In a few short days my Houston grands and my hometown grands will all be here under “Keggie and Pops” roof, which means all kinds of prep work is under way. Last week I asked the oldest Houston grand to list any of his favorite candies or snacks he likes me to have for Christmas and “Horned Toads” were at the top of Grant’s list! So, of course, Horned Toads now have their own sticky note on my desk. I’ll include the recipe for this peanut butter goodness at the bottom of this post for anyone interested!

Rockstar grandmothers know the advance work is worth it for the joy of the gatherings to come. We also know the importance of treasuring the moments once the lovely chaos begins! I remember a particular Christmas when one of my grands brought that lesson home to this Keggie in the sweetest of ways.

The holiday was over. My daughter and her husband were trekking in and out of our house as they loaded up their vehicle for the day long trip back to their home in Houston. It’s always an emotional moment for your happy hostess, and this day was no exception.

Five-year-old Connor Maher, the second to last member of The Fabulous Five grands, had his arms around my neck in a bear hug that was going on, and on, and on. Nothing out of the ordinary there, either. Connor is and always has been a lover. It was the weight of his next words that turned a beautiful moment into what will be a lasting memory.

With his arms still wound tightly around my neck, Connor leaned back so he could look in my eyes with his big expressive brown ones. “Keggie,” he said, solemnly. “I’m storing up lots of Keggie in my heart so I will have it in Texas.”

And that would be when I melted into a ginormous puddle. I’ve thought a lot about Connor’s words since that day. I’ve thought about how it moved me to realize my five-year-old grandson knew already knew a day was coming when I would seem oh, so far away—  and he was planning for it.

It reminds me of how I feel when the Presence of the Lord is so strong in a worship service, or during a Bible study moment or intimate prayer time.

While I want it to last forever, experience tells me it won’t. Of course, the difference in the two stories is obvious. I’m not always physically near to Connor, but God is always present in our lives, even when we don’t sense His Presence. And yet, much like Connor, I’ve learned that we can plan for those times when He feels far away by memorizing Scripture that tells of His love for all His children and His special attentiveness to those who put their trust in Him. God’s words are a lifeline. Let’s store them today so we can draw on them tomorrow.