My Gram

On March 18, 2015, my grandmother passed from this life right into the arms of her Savior.  My family always called this special lady "Gram."  This first picture was taken on her 100th birthday.  My brother, sisters, and I all live out of state -- so we sent Gram one of her favs...fresh flowers. 

So many memories flood my mind right now.  I remember:

1. a woman full of life
2. energy that wouldn't stop
3. a prayer warrior from which we could all learn
4. living right across the street from Gram my entire "growing up years"
5. a hearty laugh that could be heard from across the street on a warm summer night
6. Friday night ice cream & pretzels at Grams (with the cousins)
7. her playing her favorite hymns on the old piano by the front door
8. her returning home from the winter trips to Florida
9. cutting her grass and trimming the front hedges during my teens years
10. Gram playing her imaginary trumpet at any given moment (and requiring others to join in)
11. a faithful church attender
12. Gram quoting Isaiah 41:10 (and inserting my name in the verse) each time I visited as an adult
13. Christmas mornings
14. the beautiful baby blankets she made for each of our children (actually for all of her grandbabies and great-grandbabies)...and list could go on.  You probably have your own memories -- please consider sharing those memories with us all in the comments to this post.

This is the way I remember Gram; however, I know these are more my childhood memories.  These memories seem somehow closer in my mind than they are in time.  Gram lived to the young age of 102.  She enjoyed good health, energy, and freedom into her 90's!  My aunt had Gram's picture taken for her 90th birthday -- one of my favorite pictures, beautiful.  Gram enjoyed telling people her age and then watch their surprise and denial.  You see at 90 years old, Gram only had the beginnings of gray hair (and her "roots were untouched").  Then came the broken hips and arm...surgery around the age of 98...and then dementia.  Dementia is a devastating word when it attacks your loved one.  It robs them of the memories of past activities and regular events, people.  But then those closest to her become strangers...even her own children.  The dementia and her heart problems overwhelmed her and her children.  Gram was never put in a nursing home -- my mom and her siblings chose to care for her themselves...in her own home. Then yesterday morning she quietly passed into the arms of Jesus.

I can only begin to imagine the changes she has already come to know.  She now walks with no assistance or pain.  She communicates clearly and freely.  Her hearty laugh flows freely and Gram can now sing with the most amazing choir & voice -- giving praise to her God -- all done in the glories of heaven. 

The song writer put it this way:

"But just think of stepping on shore and finding it heaven

Of touching a hand and finding it God's

Of breathing new air and finding it celestial

Of waking up in glory and finding it home...finally home." 

I know Gram is in heaven -- not because her good works outweighed her bad works on the scale of life (although she had many good works).  Gram didn't live a perfect life.  She would be the first to tell you so.  I know my Gram is with Jesus because she trusted in Jesus Christ for forgiveness of sin and a home in heaven.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

John 3:16-18

 

This is not only what Gram told me she believed, but you can ask anyone who knew her (and she knew a lot of people -- "I have friends from Canada to Florida, you better believe it!"), she told us all.  Did you know my Gram or one of her 5 children, 18 grand-children, or over 40 great-grandchildren?  Celebrate her life with me today and tell someone about the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  I'll see you again Gram...in heaven.

 

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."  John 14:6