Grandma Redwood

"Isn't Grandma too old to be teaching Sunday school?" Payton asked one day. "I mean, she's almost seventy!"Mom laughed. "No, she's not too old at all! Her first graders are crazy about her. And she tells me she's learning and growing just as much as the kids are." Payton's eyebrows raised a little. He clearly was not convinced.Some weeks later, Payton and his family were enjoying a vacation in the redwood and sequoia forests in California where they saw majestic old trees. "These trees grew from a seed so tiny that it takes more than twelve of them to completely cover a penny," a guide told them. "They are the tallest and oldest living things on earth. Some of these trees were probably already a thousand years old when Jesus was born.""Wow! What makes them live so long?" asked Payton."The bark of these trees is sometimes two feet thick," the guide answered. "That helps them resist attacks from forest fires, insects, and diseases. And they're still growing. They grow very slowly, but they never stop growing as long as they live.""Old, but still growing," Mom said softly to Payton. "Just like Grandma." Payton grinned. "Well, she's not quite this tall, and she hasn't had her thousandth birthday yet."Mom smiled as they walked along the path. "God put life into a tiny seed that let it grow up to be a monarch of the forest, and God is also working in Grandma's life. Ever since she put her trust in Jesus as a child, God has made that seed of faith in her heart grow and change her into a strong, mature Christian.""Well, the thick bark on these trees protects them while they grow," said Payton. "What protected Grandma?""The unfailing love of God," Mom replied. "Jesus is always with us when we face temptation, disappointment, and sorrow. He also puts other Christians in our lives who demonstrate His love and care for us and help us learn more about Him.""And now, even though Grandma's getting old, she's still growing and teaching others about Jesus," Payton said. "Maybe I'll call her Grandma Redwood!" –Trudy VanderVeen