A Life Worth Remembering

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.  She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.  She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children [and grandchildren] arise and call her blessed…Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate” Proverbs 31:25-31.

It would have been enough just to call her Grandmother but she was so much more.   Grandmothers are made up of loving tenderness, sustaining wisdom with a layer of special ingredients created through life’s experiences.  Our grandmother was no different.  Memories of butter cookies on each finger, vanilla ice cream and glitter on her ceiling are just a few of the millions of memories shared between four little girls and their grandmother.

She followed us from giggles and grins to wedding marches and hospital nurseries.  She was the constant spiritual force who gave us the gift that never stopped giving – prayer.  Even before our births she was praying for each of us.  Throughout our childhood she was praying without ceasing.  She taught us not only to petition God for things in our life but to praise Him in advance for being faithful in His provisions.  She ferociously believed God was orchestrating every detail in all situations.  When we became women and came to her with our fears or broken dreams she confidently took our hand and boldly approached the throne of God on our behalf.    At some point in our lives during these intercessory prayers she slipped out of the throne room leaving us with confidence to speak to God ourselves.  Her prayers always had authority through the name of Jesus and we knew that God was hearing her on our behalf.  Through watching her we learned to look for the Spirit, to live in the Spirit and to walk in the Spirit.

To four little girls she was someone who epitomized the essence of a grandmother.  As children we were unaware of the spiritual warrior for which she served for others.  We were happy just to call her our grandmother, the loving woman who filled our stomachs with the best southern cooking around and who accepted and loved us for who we were individually.  But she was so much more than a grandmother.  She was the constant spiritual anchor in our lives as different storms arose and taught each of us that all that she had with her Father was available and afforded to each of us.  As we matured and grew up it became very clear to us as young women that we were surrounded by one of God’s special creations.  As I reflect on this amazing daughter of God I am comforted in knowing that the peace and spiritual optimism that she lived out can be mine and yours.  The invitation is for all!