A Rose of A Grandmother

It's hard to know where to start with this post. So much has been happening - I'm still trying to digest it all. My May was spent recovering from surgery hoping to be up for our trip to Myrtle Beach to see our niece graduate from high school. She is such a miracle child - A brain cancer survivor! We had a great time staying on the beach and seeing family who we rarely see.

The hard part of it all was that God decided to take my sweet grandmother to her eternal reward while I was so far away. I'm so happy for her. She was such a special lady - full of love of God and family. I loved visiting her in the summer and helping out on the farm. It was so different from my day to day routine. Even though I was one of 25 grandchildren she made me feel like I was the only one. I'm sure each of her grandchildren would say the same for themselves. She loved to tell me about Jesus and how she lived for Him. At night she would write in her diary and then read from the Bible to me. She wasn't Catholic, I doubt she ever knew anyone who was, but she was one of the most Christian people I've ever known. I have vivid memories of her reading the 23rd Psalm to me. It always spoke to me in ways I couldn't understand. Now with my training in the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd I see why. I only wish I could put the emotions in my heart to words.

Her eight children all came together for the visitation. Only God knew that He would also call one of them home that same night. My mom took her brother back to his hotel after the gathering. He hadn't been feeling well and had told his wife that he just wanted to go and be with his mama. God heard this request and took him too. It was his 68th birthday.

They had a double funeral the next day. I can only imagine how difficult this was for the siblings. The hardest part of it for me was being so far away from my mama. I'm her only child and so wanted to be there to comfort her. However, I know God has His reasons and that's that.

Now a special cousin of mine has been diagnosed with a fast moving cancer and given a couple of months to live. Please keep him and his family in your prayers. He is the son of my aunt who lived with my grandmother. May this prayer remain on my lips "Jesus, I Trust In You!"

My sweet mama brought this rose home to me from my grandmother's casket. It is a perfect image of her - soft, sweet smelling, feminine, BEAUTIFUL CREATION OF GOD!