Psalm 4:7 – You have put gladness in my heart more than when their grain and wine abound.
Psalm 103:17 – But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children.

There are literally hundreds of books around our house. There are so many that we will not read them all in our lifetime, yet sometimes I scan the titles and I am somehow transported to thoughts and recollections that uplift and teach. One such title is "Reasons to be Glad."

I recalled the morning our only (as yet) grandchild was born. It was August of 1995 and my wife had spent several hours with our daughter as part of the delivery team. When she came to advise the rest of us her face was positively glowing in marvel at the miracle. Thirty minutes later I was gazing into the face of that tiny baby, just barely seeing him through my tears of gladness – a kind of overwhelming joy, different than when my three children were born.

God has arranged us in families and that allows all of us the opportunity to bestow balance to our children as they have their children. The magic is that we can receive grandchildren with pure joy and without that sense of concern that comes from many sources and for many reasons with which we receive our own children. We are able to give our children a perspective that offsets concerns about parenting abilities and the negative nurturing of the world.

I believe that God, as parent of us all, rejoices in much the same way and for much the same reason when a child is born.

Prayer: Creator God, I thank you that you have arranged us in families. It is my prayer that parents and grandparents receive the gift of children with joy and gladness in their hearts and that those children will see You in those who raise them. Amen.

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