Grandma’s Hair Was Violet

I love to think about my grandma. She was a wonderful woman who laughed a lot. One of the visual things I loved about her was her hair…it was violet-colored or purple to be exact!

Back in the days when hair color was just evolving, those with gray hair didn’t have much choice about color except a rinse that kept their gray hair from turning yellow. So my Grandma used this purple rinse every so often that turned her hair a wonderful shade of violet. I loved it. Especially when she would wear a violet-colored dress to church and violet smelling cologne, it was a sight and smell to behold! What a memory!

Some of my friends are Grandmas and they are giving me lasting memories, too. One of them is not taking grandma-hood lying down. She wears bright, colorful clothes that are teal and pink. She runs in marathons, swims, exercises daily at a gym, water skis, and works 12-hour days as a nurse. She’s amazing! She’s expecting to retire next January and I don’t think she’s going to like it. She’ll either have to get a part-time job or stay on the treadmill for a longer amount of time just to get her energy out!

So how are your grandkids going to remember you? Are you taking them out for special lunches or picnics and playing silly games? Are you hiding their PJs in the freezer when they come to spend the night? Is there a silly voice you do only for them? Are you teaching them to play funny instruments like Boom Whackers? Those kinds of fun things stick in a kid’s head long after you’re gone.

The part I’m taking seriously in my grandmother-hood is making sure my grandkids know I love the Lord with all my heart and seek to serve Him daily. They see me reading my Bible at the kitchen table with my devotional book. We do devotions together at night before we go to sleep. They see another Bible by my bed that I read if I wake up in the night and can’t sleep, and they hear Christian music when they come to visit me. We turn off the TV sometimes and just talk. Now there’s a new idea! I don’t allow iPods or MP3 players turned on in the car so we can talk there, too or maybe even sing! It’s amazing how much scenery they miss and what conversation lapses with ear buds stuck in their heads.

You are their grandparent! God placed you in their lives for a specific purpose. Make it count for Christ and meet their needs! Have fun, be silly and one more thing…love their socks off!