Our lawn is usually immaculate and never because of me. Grandpa is a master of making it green and lush and dandelion-free. And I’m told that’s a good thing. No really, it is a good thing and I enjoy the results of his labor. But I still love dandelions.

Dandelions begin their lives tucked away, emerge into sunny bursts of potential, and transform into irresistible puffballs of seeds that float away to begin the process all over again. And what kid can pass by a dandelion puff without stopping to rid the stem of it’s seeds? I mean, what’s not to love!

We grandparents are in the puffball stage. It’s cliché, I know. And it’s not a commentary on our puffy years – though the struggle is real! It’s a commentary on our purpose. We’ve lived lives of excitement, change, beauty, celebration, struggle, and pain. And now is our time to transform into irresistible puffballs, with the purpose of planting seeds that begin the process all over again…passing along the wisdom and joy God’s given us, to the people we love most. It’s our time to embrace the future without fear by embracing our purpose, knowing that the future is in God’s hands. Our family is in His hands.

So, that’s it. The Laughing Grandma logo is a visual reminder that we grandparents are called by God to plant seeds of wisdom and joy in the hearts of our family, and to face the future without fear. (Proverbs 31:25)

God’s original calling to puffballs

The Israelites, who were held captive in Egypt for generations, were now free from captivity and bound for the Promised Land. Throughout their journey, from captivity to freedom, they witnessed God’s power and miracles over and over and over again: the plagues (Exodus 7-11), the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14), the pillar of cloud by day and pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13), being fed by manna (Exodus 16), seeing the earth opened and swallow those who showed contempt for the Lord (Numbers 16)…and the list goes on.

When I read the Old Testament accounts of these miracles, I can’t imagine how anyone who saw such things could ever doubt God or neglect to share what they saw. But they did. The human memory is short and we are prone to become discontent as soon as our circumstances get uncomfortable. We’re quick to forget the good stuff and how blessed we really are. So, as the Israelites near their destination and continue to struggle with attitudes of discontentment and doubt, Moses gives this command in Deuteronomy 11:

  • Remember today that your children were not the ones who saw and experienced the discipline of the Lord your God: his majesty, his mighty hand, his outstretched arm; the signs he performed and the things he did….But it was your own eyes that saw all these great things the Lord has done. (vs. 2-7)
  • Observe therefore all the commands I am giving you today….Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (vs. 8, 19-20)

Though I didn’t witness the parting of the Red Sea and haven’t eaten manna, God has been faithful. He is faithful. As moms and grandmas, we can relate to highs of worship and the lows of discontentment that the Israelites experienced. Still, they were God’s children. He loved them and he called them to be faithful. We are God’s children. He loves us and calls us to share our stories of his faithfulness (old and new, shiny and messy) with our kids and grandkids. It’s our responsibility to pass along seeds of faith, to nurture them, and to celebrate their growth.

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