Most of you know that Evan's grandmother passed away on Monday after a very short battle with pancreatic cancer. Of course, when someone so close to you passes away your automatic response is to look back lovingly (hopefully) over the memories you have of them. Evan has a lifetime of fondness when it comes to his Nana. Most of those memories have to do with food...Nana could COOK!! I am highly suspicious of her sugar cookie recipe...many of us have tried but failed to reproduce that taste Nana offered in her cookies. I guess love is a real ingredient! That reminds me of the first time I met Nana (which is also my favorite memory). Even though they lived in Canada, Evan's grandparents traveled to Toccoa, GA for our wedding. I had heard about Nana and her rather crass humor but we had never met. She came through the procession line, leaned in to me and said, "I saw what you did (or something of the like)!!" She was referring to "the Kiss". I just laughed as all the rumors I had heard about Nana became truth to me. There is even a picture taken of my face as she is whispering this to me. My face is surprisingly has a "warm" reaction to this "welcome" into my new family. I was thinking today about that moment and the love ingredient. It never occurred to me to be embarrassed at the comment from my new Grandmother-in-law. Here was a sweet woman who had been praying for me my entire life...as she prayed for the future wife of her (favorite ;-)) grandson. To her, I was already family...already an acquaintance. She had known me since before I was born. She has spent 5 years in prayer over my own children. I feel peace knowing her blood courses through them...diluting the bad blood they inevitably inherited from my mother and father. It almost makes their lives look new everyday...freshly picked from what would be a minefield. I also remember the weeks after I cut ties from my mother. I was gravely afraid I was disobeying God by not honoring my mother. I pleaded with Evan to let us write/call his grandparents and present my case. If they told me I was honoring God than I would be at peace. I could not yet trust God...but I could trust that Nana and Popop would not let harm come to me. They, of course, gave me their blessing and ushered me into the beginnings of a search for more truth.
Only God and Nana know what she is doing right now. So REAL is Heaven when you know for sure the one who has passed is now, at this moment, sitting (or running, skipping, etc.) at the feet of the Father she so patiently waited to see. I think it fitting that Nana would go before all the rest of us. She goes there to prepare a welcome for her many generations that will follow her. All those "Heavenly" sugar cookies need time to cool;-) So go now Nana and we will see you in a little while.
P.S. I don't know why but I have a feeling Nana whispers in God's ear a prayer for my little Eli!!!
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