~~~
I would like you all to meet my grandma.
Her name is Susie, and she is the coolest breed of grandma around. Actually, I think she might be the coolest breed of person around, too.
She’s sassy. She doesn’t take any punk-talk from my grandpa… and he punk-talks a lot. She tells him to ”stuff it”, and they always have a good laugh. For 57 years, they’ve modeled the kind of relationship that makes you think: “Really…? THAT kind of love is possible? Friends who laugh? Lovers who are still feisty and flirty? The other one’s biggest cheerleader and fan? Protective, safe, and adoring? Spurring each other to greatness and to bringing Kingdom to earth? Really…?” The greatest thing about my grandma is that she really and truly, innocently and maturely, tried-and-true, loves Jesus. She’s lived life with Him and for Him for many years, and has followed Him all over the world on the mission field.
And today, she went to be with Him.
Grandpa, I wish I was there. I wish I could hug you and be your “little friend”… it is breaking my heart to be so far away, though I know you want me here. I love you, treasure you, and I have the utmost respect for you because in a world where ‘until death do us part’ doesn’t mean diddlysquat anymore, you have taken care of your wife faithfully, tenderly, completely, selflessly, and without excuse. You are my hero, and have set a standard of grace and faithfulness for me. I’m proud to call you my grandpa. No one —no one— holds a candle to you.
Grandma….. shooot. Just dance now. Enough of that wheelchair non-sense. You led a beautiful life of sacrifice and full of love. Thank you you supporting me, molding me, and for loving me so deep, hard, and long. Tell Moses all your dumb jokes, enjoy Light and Life in their purest forms, worship Jesus without constraint, ask God about if America really went to the moon or not, and when you see him, please hug my dad for me. You will always, always be precious to me…Grandpa, when I come home in December, we can play Duck on a Rock, eat bread with milk, sugar, and M&Ms, and I’ll take YOU for a spin in the little red wagon! I’m talking to God about you all the time… I love you so much, “little friend”.
~~~
