Thursday, January 05, 2012

The Life Unexpected: Lessons from My Grandmother


My grandmother recently died. The funeral was held on New Year's Eve. Next to my own mother, she was one of the most influential women in my life. This is the legacy she has left for me:

Love everyone. Everyone was her favorite. I always thought I was one of her favorite grandchildren, but I have no doubt every single one of us have felt the same way.

Always have something kind to say. Grandma could find something positive to say about everyone and every situation. Like my own mother, rarely did anything cross about anyone come out of her mouth.

Always look and act like a lady.
Even at the age of 90+ grandma always did her hair and makeup, even if she wasn't leaving the house.

Always have a cookie or a bowl of ice-cream on hand. Everything feels like it will be okay after a spoonfull of sugar. And it will taste better if it comes out of a large, strawberry-shaped cookie jar.

Love the Lord and He will help you rise from the ashes. My grandmother isn't my real grandmother. My dad's mom died when my mother was pregnant with me, and my grandpa married my Grandma Charlene when I was a small child. She had a hard first marriage and hard life, but then she found my grandfather and together they loved her six children, his six children, and all of us grandchildren; went on four missions together, and never passed an opporutnity to share their testimonies.

FOR me, my grandmother was an example of faith - and much blessing after much tribulation. TO me, she was a powerful example of how to gracefully live the unexpected life.


3 comments:

Missy said...

Love that. She sounds like a wonderful woman who lived a great life.

Reece and Caitlin said...

Grandma was amazing! Loved this post

Katrina said...

That is a post all of grandma's grandchildren should read. I bet they would agree 100%. charlene was the best and did love everyone!