*My sweet grandma turned 88 this month. She spends her days in the nursing home here in town.
She waits.
She waits for the Lord to bring her home.
For years she told me that she would leave this earth *at the age of 86.
Her recent birthday will mark the two year anniversary of her miscalculation.
I think she wonders what God’s plan is for keeping her here so long.
Something I don’t understand myself.
But, I’m selfish. I’m happy I still get to see her.
She’s in pain most days and know that when Jesus calls her home, she will have the strength she cannot find on this earth.
She will be reuinited with her son, that died before his time.
She will get to hold the love of her life, my grandfather, who passed over 20 years ago.
A good man, who I think about often and miss very much.
But a birthday is to be celebrated! No matter if we understand the unexpected year freely given or not!
She has lived a full life and I cannot count the number of reasons I praise God for her every day.
She’s my grandma. She’s part of me. She’s the reason I am the things that I love about myself.
When I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she replied without hesitation.
“Pizza and salad!”
“Oh, and I want some crystal hair clips, too.”
Hmmm…ok.
Pizza and hair clips it is then!
The week before her birthday my sister and I went to visit her. As we were walking down the hall to her room, we talked about how we just didn’t understand why God was keeping her around. We just can’t understand her staying on this earth in pain and sitting in her chair all day, every day. As we entered her room, we woke her gently shaking her arm. She looked up and said, “You want to know why God is keeping me around? He’ll tell you why in Psalm 92.”
It was hard to keep my composure. The timing was divine and I had chills from head to toe with the thought that God is so amazing and loving that He would be willing to answer my questions so personally and amazingly. We came home and immediaitely looked up the passage. It’s a beautiful song of praise that ends with this verse.
They will still bear fruit in old age,
they will stay fresh and green,
proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;
he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him. ” Psaml 92:14-15
Amen, Grandma!
Happy birthday!
Praise God, His plans are not my own. (Isaiah 55:8)
*The links back to old posts about my grandmother have missing pictures. I’m sorry about that! If you’d like to read more about her, she’s amazing and just look past the ridiculous image issue I had with Blogger last year. One of these days, I will try to re-upload some of them.
Get your post ready for #BTSBash that begins Monday! Link up ANY posts that relate to back-to-school and get ready to win some fabulous prizes from our awesome sponsors!! To see the full list of giveaways and link up requirements go HERE!
Latest posts by Adrienne (see all)
- 25 Things I Love About Homeschool - May 21, 2013
- #GoingGreen Link Up-Recycle Old Posts! - May 19, 2013
- The Ugliest Smoothie - May 16, 2013
- Mother’s Day Round Up: Link Your Posts! - May 13, 2013
- Mommy Worries: Then and Now - May 6, 2013
Twitter: MommaKnows
says:
Wow this brought tears to my eyes. I work in a nursing home on weekends, evening shift. It is hard to watch the decline of my residents and I know even more so for their families. Both of my Grammas passed away in the last 18 months, and it was hard. But she’s right. The elderly DO bear fruit in their old age, even in the midst of dementia. Even in the midst of pain and cancer and COPD. My residents bless me and their families.
Twitter: themommymess
says:
It’s a tough environment. I was so sad when she went there, but she seems happy there. What more could I ask for? I’m sorry for your loss.
It’s a hard thing to say good bye even though we know they are finally home.
Twitter: AlisonSWLee
says:
*sniff* Sweetest post ever. Thank you for sharing your amazing grandmother with us and Memories Captured!
Alison recently posted..Thirty Six
Twitter: themommymess
says:
That’s for giving me a place to do it. She’s awesome!
Sounds like your grandmother knows what she wants and I love that It was pizza, salad and crystals for her hair.
It is also amazing to me the way God speaks to us if we only take the time to actually listen.
Hope your grandmother had an amazing birthday!
Kristen recently posted..The Hunger Games DVD Release Countdown
Twitter: themommymess
says:
It is amazing! I really could not believe she woke up speaking those words. So beautiful!
Twitter: fiercedivablog
says:
You got me at “She’s the reason I am the tings I love about myself..” And then a million times more. There is so much love in this post and I am gushing over here. Beautiful sentiment and gorgeous writing. And a huge happy birthday to this lovely woman you wrote about.
ilene recently posted..What My Swami Said
Twitter: themommymess
says:
She really is the reason I like the things about me that I do. She raised me for the first 6 years of my life. Those years are critical in shaping you into who are are going to be. I’m so thankful for those years with her. My mom wasn’t around, and I didn’t miss a thing a mother would’ve have given. She was even overboard in the mothering dept, but I see some of those traits in myself, and I like them!
Oh this is such a beautiful tribute to your Ruth!
What a loving gift you are to each other and those hair clips? Stunning!
Galit Breen recently posted..Memories Captured August Linky!
Twitter: themommymess
says:
Thanks, Galit! Those hairclips were kind of funny. Where does one find “crystal” hair clips? The little girls section of the hair aisle, that’s where! Plastic, crystal, whatever, right?!
Happy Birthday to your grandma! I also got chills when you wrote about her telling you why she is still around and that passage…it is so true. Even if we don’t understand it, there is a reason. Love the pizza, salad and hair clips and LOVE the picture!
AnnMarie recently posted..I Don’t Wanna…
Twitter: themommymess
says:
I don’t understand. But, He does.
Such a beautiful post!! Gives me chills.
Twitter: themommymess
says:
Thank you!
What a lovely post, and it’s obvious you hold your grandma close. I’ll never understand….well, life. But she has you to celebrate with her, and I’m sure she’s grateful!
Greta @gfunkified recently posted..So It Begins.
Twitter: themommymess
says:
Thanks, Greta.
Oh, this post gave me chills. I love that picture and think your grandma sounds like such a lovely woman. You’re very lucky.
Twitter: themommymess
says:
Thanks! She’s pretty amazing.
Great pictures! I love that she asked for pizza and salad!
Teresa recently posted..Things My Parents Did Right
Twitter: themommymess
says:
I know. I was so shocked that’s what she wanted. Smart lady, huh?