文章基本信息

标题：To my grandkids
作者：Hanson, Mark S
期刊名称：The Lutheran
印刷版ISSN：0024-743X
出版年度：2005
卷号：Sep 2005
出版社：Augsburg Fortress Publishers

To my grandkids

Hanson, Mark S

... as we celebrate youth and family

Dear Naomi and Kingston,

As I think of this issue's focus on youth and families, I want you to know you bring joy to our family. Kingston, you surprised us July 5-born five weeks early. Naomi, you celebrated your fifth baptismal anniversary Aug. 6. Only a few weeks old at baptism, you experienced what we adults sometimes forget, Naomi: Life is a precious gift from God nurtured with prayer, love and care from others. From your first breath, your very life depended on others because you were born without a connected esophagus. You experienced God's healing hand at 10 weeks when the surgeon stretched and connected your esophagus to your stomach. We thank God for your caregivers then and your mom's love.

Naomi, you love to help Grandma lone with her garden. You carefully plant seeds and water. At baptism the seeds of faith were planted in your life. They will grow as you worship and hear that God loves you and Jesus died and was raised for you and the whole world.

Naomi, as Kingston grows, teach him to stand in front of a mirror. Put your hand on your head; remember how water was poured over you in baptism. Watch yourself say, "I am baptized. I am chosen. I am a child of God. I belong to Jesus." Make the sign of the cross. Remember you belong to Jesus, every day is God's gift.

You both have strong, bright, beautiful and loving parents. They will teach you to be proud of your African American identity and comfort you when you experience hurtful words when others don't respect you.

Naomi, you were so excited to catch your first fish with your Aunt Elizabeth this summer. But you became sad when you thought the hook hurt the fish and did not want to fish anymore. I hope you and Kingston will always be gentle with God's creatures and the environment.

Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God" (Matthew 5:9). No matter how old we are, God still calls us God's children.

I cannot wait to see you again. The Bible says Jesus took children in his arms, blessed them and said, "For it is to such as these the kingdom of heaven belongs" ; (Matthew 19:13-14). That's you, Naomi and Kingston.

Grandma and I love you. We pray for you.

Love,

Grandpa Hanson