I have always had the blessing of being surrounded by godly women - role models, mentors etc. I count it a blessing and a responsibility knowing that much has been entrusted to me.
This morning my mom called at 7:38 to tell me that my grandmother had passed away. It was expected. Yesterday hospice told the family that she would probably die within the next day or two. Our family began to prepare for this day months back when the doctors said her cancer had come back and that she had anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months. Nothing this morning was shocking. Our family - with the children often leading the charge - prayed for God's timing and his mercy. Nothing was shocking - especially the sweet moment of rejoicing and reminding the children that God had heard our prayers.
I stopped this morning to think of what made her so special...what made her
my Grandma Brown. I realized that it was her southern charm, always seeming to do the right thing. She knew her way around the kitchen and made amazing Chicken and Dumplings (don't tell my other grandmother please). Thanksgiving and Christmas were celebrated in our finest attire - khaki pants and a button down at the very least for the men. It was her encouragement and prompting that lead to my first solo. I was about 5 and I was allowed to stand on the settee (the family knows this was
huge since it was only sat on Christmas Eve and never stood on because she had to fluff the down back up and it was hard to get it just right) and sing a Christmas song she taught me.
She is probably the only person I know who shopped almost exclusively at Neiman Marcus and Hudson's Salvage - two stores that could not be more different. She dressed in her finest all the time except when she was working in the yard and there she wore terry cloth dresses (for lack of a better word) and tall combat boots. She had a pet Myrtle the turtle that she adopted in the yard and took great care of for years. She had no problems killing snakes but only the harmful ones. She got mad at me when I happen to mention a few years back that I did not want my children playing with snakes so we killed the garden snake that lived in our bush out front. She was of the mindset that boys play with harmless snakes, pick up frogs and lizards and play with real bow and arrows - her boys are living proof.
Her well worn Bible was always close at hand. I can remember going to church with her when my parents were out of town and sitting in the room where she taught the children's Sunday school class at her small church. She is the reason my family reads the Luke 2 account of Jesus's birth every Christmas - that was her tradition on Christmas Eve. The youngest grandchild who could read read it after dinner before presents. Being the youngest I read it all the way through high school maybe even college. I knew I would get a call a few days before or that morning asking me if I would do the honors.
She was full of grace and tact - but she would tell you if you had worn out your welcome. For the past year, the joke between Neal and me was that we could get in a "good visit" in 15 minutes. I am proud to say that she never had to tell me it was time for me to leave - but I think I exited a few times moments before she could say it. She asked for black cloth napkins at restaurants if she had on black as to not get white lint on her pants. She taught me to "dab the corners of my mouth" with my napkin covering my index finger while at the table instead of wiping my mouth. She took an afternoon nap just about every day and told me I should do the same when the children were napping. She got that tip from the Kennedy's I believe. She was charming, godly, truthful, well respected, to the point and poised all at the same time...she was, she is a southern lady.
As we say good-bye for now I smile knowing that the great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1) got bigger this morning. And the opportunity is before me to run with endurance and leave a lasting legacy for the King; a legacy that encourages those behind me as I have been encouraged by her example. As Dean said, "It's okay because she is going to be with Jesus on his birthday." What a blessing!
