A Grandma's Tribute

Now, I realize that nearly every single person on this green planet thinks that they have the best grandma in the whole universe. I can certainly appreciate that. But I have some unfortunate news. . . the ruling is in and my grandma is the best.

I'm sorry. It's okay to be disappointed. You can go drown your sorrows in a tall glass of milk if you'd like. Don't be shy. . . fill 'er up to the brim.

. . . .

My grandma (my mom's mom) is the sweetest, most genuine, wonderful woman. And, whoo-eee, is she spunky. Let's just say that if I ever found myself in a bar fight {since that's a nightly occurrence :P}, I'd want her on my side. If she couldn't win over the brawlers with her down-to-earth good heart, she'd show them a thing or two. She'd probably pick up a chair to hurl at them.

She doesn't take no for an answer unless it's absolutely necessary. For example, if you say "Please, grandma. No more chocolate cake. I'll explode." she will take no rebuttals. It's eat more food or . . . well, explode, I guess. I still remember the first time I took my husband over to meet my grandparents {back in the dizzle when we were still dating}. To this day, I'm not sure he's eaten as much amazing home-cooked food in one sitting. :)

No matter what circumstances I found myself in during my 25 years of life, I always knew she had my back. Her home is always open and I know of no more considerate and comforting presence than that of my dear granny. And let's not talk about how clean that home is. It will make me tear up in shame! There was a time where we had the family over to our new house for a BBQ and, without being prompted, she got up and started doing the dishes after we'd spent some time visiting. She wasn't about to leave the house messy. I probably would have left the dishes in the sink for, um. . .*ahem*. . . a while longer. Maybe a day. ;) But after she finished washing and drying them all, she started wiping down the counters and shining the sink. . . something that poor fella hadn't seen in a month o' Sundays. She's like an Energizer bunny, I tell you!

One of my most fond memories is one she probably doesn't think is terribly significant at all. It was Christmas of 2009 and she handed out a poem she had written to all of her older granddaughters. If my memory isn't misfiring, it was all of the married granddaughters {which I most certainly wasn't at the time}, but I lucked out and got one anyway. That made it even more of a treasure to me.

Hoooopefully she doesn't mind me sharing it here with all of you because, let's face it, the wisdom is too good to be hoarded.

. . . .

Grandma's Pearls of Wisdom

I've traveled paths you've yet to walk
Learned lessons old and new
And now this wisdom of my life

I'm blessed to share with you
Let kindness spread like sunshine
Embrace those who are sad
Respect their dignity, give them joy
And leave them feeling glad

Forgive those who might hurt you
And though you have your pride
Listen closely to their viewpoint
Try to see the other side

Walk softly when you're angry
Try not to take offense
Invoke your sense of humur
Laughter's power is immense!

Express what you are feeling
Your beliefs you should uphold
Don't shy away from what is right
Be courageous and be bold

Keep hope right in your pocket
It will guide you day by day
Take it out when it is needed
When it's near, you'll find a way

Remember friends and family
Of which you are a precious part
Love deeply and love truly
Give freely from your heart

The world is far from perfect
There's conflict and there's strife
But you can still make a difference
By how you live your life

And so I'm very blessed to know
The wonders you will do
Because you are my granddaughter
And I believe in you

. . . .
  
I keep that hoarded safely in the pages of my journal to be read over and over whenever I need a lift. I know from experience that sometimes the list of 'To Do's and 'To Be's in life can quickly get overwhelming. But every time I read this, I feel encouraged. It seems manageable and it inspires me to want to be better. Hopefully it had the same affect on you!

This grandma is celebrating a birthday tomorrow, and I hope it's the best one yet! I hope she will always remember the great love and respect I have for her. She has always been a wonderful example of how a truly Godlike woman should conduct herself, and I'll be forever thankful for her influence. Thank goodness for the power and infinite love of Christ that will enable us to live together forever one day. . .

. . . I can only hope my mansion will be as clean as hers ;)