In Memory: Grandma

My Grandma Veta passed away on Wednesday.  To say it was unexpected would be untrue, but who is ever ready for the phone call telling you a loved one has passed away?

My Grandma was one of the greatest prayer warriors I have ever known.  She was up early every morning praying and studying the Word.  She and her last husband, Jerry, had a large world map above her kitchen table and would spend time every day praying over those who lived all over that map.  They taught Sunday School classes until they couldn't anymore, and faithfully took their weekly Sunday School lesson to shut-ins and nursing homes all over Lawton.  She prayed faithfully for her children, her grandchildren, her great-grandchildren, and I am sure she even had the opportunity to praise Father for the new great-great-grandchild she met a few days before she went home to Heaven.

What I remember most about my Grandma Veta was that she was always fun and full of life. Her house was full of suprises and treasures and lots of fun things for a child to do.  Her car always had butterscotch candy in it and it was such a treat to indulge in Grandma's car.

 One of my earliest memories of my Grandma was as a five- year-old, when my tonsils were removed.  She stayed with me during the day while my mom taught school, and together we made miles and miles of paper chain.  I thought it was the coolest thing! She was always creating and making something beautiful.  Her home in Ardmore had a craft room, where she was always working on creations and would let me go in and paint at times.  She taught me how to cross-stitch and sew, not that it took, but I have the knowledge.   When my brother, Ryan, was born she brought me a gift of a beautiful waterfall project that would take me years to work on.....in fact, she finally finished it for me when I was in high school because it just sat year after year, unfinished.   When we moved out of the house I had grown up in,  she gave me a beautiful painting of my childhood home, that she had made just for me.  Grandma always had time for us, played with us, fed us, and even played video games with us. Her best was Atari River Raft, where she would contort her face, arms, legs, and anything else just to win!  I remember some summers with my cousins at her house and we had such fun mowing with her, being outside with her, climbing down into the scary cellar, and fishing in her pond.  Of course the countless games I played of Skip-Bo with cousins, brothers, uncles, aunts and my own children will never be forgotten, nor her simple way of saying, "your time" when my turn finally came around.

More then the fond memories I am so grateful for the Godly heritage she has passed on to me, our families, and those who knew her and loved her.  From the time I began to understand the fruits of the Spirit, I knew several in tangible ways, from the life of my Grandma.  I had seen her gift of mercy time and again as she cared for ailing relatives, children who needed her, and numerous people in her church and community.  She also displayed the gift of service, always willing to do more than was asked of her, working and serving those around her, never seeking the spotlight, never seeking accolades.  And her quiet gift of encouragement, her letter writing.  I know my brothers and I all have long letters we have received at times in our lives that are beatifully written and express love and encouragement from our Grandma.  I am sure my mom, her brothers, and my cousins all have similar letters as well, for this was who my Grandma was.

I once heard someone talk about how it is necessary to at times "get your hands dirty" in peoples lives as they walk through difficulties.  Grandma Veta was never afraid to do this, and for this example in front of me I will always be grateful. 

Grandma, you will be missed. I pray I can follow in your footsteps considering others as more important than myself, and loving Jesus until the day I go Home.