I love how death isn’t the end, I love how even though it is hell not being home with my family during these hard times that I can rely on God to bring the comfort.
In February, around the same time my Nana went to see Jesus, we found out my Grandma (dad’s mom) had stage 4 lung cancer. They gave her a time line, 6 months to about a year, but God doesn’t work on their time line. On April 21st she got to have Jesus wrap His arms around her and truly feel the full love of Christ. Oh, how sweet that sounds!
This may sound weird but the thing I wonder the most is if she has teeth up there in heaven!
My grandma at a very young age had gum disease that took all her teeth (I think one time she told me that she ate and apple and they all just fell out! I was afraid to eat apples for a little bit after that) so all my life she had dentures. Well every time I saw her, and I mean every time, I would ask her to take out her teeth, I thought it was the funniest thing! I have no idea how it started but it just became our thing. She wouldn’t do it for anyone else, she would even hide behind things to show just me, it really made me feel special. Of course she would always fight and say no but eventually she always craved.
When I was home for my Nana’s celebration, I was able to go and visit her, for which I am very grateful for! She just kept telling me about this one time when I was little, I dragged her into the bathroom and told her to lock the door so no boys could get in, and then I inevitably asked her to take out her teeth for me. She just kept cracking up as she retold the story, it makes my heart happy that it meant something to her too.
I know it sounds silly and such a little thing, but it was a big thing to us and that’s something that I will always take with me. She loved to be feisty and to laugh and with that she was able to do both.
My Grandma was a prayer warrior too, I remember when I was little she would always speak truth into my life and give me wisdom that I didn’t quite understand back then but I think she knew that she was just helping build the foundation for my life, she was planting the seeds.
She would always talk about going to see Jesus one day and I still can’t believe that day as already come.
My parents got a special gift on Easter, it was her last good day. They laughed, they cried, they enjoyed the company of family around them. My dad got to hold her hand during church and see how many people God has touched through his mom, and above all else they finally got a video of her without her teeth saying spaghetti! I got to skype with her one last time with her a few hours before she died, it was hard to see her that way but I’m thankful I was able to say goodbye and able to tell her I love her one more time.
Please be praying for my dad and my family. I will not be going back to the States this time but I would be lying if I say I didn’t want to. I knew it would be hard to not be with my family during the happy and fun times but it never even crossed my mind about not being there for them during the times where life just hurts. God is good on the mountain top AND in the valley. I’m so blessed to know a God that loves and continues to provide the strength to say yes to His will and not mine.
I’m thankful for a team that I don’t even have to speak and they surround me in a big hug and pray over me and my family. That’s who Christ is, a waiting hug to surround you in love and to cover you with it from your head to your toes. A love that leaves no gaps and no room for the enemy. He calls us the body of Christ, we can’t do this alone and I’m so thankful I don’t have to!
Praise be to God, all the glory to Him forever and ever! Amen!
