Grandma Went Home

This is long overdue. About two months ago, my grandma died. I wanted to write this sooner, but it just wasn't a good time and I wanted to take a little time to think about this one. I feel fortunate to have had a grandparent for 32 years (actually 4 grandparents!). I think that's a pretty rare thing. She was diagnosed with ALS about two years ago and so we knew that it would take her pretty quickly at her age. It gave her plenty of time to say goodbye to everyone. I was thankful that her passing was not quick so that I could see her one last time.

The last time I saw her was about 6 months ago. J and I went up to visit her and Grandpa and show them pictures from our wedding since she was too sick to come. She had deteriorated quite a bit at this point and I knew it was probably the last time I was going to see her. As bad as her suffering was though, her spirit remained the same. She said she could go on because of all the people praying for her. She didn't care much to live anymore, but she meant that for every day she had left, she could endure the suffering because of other people's prayers for her. My grandma's greatest legacy to me was her example of love for the Lord. I don't think there was a single time I had a conversation with her that she didn't mention some amazing way that God answered prayer or provided for someone or even saved someone. She had a heart for the lost greater than anyone I know. She really loved people, even people who didn't like Christians, and some of those people became Christians because of it. Amen!

Her funeral was really a blessing. The gospel was presented probably 3 or 4 times. It didn't really surprise me to hear it so much for her funeral. I know that's the way she wanted it. There was some stuff I learned about her at the funeral that I never knew before. One, that her middle name was Ann, haha. The second was that she was depressed when she was a young mom. I thought it was amazing how much God had changed her over the years conforming her to the likeness of the Lord Jesus. It was really encouraging.

Grandma only had one prayer request about her illness. It wasn't that she would get better or that she would feel little discomfort or that she would die quickly. She only wanted to glorify God during her last trial. Isn't that awesome? I could tell she was excited to meet the Lord and my grandpa was happy for her, too. I can only hope to die as well as she did.

The Bible says that for the Christian, death is really going home. Our home is not on earth, but with the Lord. He has promised to prepare a place for us. There is hope in death that only the Lord Jesus can offer. Thank you, Grandma, for being a light to those in darkness. Thank you for being an example of love for the lost. Thank you for showing me how to die in a way that gives God glory. I'll miss your stories and your laugh, but we'll see each other again.