My Grandma's Legacy

Today is a hard day, but a day where I am rejoicing in the fact that God's promises are true. Today, I lost my Grandma. A woman who I have admired since I was a little girl. A woman who taught me what it means to love deeply, to follow Christ faithfully and to be joyful in all circumstances.
My Grandma has left behind a legacy that is inspiring and a life well lived. Her patience, love, compassion, grace and gentle spirit are all characteristics that I desire to emulate in my own life.
I am saddened by the fact that I will not be able to see her again on this earth, but can find peace in the fact that I know she is face to face with her Savior. And I am certain that when she met the Lord, He said to her, "Well done, my good and faithful servant".
I was blessed to have a Grandma who invested in my life. Even though we never lived in the same town, she always knew what was going on in my life and her investment was a beautiful gift. She was always quick to say "I love you" and "Grandpa and I are praying for you". Those are words that I will treasure for the rest of my life and will hopefully one day be able to say to my own grandchildren.
My love of cooking and baking goes back to the many hours I spent in the kitchen with my Grandma. She taught me how to bake in the most patient and loving way. She would lead me through a recipe and patiently let me add the ingredients, even if it meant I dropped an egg on the carpeted kitchen floor of my childhood home (I mean, who puts carpet in the kitchen anyway :). But a mess was never a big deal, she would gently say, "Oh, honey girl, that's OK.", clean it up and we would continue on. She was not only a wonderful cook, but a gracious and welcoming hostess. Her home was always warm and welcoming, the kind of place where a kid feels safe, comfortable and loved. I am blessed to have so many wonderful memories of my Grandma's home and the love that filled those walls.
There are many things that I will never forget about my Grandma and my memories are what will inspire me to live up to her legacy. Not only was she gentle, humble, kind and compassionate, she was strong, a fighter and filled with joy during the hardest of times. My Grandma fought hard for the last five years of her life, but during all of her health issues, she had a smile on her face and faith in her heart. She was a ray of sunshine each time she walked into dialysis and for those of us who were blessed to know her, we know that her smile, strength and joy came from her deep rooted faith in our Creator. A faith that she was not shy to talk about, to tell others about and to teach her children and grandchildren about. A faith that set the course for future generations and a faith that will continue to be passed on long after her time on this earth. A faith that inspires me and challenges me to live like Christ.
There are so many things I will miss about my Grandma, our chats on the phone, cooking together, baking together, hearing her say "Oh you guys", lunch on the pontoon boat, shopping and coffee in Thief River, playing farkle, her biscuits and gravy, her warm hugs and sitting around her kitchen table just catching up on life. I always knew that she loved me, she was proud of me and that she was praying for me. If I have but one hope, it's that I can be half of the wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend that my Grandma was. I love you Grandma and I am so thankful that you are free from pain and worshiping our God face to face!