Prom 2007(l-r) grandma, me, grandpa
My grandmother has got to be one of the strongest women I know. In fact, if there is a trait that was passed down to my mother and aunt, and then onto the granddaughters, it was strength. My grandmother is a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a lover of Jesus, a servent, she basically is a living example of the Proverbs 31 woman (except for the whole rising early thing...none of the Faulkner- Noland-Williams women wake up early. In fact, we're quite grumpy in the mornings).
Anyway, my grandmother has been a fighter all her life. Being the oldest of three children, she was married young, and has been married to my grandpa for almost 55 years. Their marriage and relationship is so healthy and funny it's amazing. Anyway, my grandmother has struggled when it comes to medical issues for awhile. Before my mom came along, who is the oldest child by the way, my grandmother had three miscarriages. She even almost lost my mom during her pregnancy. After her kids were grown up, and she became a grandparent, her health issues really returned. I remember when I was about 7 years old, my grandmother having heart surgrey. I remember her being in and out of the hospital every once in awhile for issues with her hearts. Everytime I go to see her, I hear about all her doctors. I don't even know how she keeps them straight. The summer after my junior year, I remember coming home on a Sunday night from All-State and going to the hospital to stay the night with my grandma so that she wouldn't have to be alone. I remember most recently coming home the week before thanksgiving because she was in the hospital with a possible stroke. Talk about terrifying. And now, I sit here at 1:00am in the dark, listening to this amazing woman of God snore because I love her.
Through all these health problems, and all the hospital stays, my Grandmother has remained a fighter. During her stay back in November, I remember her telling me that as they were trying to figure out what was going on, and when they couldn't pinpoint it, she was telling me how during the night when she was by herself, how she was so restless. She couldn't sleep, couldn't get her mind to slow down enough to go to sleep. She told me that she was anxious and scared. But in her very next sentence, she told me how through those hours in the wee morning, when she was so scared, she talked a lot with the Lord, and asked for his healing, and for a peace so strong that she would be engulfed in his peace. And the Lord provided. Just Wednesday morning, before going into surgrey, I heard her say, "I'm not scared"
I wish I could say that I felt the same way. I am scared. I've never seen my grandmother this sick before. She has always been the one to take care of me when I was sick as a child, and now the roles are reversed. But I know as scared as I am, that the Lord's hand is in this. I can see Him at work already uninting our family, continuing to give my grandmother a peace, it's just amazing.
My Grandmother is one of the biggest hero's in my life. As it was just me and my mom sitting in her room with her yesterday morning, I remember the nurse coming in and asking if we were her daughter and granddaughter. As my mom answered I remember looking at my mom and thinking how much she looks and acts like my grandmother. And I know I act like them both. I sat in a room with two spirited ladies, who, if I turn out to be like either one of them, I'm gonna be in okay shape. My grandmother has created a legacy, that she passed onto my mom, and that has been passed down to me.
More to come later....I'm not even tired:)
No comments:
Post a Comment