“Let It Go, Let Go, Let It Go”

By Dr. James L. Snyder

This year I celebrate my 20th year as a practicing grandfather. I am not sure that after 20 years I know anything more about being a grandfather than I did before. I have not found any books written on how to be a grandfather, maybe I should write one. I have enjoyed those 20 years and it just seems to be getting better.

One of the interesting things about a grandfather is spending time with the grandchildren, especially when they are trying to watch a movie.

I enjoy a movie every now and again, but when it comes to little girls, they do not seem to have the same taste in movies as their grandfather. This is something I will never understand. What is a grandfather to do? The only way to get them to sit still and be quiet is to show one of their movies.

One of the movies so important to little girls these days is the movie called Frozen. As it happened, we had to have a special night set aside to watch this movie with the granddaughters. I figured, how hard could it really be?

I consented on this movie because I thought this would give those tired, overworked little gray cells upstairs a chance to relax and not work so hard. After all, how can you think when you are watching something like a movie for children?

I also thought it would be nice to rest my body as well as my eyes, if I can get away with it. After all, who wants to follow the plot, if there is any such thing, in a children’s movie.

We had settled down to watch this exciting little girl’s movie, I was half dozing and then I began to think about the manuscript I was working on. I had been having trouble with a certain aspect of that manuscript and as I sat there, I begin to think about how I could fix that problem. It almost came to me, but then I heard, “Grandpa, grandpa, grandpa look at that, look at that!”

The cheering granddaughters brought me back to the land of the living and the reality as they were watching it. Both of them at the same time begin to explain to me what it happened and what was going to happen. Between the two little chatterboxes, I had no idea what they were talking about. What is a grandfather to do but smile broadly and pretend you are listening. After all, they are only little once.

They soon quieted down and were fixated on the screen watching the movie unfold. I sighed a deep sigh of relief and went back into my previous stupor. I try to follow the movie, but then I remembered that in the afternoon I had to write a column for my newspapers. As of yet, I did not have an idea what that column would be. I like to start with the title and then following that develop a story line. As yet, I did not have an acceptable column title. As I mused about this, thoughts were beginning to gel and that little light bulb began to flicker. Thoughts were beginning to come into place, and then I heard some loud screaming and clapping and two little girls were jumping up and down singing, “Let it go, let it go, let it go.”

I sat up in my chair, looking around trying to figure out what in the world they were trying to let go. It is at this point that grandmothers are no help to grandfathers. Grandmothers can say, “You girls watch the movie with grandpa while I make supper.”

Personally, I do not think it is fair. I would like to make supper one night while grandma joins the little girls watching a movie. The problem is, nobody would eat the supper that I would prepare, not even Yours Truly.

What these little girls were all excited about was something I was trying to figure out. It did not make any sense to me, but as I watched the little grandchildren, they were excited, laughing, shouting and singing. Of course, it is hard to tell the difference between shouting and singing, especially in today’s musical world. They were absolutely enjoying themselves and I tried to focus in on the source of their enjoyment.

“Grandpa,” both of them yelled at me in absolute delight, “sing the song with us.”

What grandpa’s go through while entertaining their grandchildren.

I made a deal with them at that time, “I will sing with you, but I certainly will not dance with you.” A grandfather has to draw the line somewhere. And so, I joined in singing, “Let it go, let it go, let it go.” I got those words down pretty good, but the rest of the song was a mysterious blank to me. They were excited about singing it and soon I was excited about watching them sing it.

That evening when the little ones were snuggled into bed, I remember what David said. “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalms 30:5).

In the Hebrew, so they tell me, the word “joy,” also means singing. My faith in Jesus Christ has brought me to a wonderful place where I can sing, “Let it go, let it go, let it go.”

Rev. James L. Snyder is pastor of the Family of God Fellowship, PO Box 831313, Ocala, FL 34483. He lives with his wife, Martha, in Silver Springs Shores. Call him at 1-866-552-2543 or e-mail jamessnyder2@att.net or website www.jamessnyderministries.com.