My Grandmother passed away March 23rd in the morning.
It was expected, and prayed for by some of us.
She was suffering.
Going home to be with family for the service was great and awful. Those of us who are united in Christ shared our joys about her life and tried to cope with the bickering around us by comforting one another and smiling sincere encouragement across the room.
It was one of the hardest weeks of my life.
How do you continue to love in the midst of hate that is fueled by covetous desire and unbounded jealousy?
I don't really know. I try not to speak too much, and I pray a lot.
I used to try to make it all right, but that is too far beyond my control.
There were many brief moments of boundless joy - listening to the choir sing at Broken Arrow's St. Benedict Parish where we attended Mass Sunday morning. They sang "Come to the Water" and I just cried and cried. It was as if the angels were singing to me from above.
I sang the first verse of "Amazing Grace" at the graveside service. I wasn't sure I would be able, but just like at Papa's funeral, the Holy Spirit filled me and sang for me. It was amazing! The kids joined in on verse two and it became magical and wonderful.
I think my favorite moment was walking into the tent and seeing some of Grandma's sorority sisters standing across the back of the tent. There were a number of them there and since she's been ill for so long they haven't seen her in more than ten years (she's been in Tulsa receiving her care).
But there they were and my heart leaped for joy when I saw them. The remembered me and generously reminded me of their names and I recognized them in turn as they said it.
That made the service perfect as I knew Grama was in Heaven watching and smiling. She loved these women and they loved her; I was so glad they came.
As for the bickering family? I'm exhausted by them, yet I love them. I wonder if they find me so exhausting as well? I hope not.
It is good to be home and to relish the peace and routine of daily life.
To Grama; I recently blogged about your tea towels (see post). I will probably never stop telling the world how wonderful you were while here and how you influenced my life giving me joy and confidence. I will miss you like I have for the last ten years, but knowing you are in Heaven gives me a calm that I didn't have before. My prayers are for Christ to embrace you and receive you wholly unto Himself. I hope you will pray for us here from Heaven.
I love you.
It was expected, and prayed for by some of us.
She was suffering.
Going home to be with family for the service was great and awful. Those of us who are united in Christ shared our joys about her life and tried to cope with the bickering around us by comforting one another and smiling sincere encouragement across the room.
It was one of the hardest weeks of my life.
How do you continue to love in the midst of hate that is fueled by covetous desire and unbounded jealousy?
I don't really know. I try not to speak too much, and I pray a lot.
I used to try to make it all right, but that is too far beyond my control.
There were many brief moments of boundless joy - listening to the choir sing at Broken Arrow's St. Benedict Parish where we attended Mass Sunday morning. They sang "Come to the Water" and I just cried and cried. It was as if the angels were singing to me from above.
I sang the first verse of "Amazing Grace" at the graveside service. I wasn't sure I would be able, but just like at Papa's funeral, the Holy Spirit filled me and sang for me. It was amazing! The kids joined in on verse two and it became magical and wonderful.
I think my favorite moment was walking into the tent and seeing some of Grandma's sorority sisters standing across the back of the tent. There were a number of them there and since she's been ill for so long they haven't seen her in more than ten years (she's been in Tulsa receiving her care).
But there they were and my heart leaped for joy when I saw them. The remembered me and generously reminded me of their names and I recognized them in turn as they said it.
That made the service perfect as I knew Grama was in Heaven watching and smiling. She loved these women and they loved her; I was so glad they came.
As for the bickering family? I'm exhausted by them, yet I love them. I wonder if they find me so exhausting as well? I hope not.
It is good to be home and to relish the peace and routine of daily life.
To Grama; I recently blogged about your tea towels (see post). I will probably never stop telling the world how wonderful you were while here and how you influenced my life giving me joy and confidence. I will miss you like I have for the last ten years, but knowing you are in Heaven gives me a calm that I didn't have before. My prayers are for Christ to embrace you and receive you wholly unto Himself. I hope you will pray for us here from Heaven.
I love you.
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