2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
I never had a conversation with my paternal grandma. Mummo, as her grandchildren called her, came from Finland with her family and settled in Fitchburg, Massachusetts when my father was 12 years old in April of 1958. The rest of the family learned English in school and by watching television, but Mummo never had much of a need for English so she never learned. The church she attended just a quarter of a mile from home, Messiah Lutheran Church, had a large community of Finnish members. She worked as a custodian at a local YMCA which didn't require much interaction with others. Since Mummo never drove, any time she needed to go run errands or visit a doctor, one of her children was always with her. My father was often the one that helped her with errands as we lived close by.
I never had a conversation with my paternal grandpa either, but for a different reason: he passed away four months before I was born.
But as much as I was around Mummo, I picked up on very few Finnish words.
I can remember gatherings at Christmas time. Then adults were in a flurry of conversation in a language I did not understand but my sister, cousins, and I were content to play together while communicating English rather than pay much attention to the adults.
I can remember one Christmas in particular when Mummo handed me a Christmas card. The cover was gold with sparkly gold Christmas ornaments.
Below is a similar card, but not quite the one as I remember it:
The words on the front said "To my love". Inside was a flirty Christmas note to a significant other. Underneath, was Mummo's shaky signature. I smiled and with a chuckle, showed my sister what Mummo had given me.
As I recently recalled this memory, now having tried to learn a foreign language myself, I can imagine the struggle Mummo must have faced. She didn't even have Google translate to help her! No wonder she saw a pretty card and gave it to her granddaughter without even asking herself if the words were appropriate or not.
Aren't you glad that when you open up the Bible, the message is just as relevant for you today as it was for those thousands of years ago? You don't have to open it up while wondering, "is this really written for me?" Yes! It's God's love letter to us. You can open it, read it, study it and learn from it knowing God has something in it for you, not just for a certain person or a certain group of people.
Just pick it up in confidence, knowing it's for you too!
Unlike certain Christmas cards...
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