I am sitting on a plane on my way to Dallas trying to formulate memories of my sweet grandmother into words I can read today. I am having a very hard time; this is a hard thing to do. Not because I don’t have memories, the fact is I have too many memories and too many words to describe the woman she was to me. All the words that I am coming up with seem way too simple, way too concise, to describe the magnitude of her life and her effect on me. Simply put: words can’t do her justice. When I think back on my childhood, all the special memories that come to mind include her. She is there in my mind and heart for every single one of them. I can’t just pick one, it is impossible. She was a very present, a very constant, and a very special part of my life from day one. For that I will be forever blessed, forever grateful, and forever changed.
1Corinithians 13: 4 says, “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant. If anyone embodies this verse, it is my grandmother. She was the kindest, the sweetest, the gentlest, the most encouraging, and the most humble person I know. She loved well. She loved her Lord well. She loved her husband well. She loved her family well. She loved her co-workers well. She loved her church well. She loved her 5th grade Sunday School girls well. She loved me well. Her love and the way she showed love is one to emulate. She was truly inspiring.
Not only did she love me well, she was an extremely fun grandma. Weeks spent with her in the Summer were not complete without her amazing cooking. Her Chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, gravy on the side, and banana pudding will always be my favorite meal of all time. Many have tried to replicate this, but it is never the same. She also loved to shop, and every single trip we took to the mall ended with me getting a whole new outfit complete with shoes and accessories. These shopping trips lasted way into my teen years and I would always look forward to wearing my “Mee-maw” outfits. She loved all things girly, and would paint my nails in an array of bright pink colors and would let me put on her lipstick at an age I think was probably a little too early. My favorite books were her favorite books. My favorite movies were her favorite movies, and every time I see The Sound of Music, Anne of Green Gables, and Singing in the Rain, I am instantly transported back to her TV room curled up next to her, watching our favorite movies under a fluffy blanket, and drinking a Dr. Pepper float with Blue Bell ice cream, with Paw Paw snoring next to us on his chair.
When my mom called me with the news last week, the very first emotion I felt was Joy. Pure Joy. Joy that she is in the arms of our Savior Jesus Christ. Joy that she was with my grandfather again. Joy that she was of full mind. Joy that she was truly home.
