Grandma is driving

Grandma is eighty-eight years old and still drives her own car. She writes:

Dear Grand-daughter,

The other day I went up to our local Christian book store and saw a
'Honk if you love Jesus' bumper sticker ..

I was feeling particularly sassy that day because I had just come from a
thrilling choir performance, followed by a thunderous prayer meeting.

So, I bought the sticker and put it on my bumper..

Boy, am I glad I did; what an uplifting experience that followed.

I was stopped at a red light at a busy intersection, just lost in
thought about the Lord and how good he is, and I didn't notice that the
light had changed.

It is a good thing someone else loves Jesus because if he hadn't
honked, I'd never have noticed.

I found that lots of people love Jesus!

While I was sitting there, the guy behind started honking like crazy,
and then he leaned out of his window and screamed, 'For the love of
God!'

'Go! Go! Go! Jesus Christ, GO!'

What an exuberant cheerleader he was for Jesus!

Everyone started honking!

I just leaned out my window and started waving and smiling at all those
loving people.

I even honked my horn a few times to share in the love!

There must have been a man from Florida back there because I heard him
yelling something about a sunny beach.

I saw another guy waving in a funny way with only his middle finger
stuck up in the air.

I asked my young teenage grandson in the back seat what that meant.

He said it was probably a Hawaiian good luck sign or something.

Well, I have never met anyone from Hawaii , so I leaned out the window
and gave him the good luck sign right back.

My grandson burst out laughing.

Why even he was enjoying this religious experience!!

A couple of the people were so caught up in the joy of the moment that
they got out of their cars and started walking towards me.

I bet they wanted to pray or ask what church I attended, but this is
when I noticed the light had changed.

So, grinning, I waved at all my brothers and sisters, and drove on
through the intersection.

I noticed that I was the only car that got through the intersection
before the light changed again and felt kind of sad that I had to leave
them after all the love we had shared.

So I slowed the car down, leaned out the window and gave them all the
Hawaiian good luck sign one last time as I drove away. Praise the Lord
for such wonderful folks!!

Will write again soon,

Love,

Grandma

Just hold my hand

Little girl and her father were crossing a bridge.

The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter,
‘Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don’t fall into the river.’

The little girl said, ‘No, Dad. You hold my hand.’

‘What’s the difference?’ Asked the puzzled father.

‘There’s a big difference,’ replied the little girl.

‘If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go.
But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go.’

In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond.

So hold the hand of the person who loves you rather than expecting them to hold yours…

This message is too short……but carries a lot of Feelings.

10 Simple Ways to Boost Kids' Self-Esteem

Self-confidence is important for all children. It's the foundation upon which they base their self-worth and decisions that will one day impact everything they do. As parents, we worry about instilling just the right amount of confidence in our kids so they'll grow up strong enough to resist peer pressure, yet humble enough that they're not cocky buttheads. It's a delicate balance, really. Here are 10 easy and effective ways to do that! - Lori Garcia


Show your pride

Take every opportunity to showcase your child's accomplishments. Whether it's artwork on the fridge or a trophy on a bookcase, allow your child to see how much their hard work and dedication matters. Dr. Sears recommends parents, "Discover [each accomplishment], encourage it, frame it, and display it."


Encourage your child's opinion

Your child's opinion - free from judgment - matters. Scholastic recommends involving your child in discussions about your household as well as current events. Confidence in sharing their opinion will encourage them to speak up for themselves and causes they believe in.


Improve your own self image

Our kids learn from example and if we're always down on ourselves, chances are they'll grow to mirror our negative behavior. According to Dr. Sears, "Children translate your unhappiness with yourself to mean unhappiness with them," and further suggests that older children feel responsible for their parents' happiness. Discover new ways to bring personal joy into your life and spread the happy!


Provide gentle nudging

Scholastic says that kids often need gentle nudging on tasks they're afraid of doing wrong. Patience and guidance go a long way in ensuring a child's success.


Give your child responsibilities

Ownership and pride go hand in hand. Dr. Sears says,"One of the main ways children develop self- confidence and internalize values is through helping maintain the family living area, inside and out. Giving children household duties helps them feel more valuable, besides channeling their energy into desirable behavior and teaching skills." Parents, make that list and get started!


Allow your child to problem solve

As parents, we're often too eager to solve our kids' problems. Scholastic recommends allowing our kids to practice problem solving outside of the school environment to better enable them to solve problems at school in the future. Facilitate problem solving discussions with your child and allow them to arrive at a solution.


Provide a sense of belonging

Your child holds an important place in your family, as well as your heart. According to WebMD, "A sense of belonging helps a child to participate in learning new things; learning makes a child feel confident in making contributions; making contributions helps secure a feeling of belonging. This cycle helps establish and strengthen a child's self-esteem." Take opportunities to remind your child of just how important they are to your family.


Encourage your child to try new things

Trying new things can be scary, especially for a child who fears doing things wrong. Scholastic reminds us that kids need to try all kinds of different things to build personal preferences and gain valuable experience. Encourage your child to try new things and support him when he does.


Watch those labels

Dr. Sears states, "Every child searches for an identity and, when found, clings to it like a trademark." So while your child may indeed be shy, asthmatic, or learning disabled, manage the condition and focus on creating esteem-building labels instead.


Praise effort

The most we can ever expect from our children is their personal best. According to Scholastic, kids who are complimented on their efforts are more likely to seek out challenging tasks.

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