God’s Guide for Grandparents
God’s Guide
forGrandparents
Susan M. Erschen
OurSundayVisitor
www.osv.com Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division Our Sunday Visitor, Inc. Huntington, Indiana 46750
Scripture texts in this work are taken from the New American Bible, revised edition © 2010, 1991, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C., and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. — Libreria Editrice Vaticana. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright © 1997, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. — Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
Excerpts from the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults, copyright © 2006, United States Catholic Conference, Inc.—Libreria Editrice Vaticana
Quotations from papal and other Vatican-generated documents available on vatican.va are copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana.
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Copyright © 2017 by Susan M. Erschen. Published 2017.
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Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division
Our Sunday Visitor, Inc.
200 Noll Plaza
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ISBN: 978-1-68192-100-6 (Inventory No. T1835)
eISBN: 978-1-68192-152-5
LCCN: 2017947642
Cover design: Amanda Falk
Cover art: Shutterstock
Interior design: M. Urgo
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About the Author
Susan Erschen writes frequently on the spirituality of giving, gratitude, living simply, and spending time with God. Her articles have appeared in America, The Priest magazine, Our Sunday Visitor, St. Anthony Messenger, and Today’s Catholic Teacher. She is the former Director of Stewardship Education for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. She enjoys spending time with family and volunteering in her parish community.
For my dear grandchildren, with love always
Contents
Introduction
The front door opened at my sister’s house and the lilting voice of her daughter could be heard calling out, “Guess who’s coming to Grandma’s house?”
My sister just beamed as her daughter carried her three-week-old grandson into the room. “I just love that my house is now ‘Grandma’s House,’” my sister said. “Do you ever get tired of hearing that?” she asked me.
“No,” I smiled, “you never get tired of it.” Little fingerprints now appear mysteriously on all my windows and mirrors. A collection of sippy cups sits on a kitchen shelf that once held wine glasses. The front of my refrigerator is decorated with scribbled drawings. And my desk drawers are full of “I ♥ U Grandma” notes crafted in crayon. Yes, I am thrilled I now live in a place called, by some very dear children, “Grandma’s House.”
Being a
