A dear friend always describes death is this world as a thin membrane that separates us in the temporal presence of Jesus from the eternal presence of Jesus. My grandma crossed this membrane July 7, 2021. I’m so grateful that Grandma knew Jesus. While I have the hope that one day I’ll see her again, I still miss her. Many of us do. To process her passing, I share a tribute to my Grandma who passed away.
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Grandma was our last living, on this side of eternity, grandparent for my husband and me. I can’t help but smile when I think about how she’ll enjoy meeting my husband’s grandparents. How Grandpa and Grandma Day will enjoy making jokes with her.
How babies can help in the fog of dementia
Grandma loved babies. When I got to visit her in May she was deep in the fog of dementia. I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to spend those hours with her during my visit. She would come out of the fog some when she heard my son make a baby noise. “Is that my baby? Don’t worry, Martha will take care of the baby,” she’d say. Grandma must surely be taking care of all the babies that were called to heaven sooner than we thought was the right time.
Remembering Grandma when she was younger
Grandma was such a hard worker. She carried all the family’s water both in and out of the house before they had plumbing and while they had 5 small children with all the cloth diapers. She was quite a cook and made the absolute best rolls! I have her recipe, yet mine never turn out as good as I remember hers being. She used to just dump ingredients versus measure but they always turned out so rich and airy. She wasn’t born a farmgirl, but she learned it over the years. I was always impressed by how she always had lunch (called dinner) ready at noon sharp!
I still remember when I was in elementary school and she’d just pulled out a freshly baked beautiful cake out of the oven. Our farm cat we’d let in her house jumped across the counter and ran straight through the hot cake, making perfect little paw prints across the surface of the cake. She didn’t yell at us. Instead she laughed and told us, “There’s nothing frosting can’t cover.” So, we visited with her while the cake cooled, then helped her frost it. (I don’t think I tried a piece though because I knew what had happened under that frosting.) Grandma was also the one who let us eat cold hotdogs. She always had ice cream to share and cold pops we didn’t have to share. Going to spend time with Grandma was a treat in it’s own.
My grandma always had a sense of humor. I think it’s partially what helped carry her through hard times. Sadly, I don’t remember my great-grandparents. I knew her father had been one of the children on the Orphan Train. I always wondered what he was like as I knew his childhood had been hard. Where did her sense of humor and her chuckle come from?
How am I giving myself permission to grieve my grandma who passed away?
I’m praying for all my family as we each remember her. I’m reflecting on the blessing we were each given to know her. Sharing a tribute to my Grandma who passed away may help ease the pain of loss, but it doesn’t mean I don’t miss you Grandma. In fact, I think I miss you even more as I reflect more on all the sweet memories.
Grandma, I’m truly blessed to be able to call you my Grandma. Love you and look forward to seeing you again one day when I reach the other side of the thin membrane that separates us.
Curious to read more about my grandmother’s life, click here to read her full obituary.
