A grandma powerfully touches a child’s life. Some bring hope, others pain. But God ALWAYS uses a grandma’s life to show us his deep love.

The grandma I met gave me my middle name, Ann. She smelled like Ivory. Her skin softer than Charmin. Her eyes blue like mine.

She scooped vanilla ice cream in tall glasses and poured over root beer. Wide-eyed, I watched the froth become white lava and nearly spill over the side. A treasure of sticky, sweet memories.

I loved her.

The grandma I never met gave me my first name, Lucy. She died before I was born. Complications after a surgery.

Sad to say, I had nasty memories of her. When my mom and her sister still wore diapers, my grandma drank lye. A suicide attempt. A neighbor found her. The little girls lived in an orphanage for a year or two with a gaggle of doting nuns.

Where was the dad (my grandpa)? He hit the road during the Great Depression and never returned. When grandma took back her girls, she found comfort in booze and my mom raised her. Her painful memories became mine.

It took me years to see the blessing from the-grandma-I-never-met. Her blessing to me: Jesus. My mom had searched for Jesus and his love all her life then she let him hold her and speak tender words to her heart. She forgave her mom. Me too.

How powerful is the grandma?

As powerful as root beer floats and forgiveness. “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13).

Woohoo! YOU ARE INVITED!

Sweet sisters, “The American Grandma” Kay Swatkowski is my special guest on my online radio talk show. Please listen Tuesday at 2 p.m. Eastern. This godly woman shares heart-felt stories of her own grandma and powerful love for grandkids everywhere in these uncertain times. Can’t listen live? Listen to the archived show.

Be encouraged. Stand firm. Hold onto hope

Q4U: What favorite treat did your grandma share with you? Please take a second and leave a few words in “Comments.” 🙂

Bunches of blessings,