Thank you for continuing to come back each day in Advent. As we consider “A Legacy of Faith,” we are reviewing different relationships that have influenced our faith. We’ve looked at mothers and fathers, but not all families are uncomplicated these days. Today we’ll look at the way stepparents can also touch our lives.
When I was in my 30’s, my biological mother died. It was a difficult time for my father. He seemed to age about ten years during those first few months. Then a year later, he married again. Andy, the woman we all came to call Grandy, became our stepmother. The first time we met, she was very nervous. Imagine how one feels meeting the parents of your intended. Then multiply that feeling by three or four as you meet, not the parents, but your fiancé’s adult children! Grandy was a “grand” addition to our family.
Though my father died some years ago, Grandy remains a wonderful influence in my life. She is now 95 years old and struggles with Parkinson’s, yet she is still teaching me: She shows me how to age gracefully and accept ever increasing physical limitations. Though she no longer leaves her apartment, Grandy continues to serve the Lord by caring for our extended family and by phoning a blind friend daily to read scripture to her.
In Isaiah 46:3,4, the Lord tells us, “Listen to me…I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime, until your hair is white with age.”
Has an older adult stepped into your life to encourage you? Perhaps that person is alone this Christmas season and now needs a word of encouragement. Why not give them a call today? Remind them that they are not forgotten by God…or by you.
