Every Sunday night, unless I am gone or my grandpa is, we talk on the phone for 2-4 hours. I always enjoy our conversations b/c we play catch up w/each others week and we usually always talk about something we “learned” during the week, or something we “wonder”…Like I “wonder” why I am so stubborn lol, not really but just share a thought or thoughts etc…

Well last night my grandpa really made me think and I guess really see what my “minds” perspective is…This was his question, “when you pray what image does your mind paint about God as you pray?” My response was, “WHAT?” …. and then I just began to think b/c HONESTLY I didn’t really ever think about my mind painting an image as I prayed. I finally said, “well God in heaven sitting and listening, or if I need comfort I picture Him reaching down w/His hands to wrap them around me, or one hand peeking down and me reaching up for it.” He said that is pretty much the same response I have gotten over the past week as I asked others that same question.

He then continued to explain why he asked. He said he was watching a commercial and he said he believes it was an environmental commercial that had nothing to do w/God, but the words spoke to Him, “You need to get in touch w/the God inside you”…..He then asked me, “How much would your perspective of God change Brandi, if instead of allowing your mind to paint the “far away” picture of God, you paint the REAL location of God, HE LIVES WITHIN YOU…Whhhooooaaaa, EXACTLY RIGHT grandpa….Most of us say, the Holy Spirit lives w/in us but a lot of how we pray and what our mind paints, is God far away from us….So, my goal this week, is to not allow my mind to paint the far away image but to paint the image of Him w/me and see what changes are going to take place…

It opened up many other thoughts etc. that maybe I will share at a later time but I just really found it to be interesting…… how even our mind is deceiving us when we really don’t think it is….much luv……I’m……….out!

My Dad wasn’t around and my Mom did a great job of playing both roles, but I would spend the summers at Grandma and Grandpa’s and Grandpa was like a father to me.  Grandpa was (probably still is) a baseball fanatic.  He’s a die hard Cardinals fan, so naturally, I had to be a die hard Cubs fan.  He coached little league and I played on his team.  There isn’t a whole lot I remember about childhood.  I mean specifics as I remember places, houses, etc., but I vividly remember baseball practices and playing catch every day with my Grandpa.  I remember getting hits and looking over at him on the bench, seeing him clap and smile.  It was never spoken, but I imagine I received a little preferential treatment on those teams .  I remember pitching one night in what they called “major league.”  That’s between little league and the babe ruth league.  I was mowin em down man….I can’t even remember whether we won or lost, but I remember that the games were 6 innings long and I had a shutout through 5.  I remember my arm being so tired at the beginning of the last inning and I recall walking the first 3 batters.  I just gave Grandpa a look, I guess, that said, “I just can’t do it.”  Grandpa came out to the mound, took the ball, and as I was about to cry and walk away, he grabbed my arm and said, “regardless of what the scoreboard says at the end, you won this game.”

Isn’t it funny what we remember?  I couldn’t have been more than 10 years old, but I remember that like it happened a few minutes ago.  Wow, I miss that man.  Ya know what, I’m gonna call him.  I may be a million miles away, but just to hear him would be great.

Is your Grandpa still around?  How long has it been since you spoke to him?  Maybe it’s your Grandma, an Aunt, or maybe for some of you, your Mom or Dad.  Give em a call today and tell them how much you love them.  It may be just what they need.