an “Operation Christmas Child” shoebox, a program which our church  is participating in for Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse  organization. Alicia had the greatest time picking out items for a girl her age.
Next we went  home to change and took Alicia to a nearby tennis court to play tennis with her.  (We were fortunate to have a dry day, as it rained much of the time we were  there).
We also got to  go see Alicia play volleyball with her team as well as to watch our other  grandchildren in soccer, football and volleyball, and watch a volleyball match  of high school girls that our son coaches at North Clackamas Christian School in  Oregon City.  It was a busy, but great week enjoying the children and  grandchildren. Truly they are a “gift from God” and a “crown to the aged”!   We consider ourselves so blessed to have children and grandchildren who love the  Lord and are walking with Him. John wrote in his third epistle, “I have  no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth” (v.  4).  Amen!
And  speaking of grandchildren, I have a funeral service today for a lady (Edith  Pival)  who passed away last Wednesday at age 101. She was one of the  early members of Faith Bible Church which my father-in-law started here in  Libby. She had 7 children (five surviving) and has 21 surviving grandchildren,  35 great grandchildren, and 25, great-great grandchildren!!   Her  quiver was definitely overflowing!   She knew the Lord so it will be a  time of great rejoicing, but there will undoubtedly be some there who have not  received Christ, so pray with me that they too will trust Him for eternal  life.

Forever His,
The “aged”   grandpa, Pastor Dave