The Passing of a Beautiful Woman

My grandmother passed away last night. She was old, and she was sick, so it wasn't completely unexpected, but I thought I would have the opportunity to hug her and talk to her in person one more time. That's the case all too often, I'm afraid. We always think we'll have another chance to see someone. The truth is, we never know when the Lord will call us home. Better to err on the side of hugging and talking while we know we have the chance.

Grannie was a very loving woman. I have so many precious memories of her and my Grandaddy Pearson when I was young. Sometimes we went to their house for Sunday lunches, and she would always prepare a feast of homemade foods, many times from their vegetable garden. And there was always at least one yummy dessert. :) She could cook anything and make it delicious. There were three children in my family, and they had each of us over for sleepovers individually from time to time. I remember Grandaddy singing funny songs to me before bed and fixing ice cream cones for me. I remember Grannie teaching me how to crossstitch and sew. Having grown up during the depression, she learned how to sew and mend clothes and make things from scratch. She was very organized and practical. A very capable woman.

My Grandaddy died unexpectedly in 1997, not long after they celebrated 50 years of marriage. She was devastated, but kept on showing her love and care. When Allie was a baby and I cleaned houses to make extra money, she kept Allie at her house for me and made a delicious meal for me when I was done. After I went through a divorce and found myself a very busy single mother, she invited Allie and me over for weekly home cooked dinners at her house. I always left her house nourished, body and spirit. She offered simple wisdom that just made sense and brightened my way. When I would come to her with seemingly complicated, larger-than-life problems, she would simply say, "Have you prayed about it? Well then, the Bible says don't worry." :)

Tomorrow at her funeral I am going to share the passage from Matthew 6 that she often shared with me: "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?"

Grannie loved to study her Bible. She especially loved David Jeremiah and his teachings on the end times. I know she was looking for His glorious appearing and longing to go Home. I believe she is walking with Jesus right now. I can't wait to see her again!