"A Child's Heart, a Child's Words"
／Grace C. Chu
One evening I took my six year old granddaughter to bed. I knelt with her by the bed and prayed aloud together then tucked her in; I continued my prayer in silence on my knees. Afterwards, Joanne said, "Grandma, how come you make no sound when you prayed?" While I was contemplating an appropriate answer that is comprehensible to a child so young in age, she suddenly stopped me and said with both hands gesturing steps rising towards the sky (in mixed Chinese and English as she often does), "I know, I know! Your heart is pumping, as it pumps, the words of your heart go pumping, pumping, pumping up, up, up, up to the heaven above. And Jesus who is in heaven hears, right?" Oh God, through the mouth of children You speak to us the mysteries of life, so that we may comprehend Your love.
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Joanne, holding my rough and wrinkled hand said to me, "Grandma, your hand is so ugly!" I told her it's because of grandma's old age. I mentioned this to her mother Jung Wang. Jung Wang said to her, "When Grandpa was still alive, he used to talk about grandma's soft and smooth hands when she was young. When Joanne was small grandma did many things for you, don't you remember? Grandma still does many things for you now. Grandma's hands are full of love, do you know?" After this I would tease Joanne saying, "Look, grandam's hand are so ugly." She would then hold my hands and kiss them repeatedly saying, "No, no, they are full of love." Oh Lord, thank You, for letting her little heart come to know the preciousness of love.
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To prevent the holes in my ear lopes from closing in, I have been wearing my tiny diamond earrings day and night without removing them. Joanne noticed it. One day she said to me, "Grandma, your earrings are so beautiful, like twinkle, twinkle little stars." I said, "Do you like them? One day when grandma is gone, you can have them, how about that?" Upon hearing this, looking straight at me, she said very seriously, "You mean when you go to Jesus' place?" "Yes," I said. Without a moment of hesitation, she said to me, "Oh no, grandma, I rather have you because I love you. Earrings are not important," and gave me a big kiss on my cheek. I too held her tightly. My heart was deeply moved and I said to the Lord, "Dear Lord, thank You for giving Joanne love in her heart."
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Several days ago, while I was reading, Joanne came and asked me, "Grandma, when are you going to die?" I said I don't know when Jesus will take me back. She then said, "I don't want you die. I want you live many many years, because I love you very much." I was deeply touched and held her tight in my bosom. She then added, "If one day you died, you will be invisible. You will slowly fly to the heaven above to where Jesus is." Then she added, "You cannot take anything with you." She pointed at the Bible on my desk, "Not even your Bible. Because Jesus will give you everything you want in heaven."
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Every morning I take my grandchildren Jeffrey and Joanne to the bus top. While waiting for the school bus one day, Joanne suddenly said to me, "Grandma, can you ride with us to our school today?" I ask her why, she said, "Our Sunday School teacher told us to"share love with each other."Grandma, I love you, I want to share my grandma with friends in the class." So deeply moved by that, I said to God, "Lord, I thank You, for cultivating in little Joanne the desire to share with others that which she loves."
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During Thanksgiving, the second grade teacher of my seven year old granddaughter Joanne wanted the students to write down the things for which they wish to give thanks. This is what Joanne wrote:
My grandma is 75 years old, she is thankful for her good health, she is grateful to God.
My brother Jeffrey is thanking for his head-his good hearing, speaking, sight, breathing and eating.
My mom is thankful for a happy family and two nice kids.
My dad is thankful for his good works at Hughes. I am thankful for the good food that my mom cooks for me.
The whole family is thankful for God's blessing.
