Chatecisms, Corn dogs, and Cookies: Marmee’s Memories

Last updated on: November 21, 2016 at 8:44 pm by Brenda Renee Coats

Chatecisms, Corn dogs, and Cookies: Marmee’s Memories 2016-11-21T20:44:00-07:00 Brenda Renee Coats

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

When I was a little tyke, I would sit with my Grandpa in church and play with his thumb because it had a funny looking wart on the side. Also because I was bored, but that’s beside the point. I don’t have a thumb wart. But a few weeks ago in church, Jack sat with me and played with my pinky ring that his Poppy gave me for Christmas last year. And I thought how fortunate I am to continue the tradition. Not of wart picking or ring wringing, but of going to God’s house every Sunday and learning of Christ, and how to love Christ and others as Christ does. Jack seemed bored, just as I was as a kid. But you never know what is or isn’t sinking in. Kids pick up more than they put on.

There was a picture of a cross on the overhead as we prayed for the persecuted church. Jack seemed taken with it, so he found a cross (the letter T) on his worksheet and traced it. He showed it to me, pointed at the cross on the screen, then back to the T. He smiled. I smiled. I have no idea what he thinks the cross means at this young juncture in his life. But I know he’s thinking, I know his parents are teaching. And his Marmee is praying for clarity of mind, acceptance in his heart, and a desire to pass the love of Christ on to his own kids and grandkids.

My pinky ring? The setting is itty bitty diamonds shaped in a figure 8. It’s path is unending. I hope that for our faith. That it will be unending and God will continue it in our family — not just through Jack, but through Auggie Fynn, Everlee, and Todd. I watch them all and think It’ll take a miracle! And it will. But that miracle has already taken place. It’s called the birth, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Trusting Him to do the ultimate work of salvation is hard. When I babysit, I’m always anxiously thinking So you wanna accept Jesus today?

How ’bout now?

Now?

NOW!?

No? Okay, I’ll check back in an hour.

In reality, I just pray and interject Sunday School lessons and sum up catechisms as I have opportunity. For example, when one grandkid bonks another grandkid on the head, I just say “Hey, you just bonked God’s good creation on the head. What do you think God thinks about that?” What else can a Marmee do besides point them to God, pray, and feed them corn dogs and cookies?

I love this calling in my life called grandparenting, but it’s hard, unending work. I’m thankful the spiritual growth of my grandkids is not all up to me. The work I do is important, but Christ’s work is most important, and He is sovereign over the ultimate work of justification, sanctification, and glorification. I rest in that … most of the time. Sometimes I give myself a gut ache or a migraine worrying about how little stony hearts will ever be made fleshy. But I force myself to put the breaks on destructive worry warting. I work. He works. Without Him, nothing will be accomplished. With Him, all things are possible.

It’s as simple – and difficult – as that.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 17, 2016

Where I'm At With Writing

Next Post

December 6, 2016 Pain, You Will Not Stop Me: Thoughts On Depression and Anxiety

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 May 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who dreamed of a ladder reaching to heaven?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Joseph Simeon Isaac Jacob