Unapologetically a GRANDMOTHER!

Grandmother duty drew me in two mornings this week. Little did I know that in addition, I would adopt a grandson, Timothy, or that I would choose Logan.

Loren and I jumped up Thursday morning to attack the morning’s traffic, arriving on time for the two oldest grandsons’ school Awards Program. They just completed the 7th and 8th grade. Just watching those two boys get up and down a multitude of times to walk across the stage receiving award certificates made me dizzy. They received 17 academic and extra curricula award certificates and a trophy for the highest GPA for their class. After the fact, I was totally worn out. I leaned over and asked the 7th grader if he was perspiring from all the activity. He laughed. Yet, when I think of all the work required to rack up such a pile of trophies and commendations, it boggles my mind. They have invested hours and hours in school work and it shows.

Friday morning we repeated the process for the middle two grandsons. We’re not exactly on the dawn wake-up plan, so thankfully their program started later, enabling me to sleep an extra 30 minutes. Just after we arrived, the flood of young children poured into the auditorium. Our first grade grandson panned the audience, and then scurried to sit between us. A fellow classmate named Timothy plopped down beside me, and eagerly told me that he had neither a mother nor grandmother there. I told him I would adopt him and he could sit by me. He smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

As our first grader received a few awards, he held them tightly, hardly allowing us to look at them. After he received several more, he gave them to me, and I started a little pile on the floor. From this point on, with each award received he would come back to his seat and quickly deposit his treasure in the pile. Timothy even got into the act. He had received two awards and was almost to his seat, when his name was called again. He quickly threw out his arm and hand with an award to me, without a word indicating to place it in his pile of awards. By the end of the program my first grade grandson had deposited so many awards in his pile that I could no longer keep them neat. At the end of the program, the trophies were awarded to the top students overall. That’s right; he received a trophy for the highest GPA in his class of 27. When it was time for him to go back to his class, he insisted that he would need to take the trophy with him. He was happy, however, for me to keep the pile of awards. I heard him ask as he walked back to class, “What is GPA anyway?”

Finally, our last Awards Program. Grandson #4 in the fifth grade received his own pile of awards. So many in fact that the whole roll of students sitting in front of us kept turning around to look at him each time a new subject was introduced and before any names were called. It was as if they were preparing him to get up, and to tell us that another award was coming his way. It got sort of funny. One boy was so focused on my grandson that he scarcely heard his own name called. When computer awards came up with no award, I leaned over to ask, and he told me that he didn’t like computer. It’s Spanish this time. I looked at him and he repeated that he didn’t like Spanish either. I found out later from his mother that in the two subjects he didn’t like, he came in 2nd and 3rd from the top, and the difference was by a hair. By the end, he received the trophy for the highest GPA in his class. Loren told me that it was a good thing he wasn’t using film in his camera (it’s digital); it would’ve been an expensive two days.

As I pondered all three of these award programs, I had observed many children, some with one or two awards, some with a multitude, and some with none (and it’s my understanding that due to time constraints, character awards had been given in their respective classes, so everyone got some awards). However, my spirit was lifted by one child . . . . . . Logan. Yes, that’s right. LOGAN. I’ve seen Logan many times in many different school programs. It’s hard to miss Logan. You see Logan had cerebral palsy. He manages by himself, using a walker, crawling up the steps until he can pull himself up to walk, or sometimes simply slowly walking. He always finds his way in the program, whether managing his singing spot or maneuvering a walk across the stage to receive an award. What an incredible blessing that four of my grandsons get to go to school with Logan.

I love the writings of Isobel Kuhn, a missionary to China in the 1930’s and 40’s, and later to Thailand. In her book, “In The Arena” she says that God puts us on a platform to witness to the world of Jesus, and that our trials whether large or small are designed for this reason. I’m reminded of the bible school song, “This Little Light of Mine”. We are HIS light to the world, which shines even brighter through trials. Logan always rises above the crowd. He shines, not because of his walker or that he crawls or slowly walks. But, wow, what a smile! His effervescence radiates light and joy to the whole room.

Don’t get me wrong. I am extremely proud of all of my grandsons, and these four have proved that hard work brings success. In addition, in another state the youngest of all six graduated from kindergarten, and his brother completed first grade. I am proud of all of them. They are all growing and learning so much so fast. I am a proud grandmother indeed. But, in conclusion, my desire for all of them, and me too is to shine like Logan.

"Please Lord, I choose Logan, would you make us all just like Logan inside, please.”

“It seems to me that God has put us who bear His Message on stage in a theater in which no one wants to buy a ticket. We’re something everyone stands around and stares at, like an accident in the street.”
I Corinthians 4:9, The Message Bible