Dear Penelope

Penelope is my granddaughter. She hasn't been born yet, but I think about her a lot. Because I'm not sure which of my kids will have my first granddaughter, or grandson if that's the case, I've decided to name her myself. I've just always liked the name Penelope. 


I also love the name Clementine but I'm not naming her after a fruit. I digress...


Sometimes, when I'm really irritated with one of my kids, I write letters to Penelope. I write them on paper and in my head, and they go like this:


"Dear Penelope, your mother will tell you that she never disrespected HER mother but I tell you that girl's eyeballs are gonna fall out from all that rolling around."


"Dear Penelope, today your father told me that school was stupid and he would NEVER make his kids do anything they didn't want to do."

"Dear Penelope, your mother insists that cleanliness is not relevant and it doesn't matter if dirty underwear is lying on the floor."

Penelope, my precious child, please come to grandma if your parents ever give you a hard time about the boring and necessary things of life. It's gonna be so much fun watching your dad try to make you brush your teeth after I have filled you up with candy!

Because after all, NO ONE CARES about cavities or the money it takes to fix them.

A famous quote by Dean Inge says: "The proper time to influence the character of a child is about a hundred years before he is born."

I love my granddaughter already and have such high hopes for her future. I pray she will love God, live a vibrant life and be whatever it is He's made her to be, but it all starts with me.

It all starts right now.

"Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever."  Psalm 112: