With a failing body and losing the freedom to do all she once could, my beautiful, green-eyed Grandma is ready to meet Jesus face to face. Before she goes, I want to share some of the lessons from my grandma.
My grandma is quite the character! Strong and stubborn, with grit- courage, resolve, and strength of character, she’s a force to be reckoned with. The Scrabble master and crossword Queen, she loves to play games but hates to lose. She’s a faithful fan of Jeopardy, Elvis, and her family, and has a knack for storytelling that provokes deep belly laughs.
Before she goes, I want my grandma to know how grateful I am for the lessons she’s taught me. I want her to know how much she’s loved. And before she goes, I want her to know how much I’ll miss her.
A Virtuous Woman
I haven’t had a lot of formal Bible study with my grandma. She doesn’t quote chapter and verse or tell me Bible stories, but she’s a virtuous woman who teaches me about the Lord and what it means to walk with him.
My Grandma is
a prayer warrior! She is faithful to pray over the needs of the family, the church, the lost, and the world. One of my favorite things about visiting with Grandma is having her pray over me and with me for others. It just blesses my heart.
Lessons from my Grandma
Live intentionally! Plan ahead and prepare your loved ones for life without you. We all know that death is inevitable, so live as if every day were your last.
Psalm 90:12 ~ So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Let people know you’re glad to see them! A warm welcome or kind greeting to a visitor at church could mean more than you know. My Grandma identifies with the woman at the well in John chapter 4. She lived a colorful life and insecurities plagued her.
When she finally gave in and accepted a neighbor’s invitation to church she was certain they’d ask her to leave. To her surprise, the town banker talked to her and welcomed her in.
She couldn’t believe that people who knew about her reputation actually wanted her there. That one act of acceptance led to her putting her faith in Jesus Christ. Her life was changed forever because one person decided that she was worthy of acknowledgement.
LAUGH
Laughter is good medicine! I can go to Grandma’s with the weight of the world on my shoulders and leave feeling refreshed and revived. She brings me so much joy.
Proverbs 17:22~ A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
LOOK
Look people in the eyes! She was a nurse who always looked at patients in the eyes. She said “Their eyes will tell you the truth more than their words. Look in their eyes and grab their hand. See them, feel them.” By doing that you make a personal connection, but can also gauge their physical health. It’s the same with someone’s spiritual health. Their eyes tell on their soul.
LIVE
Live confident of your eternal home! Grandma knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that she belongs to Jesus. With that confidence, she has peace, joy, hope, and eternity to look forward to. No matter how bad things get, glory is in her future!
Romans 8:18 ~ For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Live loved! Grandma lived a shameful life for most of her years. Her choices brought pain, heartache, and brokenness to her family. She’s received forgiveness from the Lord and is transformed by his grace and mercy.
Because of Jesus, she is no longer bound by that shame. She is forgiven and loved, and lives like it! She said, “Jesus spoils me, and I like it!!”
Live authentically! Grandma is as real as it gets. She doesn’t put on airs or pretend to be anything she’s not. She’s spunky and sassy and sometimes speaks before she thinks.
Her spirit is refreshing and I’m proud to be her granddaughter. She helps me to remember to just be myself and not care so much about the opinions of others.
Live by faith! She shares with me her stories of answered prayers and God sightings. That encourages me to continue to trust God for my every need and live as if my prayers were already answered.
2 Corinthians 5:7~ For we walk by faith, not by sight.
LET
Let go of bitterness and unforgiveness! There were so many people in my Grandma’s life who inflicted pain and withheld love from her. She had a lot of resentment. After she got saved she turned those people and issues over to the Lord. In letting it go there is freedom and lightness.
Let your people know you love them! I always hear “I love you girl!”. And she signs our cards with “I love you, but God loves you more!”. Growing up in a home where she felt unloved led her to be searching for acceptance and affection in all the wrong places. Until she met Jesus and the longing of her heart was filled. That love from the Lord spills over to her people.
One day closer to Jesus
Grandma and I are a lot alike in our sin struggles and in our strengths. My past doesn’t look a whole lot different from hers, so I get her and she gets me. We’re both redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and long to see him face to face.
We have one major difference though, in that she’s ready to go now, but I don’t want to let her go. She’s shouting “one day closer to Jesus!” and I’m praying “Lord don’t take her yet!'”
My beautiful, green-eyed grandma is dying, but her spirit lives on in the memories we’ve made and the stories we’ll share of her life and investment in ours.
Before she goes I hope these words bless her heart as much as she has blessed mine. And I hope these lessons from my grandma have blessed you as well!
New Resource Library
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Pray With Confidence
If you would like to grow in your prayer life, then check out Pray with Confidence. It’s a website for helping women overcome prayer obstacles, and I am one of the 30 monthly contributors. Here are a few links I think will be a blessing to you:
3 Short Prayers for Spiritual Stability
2 Things to Remember to Find Peace in Chaos
19 Bible Verses that Reveal the Will of God
15 Bible Verses About Rest When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed
You also want to check out the prayer resources, Bible verses, and tough questions tabs. There are many great options to boost your spiritual growth!
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Thanks for sharing honestly about your grandma. It’s important to spend time with loved ones. Something I don’t do enough. I’m glad you can take certain lessons from all of this and also share them with others. I’m also glad you can take comfort in the fact that she is someone who loves Jesus and has that relationship with him that will continue into eternity.
I’m sorry to know your Grandma is leaving this world, but I am so glad she knows Jesus! So much comfort in that. And it seems she has left quite the legacy for Jesus. A life well lived!
There’s definitely comfort in knowing she’s going to spend eternity with Jesus and I’ll see her again someday! Thank you for your kind words, you’re a blessing. 🙂
Well that brought a sea of tears! Looks to me like you captured Grandma Peg to a T. I’m printing this out for her to read. I know she’ll love it……after all it is now one of “her stories”! Love you sweet one! May God grant us both lots more time with her before He decides to take her home…….
Amen! Love you too! 😊