Meet the Grandchildren - Reflection by Canon Bob

'Feeding Time'

The other day a ‘Memory’ appeared on my Facebook page with pictures I had taken on a family holiday a little less than 3 years ago. There was Pauline and myself along with our daughter and son in law and son and daughter in law. There was a clue that things were about to change in our lives as you didn’t have to look too closely to see that our daughter was not far away from giving birth! However there is no way on earth that I could have  guessed how profound that change would be. Now by October (God willing) we will have four grandchildren all under the age of three!

Thankfully both families live reasonably locally and so we see them at least weekly and usually more often. My day off (now non negotiable) is spent helping (helping being the appropriate word) with childcare. It has been an enormous privilege to watch and touch new life making its way into the world. I have always had my problems with the doctrine of ‘Original Sin’ and these last few years have reinforced my doubts.

I have to confess that I have not always been as sympathetic as I might over the years when elderly parishoners have sought pastoral conversations concerning the wellbeing of grandchildren but I now know the error of my ways. The first few weeks of ‘lockdown’ were difficult for so many separated from loved ones and lots like us felt the pain of missing the company of little ones.

The arrival of the grandchildren has also made me more aware of a concern as to what kind of a world our generation is leaving for theirs. Initiatives concerning sustainability and global warming and carbon footprinting become evermore important not only because of a concern for all God’s creation but also for the love of one tiny beating heart.
 
Canon Bob

While you're here:
Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html.
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