My Grandma and Me

Last week I said goodbye to a very special lady.  My Grandma was the epitome of the Proverbs 31 woman.  It is no surprise to me that the minister who spoke at her funeral referenced the chapter several times.  I had already planned to do so in this article.

My Grandma was more precious than rubies (Proverbs 31:10).  “When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness” (Proverbs 31:26).  There was no one more kind and gentle than my Grandma.  Well, she was gentle until she passed out her famous “horsey bites” to us grandkids, giggling all the while! 🙂

My Grandma never raised her voice, yet she had a way of calming even the most hyper child.  My brother had a severe case of ADHD. It was so bad that he was “asked to leave” the private school we were enrolled in.  It seemed no one knew how to handle him, except my Grandma.  She would sit down and speak to him in a soft voice.  It was so quiet it was almost whispering.  She’d ask him to sit in her lap.  She would tell him how special he was.  She would tell him how much she loved him.  She would tell him how proud she was of him.  It was like a magic spell.  He would sink into her lap and turn into a sweet loveable child.  It wasn’t just my brother who she made feel special.  Everyone she met felt like they were her favorite. 

My Grandmother was a hard worker (Proverbs 31:17).  Like the Proverbs woman, my Grandma was a gardener and a gifted seamstress.  She would work day and night to help make ends meet.  She never sat idly.  If she sat to watch TV with us she brought her handiwork or peeled and prepped vegetables for her vegetable soup. 

My Grandmother was extremely frugal.  We would try to give her practical gifts such as Tupperware but she would insist we return it.  She felt her recycled cottage cheese containers worked just fine.  The last time she was able to fix my children something to eat she served them mandarin oranges (one of their favorites) in a lid from a Dairy Queen sundae. 

My Grandma was exceptionally generous.  If you complimented something in her house she would wrap it up and send it home with you.  You could not visit her without her trying to feed you.  She was an excellent cook so this was generally appreciated.  A gentleman shared last week that she supported him financially on many mission trips.

I am truly blessed to have had such a virtuous woman in my life.  My Grandmother loved the Lord with all her heart, soul and mind (Matthew 22:37).  She taught me to pray.  She taught me to be modest.  She taught me a few hymns.  But what I am most grateful for she did not teach with words.  I am most grateful for the example of her life.  Her life was full of the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (Galatians 5:22).  My Grandmother never preached from a pulpit.  She didn’t travel the world as a missionary.  My Grandmother lived a humble life spreading the love of Christ mostly from her home.  How grateful I am for such an example of God’s love.

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