For Grandma's Service: December 13, 2019
Grandma Jo! What do you even say about the person who ignited a wildfire, not only in my soul but so many others? She will never know just how much of a blessing it was for me to grow up in the pew next to her. In these walls (St. Paul UMC) she was so much more than MY Grandma Jo, she was everyone's. Each Sunday she would take all of the children upstairs, gifting their parents a sermon free from parenting stress. The children were gifted so much more. For years that spanned more than I knew, Grandma was teaching the young people in this church how to be the church, know the Jesus, know scripture, and how to love like Jesus.
When I was my daughter's age. I couldn't wait to be big like my cousins so I could sit in those little pews. Once I got there, a fire started in my soul. To this day I crave to learn more, memorize more, sing louder, and care deeper. Club cracker & apple juice communion will always be sacred to me. Lighting the advent candles, songs with actions, memorizing verses, sharing joys & concerns, singing Go Tell it On the Mountain, not running in the church, and definitely NEVER wearing a hat in the building were all just the surface of what she taught us in those pews. I took those lessons and tucked them deep inside and that flame fueled a life in ministry for me and a life of loving and serving deeply for all of us.
Grandma like to give worry stones to people. A small rock with a cross that you can hold and rub while you say a prayer. Her life was never easy, but we never saw her worry, instead she prayed. Rocks are mentioned several times in the Bible. And like Peter was the rock the church was built on. Grandma was the rock this family was built on. And she made sure we knew that Christ was the only rock on which we would stand.
Matthew 7:24-25 "Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the flood waters rise and the winds beat against the house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock."
There are worry stones for each of you to take with you as you leave today. We hope they bring you peace and comfort like Grandma's hugs and remind you to turn to the rock eternal today, and everyday!
December 19, 2019
Grandma has been gone for a whole week. It has been the little things that have stopped me in my tracks the most. To think about the legacy this woman left is overwhelming. She is in everything, everywhere I go. Every part of my day has a piece of her in it. From the cross around my neck, the rock in my pocket, the plants in the office, the puzzle picture on the wall, to driving by her building, sharing her middle name, to the tears in my daughters eyes.
This morning out of no where on the way to town, Adah started crying. This has happened a lot in the past week. When I asked her what was wrong she said, "I miss Grandma! Why did she have to died?" I responded, "I miss her too, it was her turn to be called to Heaven to live with Jesus, remember she is happy now, she isn't in pain or sick anymore." Adah said "I know, but I can't hug her anymore. I have never been to Heaven." Through tears I said, "I know sweetheart, her hugs were the best, and we can't visit Heaven it doesn't work like that. Just remember she is with Jesus and Grandpa and she so very happy now!" "Look mom, an airplane!" And just like that we moved on to the excitement of airplanes in the sky, Baby Jesus in front of someone's house, and driving over the train tracks. She has moved on with her day at daycare and I was left stuck in the tears of loss. So, emotionally wounded I sit at my desk, inspired to finally write down my feelings, while listening to Casting Crowns and remembering all the good things.
Grandma Jo has left the most incredible legacy behind. She had 5 children, 15 grandchildren, and 19 great grandchildren. This doesn't include the spouses and all of the extras who are as much family as those who share her DNA. She instilled in all of us hard work, stubbornness, and loving and serving people. She loved Jesus with every ounce of who she was, even on her last night she was studying His word. Her knowledge and love that she shared so freely with us came from her own desire to know and love Him more. She was always interested in what I was learning in college, and then when I moved on to full time ministry she wanted to know what I was teaching. She made the trip to watch the first Christmas Program I led, and I was so humbled trying to fill her shoes. I used her creepy Baby Jesus, and was offended when my youth called it that! Grandma went with me to college, to camp, to Hesston, to Derby, and back to camp. This week I have wanted nothing more than to wear her Moomoo, eat waffles, play farkel, and give her a hug.
Instead I find myself marveling at how much she resembled her name sake in the Bible, Naomi. A widow at a young age, with a rough rode ahead of her, she could have stayed in a world of bitterness, and allowed the world to know her as Mara, but instead she focused on love and raised her five children, worked harder than anyone I know to make sure they never needed anything. She loved each one of her grandchildren as if they were the only one. We each have our own stories of her and they are all so beautiful. She was the most blessed great grandma as she welcomed each one into the family and loved them fiercely. These past few years have been really hard on her health, she battled leukemia and won and a lot people in her life didn't even know, because she didn't dwell on it. Her stubbornness carried her through a house fire, broken arm, and a UTI all this year. And then when she was feeling better than she had in a long time, sound mind, and content heart, she went to sleep in this life and woke up in the life eternal. She finally celebrated an anniversary with Grandpa after 42 years apart. And I imagine her in awe of the God of all her days as she is surrounded by perfect peace.
I know I will continue to be stopped in my tracks, the tears will fall, and my almost four year old will continue to ask why she can't have a Grandma Jo hug, but I can't stay here in this grief. Because I am a part of her legacy. I am part of what she left behind. And her dream for all of us was to love and know her Jesus. She wanted us to be on fire for him, serve him, turn to him, and most importantly know him like she did.
He is the God of all My Days, and I want the world to know me like they knew her, for Loving My Jesus!
We love you and miss you Grandma! Thank you for making us your legacy! <3
