April 1, 2012
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{i’m glad she was born}
just hung up the phone a bit ago with my grandma…
today is her 79th birthday.
i’ve talked about her here alot through the years.
i like talking about her!
she’s one of my heroes.
someone i’ve always looked up to, admired. aimed to be like.
someone i seek advice from. and know when i ask her to pray, stand back.. that woman will pray!
she’s faithful.
she fascinates me. with her strong kentucky drawl. and raspy deep voice.
the stories and wisdom. the lifetime of things she’s seen. experienced.
it’s like watching a real live character in a book..
a book you don’t want to put down.we talked for almost 2 hours.
like we always do. just so much to say.
laughing alot. crying a little.we talked of serious things like ways to keep your marriage strong.
something she said she’s still learning to do after 65 years..
i smiled and told her i guess that means i’ve got about 50 some more years of learning to go!
she tells me about teaching her sunday school class this morning from 1 john 4.
that she wrote on the marker board, “no matter how great your pain…”
and then in bigger letters, “GREATER IS HE”
and as i listen. all throughout the conversation i can’t help but to think of how her life started.
not planned by her mother. from a scandalous affair.
in a day when it was shamed to be born out of wedlock..
raised by her grandparents. the stigma. the whispers.
in that generation. that era. in the hills of Kentucky.
and yet…
yet. imagine if she was never born!!
if someone had chosen my grandmother’s life wasn’t worth it!
that she wasn’t important enough. valuable enough.and it goes far beyond just that one time choice of life.
it’s all the LIFE, through that life, that has been given to others…does one life matter?
EVERY life matters!and the words of my dear cindy friend echo in my head from this past week -
how as Christians we can fight so passionately for the unborn. with such conviction.
we herald the value of life. everyone precious in God’s eyes.
but do we carry that belief to all life! to adults as well as the unborn?
that.every. single. person. is. precious. matters. holds value. and has purpose.do we realize how we can communicate that {or not} to those around us?
through our words. our actions. even our attitudes.
and today, i’m not only grateful for the life of my grandma.
but for “the life” she’s brought to others -
that kind of soul life that just breathes hope. and grace. and acceptance. and love.i hope i grow up to resemble her in even the smallest way.~
picking grandma’s peonies. flowers remind me so much of her~ her yard is always filled !
happy 79th dear precious grams!´¸.·¨) ¸.·¨)
(¸.·´ (¸.·´ (¸.·¨¯`♥ amber
Comments (21)
Wonderful. You just can’t beat the wonderful gift that is a Grandmother! Happy Birthday to your sweet one!
A very nice trribute to you grandma. I thank God for the 2 loving, praying grandmas that I had. Now that I am a grandma (and a great-grandma) I pray that God will use me in the lives of my grand-children and great-grands.
You’re so blessed to still have your grandma with you. I miss mine so much….
Sometimes I will put on a big ol’ pot of chicken and dumplings and listen to Asleep At THe Wheel (swing music) and have an “evening with Gram”. Her presence is still felt. <3
Such a wonderful post. I loved my Grandmothers so much. When ever you write about yours, it makes me wish I could meet her. Such a blessing.
Happy Birthday to your precious Grandma! I had both of my grandmothers in my life until shortly after I married and I have so many fond memories. Now that I’m a Grandma I want to be a loving influence in my grandchildren’s lives.
You are so right about the value of a life – every life! Sometimes we sure don’t act like we value some folks!! I’m grateful that your Grams gave so much to you, although she may not even know she did! Happy birthday to her!
What a sweet, sweet post. Happy Birthday to your Grandma. =)
I am trailing your Grandma by only a couple months! I wonder where the years have gone and anticipate those precious moments with grands and great grands! A couple of them from the north just visited this past week and we got to do some special things together. It’s great making “memories”! Twenty-one grands and seven great grands keep one “joyfully” busy!
Wow! I’m so envious that you still have your grandmother! She sounds like an amazing woman.
This is a beautiful testimony. I like what you’re friend shared. It’s true as Christians we could do a better job at building up, instead of tearing down!
Another testimony to God’s faithfulness.
My Grandma is 90 and she doesn’t know me anymore…gone are the days when I could call her on the phone & talk & ask her advice or listen to her stories. How I wish that I had done that more often when I could have!
79 and still teaching S.S.—that amazes & challenges me! In my church, most of the older women seem to feel that they have taken their turn & it’s time for someone younger to do it; that saddens me because I would so love to learn from them. I think I would love your grandmother, and she sounds like the kind of woman I want to be someday!
i love and admire your grandma, because of what you have written about her! her story left an indelible impression on me!!
and i have thought, and thought,and thought about cindy’s comment too! and it has exposed a lot of stuff i wish i did NOT have in my heart. but i am glad that i was forced to see it, so i can get rid of it.
i hope your monday is great!
I just love this. Your grandma sounds absolutely wonderful. : ) I love her Sunday School lesson…”No matter how great your pain, GREATER IS HE” I’m sitting here with tears in my eyes because wow….did I need that today!
Love you, friend. : )
Love my grams too! She brings wisdom, tenderness, and 94 year old life of complete surrender to serving God, into my life. Wonderful post!
Beautiful, Amber, just beautiful…. She sounds like a true blessing from God!!! My grandmother’s family was from Kentucky too, and what wonderful people those Mattinglys and Handcocks were. The heritage of faith is a true gift!!! Thanks for sharing! xo ~Deborah
I’ve been enormously busy and wanted to check in here to say hello to you. What darling pictures in your last post. And, beautiful flowers are in this post!
I miss you friend. But, I have NOT forgotten you! Hugs! xo xo
I so miss my grandmas ~ and my great-grandmas ~ such precious memories ~
Your Grandma sounds like such an awesome person. I think I would love to know her! You are so blessed to have her in your life and be as close to her as you are.
And about what Cindy said/wrote: That was the first time I had thought of it in that way and it really put the whole valueing people thing into perspective. I have been pondering it and thinking on it and it is really a pretty profound thought. How we are Pro-Life and value an unborn baby, but then sometimes the way that we “discard” grown ups who don’t fit into our lives or who we don’t like or don’t care about and the way we DE-value them. The irony is astounding and ashaming!
when my grandma died and the family farmette was sold, i had some of her peonies dug up and brought here to my house. those lovely flowers ALWAYS remind me of her. so now. funny. precious funny. i’ll probably be thinking of you and your grandma too when mine bloom.:)
last summer over my birthday…and then again more recently…i was thinking of all of the babies whose existence receives no applause.and there is no celebrating their arrival. and God reminded me, gently but empahtically, that i was wrong. HE applauds. HE celebrates. HIS fingerprints on every precious life because HIS hands held and created it. circumstances surrounding our conception, predicaments surrounding us as adults… do not determine our value or worth.
sweet sweet tribute to your grandma. i love her too.
and also? you have me looking at HIM again, through her “face” and life. happy 79th birthday from me.
how awesome to have such a great relationship with your grandma! HaPPy BirTHday to her!