Just Like You, GanMamma!

(Actress Phyllis Brooks 1914-1995)

Last Saturday our little 3-year-old granddaughter spent the day with us. We had a really good day together visiting for the bus route at church, eating lunch at our favorite fast food place, buying groceries together and then singing "Over the river and through the woods, To Grandmother's house we go" on the way home! Our old white dog Duke joyfully met her at the door of the car. They love "singing" with each other. Actually Duke's half of the duet sounds suspiciously like a howl but we call it singing anyway!

The rest of the afternoon was spent inside since it was so cold and wet outdoors. SHE stayed busy as always! Knowing right where to find my red apple-shaped kitchen timer SHE retrieved it and started the race game with GranDaddy. SHE takes the timer and while twisting it forward says, "On your mark....Set...GO!!!!!" At the start of the word go, SHE twists it all the way back so the buzzer goes off. She lays it down quick on the lamp table and takes off running and screaming to the kitchen to make a lap around the table and back into the living room before GranDaddy can do the same. Somehow he always manages to lag behind just enough so that GanMamma (that's ME!) can always announce HER as the winner! As soon as she wins she always grabs the timer and says, "One more time!" Always! No matter how out of breath everyone (GranDaddy!) is!

By the time we finished our supper SHE was beginning to tire of all the running and playing and needed to slow the pace a little. We got out the play dough and a Shirley Temple movie. SHE was sitting in a chair with her play dough spread on a TV table in front of her while we watched the movie. I pulled my chair up close to hers in order to make the things she was asking for from the play dough....."Make a flower"...."Make a present"....."Make SpongeBob". I didn't really think she was actually paying much attention to the movie until one of the co-stars stepped up to a mike and started to sing. (See photo at top) SHE stopped what SHE was doing and said, "Look! Like you GanMamma! Just like you!" I stared. The woman was young and beautiful....and she could sing.....none of those things were even similar to me! I thought maybe I had misunderstood HER. But then she got out of her chair and walked over close to the TV. She put out her little hand toward the woman on the screen and then looked back at me. "See her hair GanMamma? It's so beeootiful....just like yours!" I felt tears come to my eyes! I tell you truly....those were some of the sweetest words I have ever heard!

Later I got to thinking about it. Maybe when SHE sees me she does see beauty. Now, I know that I'm not young and beautiful like the movie star in the Shirley Temple movie....I can see that when I look in the mirror. But maybe....just maybe....I am beautiful in HER eyes. And hopefully in the eyes of all those I love. I thought of a song that our daughter and I sang together many years ago. It said something like..."When He sees me, He sees the blood of the Lamb. He sees me as worthy, and not as I am. He views me in garments as white as the snow. For the Lamb of God is worthy and He washed me this I know." Because the Lord Jesus Christ has clothed me in His garments of righteousness, when God looks at me He says..."Look! Just like Jesus!" That's because although I'm not in my glorified body yet and I still have a sin nature, I have been justified by grace and in God's eyes I'm just like Jesus...Just As If I'd Never Sinned!

Titus 3: 7 "That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

I pray that you,too, can say that when He sees you, He sees the blood of the Lamb!

Marilyn