The road of life is full of bumps. Some of them are interesting and fun. Others are frustrating or irritating. And still others, though we get over them well enough if we've got the right vehicle, can bring sorrow.
My Grandma, my dad's mom, AKA Grandma the Great, passed away last Friday. She was an amazing lady who lived a life in service to God and people. She raised five boys, out-lived two husbands, and had (I think) SIXTEEN grandchildren and TWENTY-TWO great-grandchildren. Almost all of them made it to Minnesota for the funeral this week.
I could go on and on about my Grandma, but I'll just post a few interesting things about her.
She had a great sense of humor. When we were kids, Grandma always told us she was 26 whenever we'd ask her age. I learned later that it was because she got married on her 26th birthday, so after that she stopped having birthdays and only had anniversaries.
She was generous. Her husband was a minister and she went with him across the country, supporting his ministry. She also worked in soup kitchens. Grandma blessed people with her hands by sewing quilts, crocheting pillows, and spending all year working on hand-sewn toys for her granchildren (I still have my ballerina mouse, Felix the Cat, mouse family, the quilt she made for me when I got married, and two baby quilts too).
She was faithful. Grandma gave her heart to Jesus when she was 7 years old and served him faithfully until her very last moment. She always made it known how much she loved the Lord, and she was always there for her family when they needed her.
She loved holding babies and walking through the woods. She inspired me to learn to sew and can my own jams and tomatoes. She was a fun, happy person that rarely complained, laughed often and gave good hugs. I am thankful that she was a part of my life for so long (she lived to be 93) and that my children knew her too.
She will be missed.
Ah, my thoughts are with you during this time. She sounds like a wonderful lady.
ReplyDeleteWow Becky, she sounds like an amazing woman who lived a full life. I love that part about being 26. How sweet!
ReplyDeleteThanks, ladies!
ReplyDeleteOh, wow.. she lived to see 22 great-grandchildren. Amazing. She does sound like an incredible person!
ReplyDeleteWow - you were blessed with a wonderful Grandma. And we've been blessed to hear a bit about her. What a fantastic lady!
ReplyDeleteAmazing, isn't it-- the loss... and still I'm almost jealous you had yours longer.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother died at 87 two years ago. I've still got the hole, but the ache is mostly gone-- as long as I don't dwell much on the "new" reality. As now, while I look for words.
Loss is head-spinning with its finality. Even though we (in our minds) know this isn't "forever," it seems forever-enough to hurt like blazes sometimes.
Here are the poems that I collected as (and just after) she left. They were very meaningful to me; especially the bit from Perfection Wasted.
I don't know you well enough to know what you would find comforting, but if you search "Grandma" on my blog you'll find a variety of posts that include her, and show how much a a role she played in my life.
I'm very sorry for your loss, and sorry to have had to "meet" you at such a challenging time.