My dad's side of the family basically all lived super close to each other growing up in Atlanta & they were all really close. My grandmother had quite a few siblings & they were all really close so then their families were too, which is awesome. Now, my grandmama & all her siblings are gone. We have a few wives of her brothers left with us, who are the most amazing great aunts ever, but sadly most of that incredible generation is dying out & taking the party to heaven. Whenever I talk to other people about their families & hear about various struggles & such that exists in their family circles, I am SO THANKFUL for my family. Not only do I have truly amazing parents who I completely adore & love, but they both had amazing parents as well. my grandparents were so incredible. And I know that a lot of people would say that their grandparents are the best, but honestly, I can't believe how lucky I was for God to place me in the family that He did. I have been loved my whole life & that has allowed me to grow into who I am today to be able to go out into the world & share that love with other people that my family has fed into me for my entire life, & most importantly, that stems into them from the love that comes from the most Loving One of all, Jesus.
As I sit here, leaving for college in three weeks, constantly wondering where God is going to take my life, I really just pray that God will use me as He did my grandparents. My mom's dad died before my parents got married so I never got to meet him, but I had three of the most amazing people as my grandparents.
My Papa & Grandmama (my dad's parents) were two of the most precious people I have ever, & will ever, come across. Even though I only knew them when they were much older, I could listen to stories about them & look at pictures all day long. They committed their lives to following Jesus, & they truly shared that love with everyone. I loved it when I moved to Georgia & started going to the church my grandparents had attended for so many years. Papa was still with us then after we moved in after Grandmama died, & it was just such a blessing to get to know so many people that had been touched throughout the years by my Grandmama. She used to buy packs of Juicy Fruit gum in bulk and hand it out to all the kids at church. And she could cook like nobody's business. She and my Papa had a marriage that many have said they try to model their own after, which is one of the highest compliments I could possibly imagine. I remember sitting in Grandmama's hospital room two weeks before she went to be with Jesus. It was the last time I got to see her & she was still able to talk & we were all just sitting around in her hospital room. My Papa was a huge jokester & always joking around & messing with you trying to get you to laugh. And that man LOVED dessert. A piece of lemon pie, Papa's favorite, had come on Grandmama's meal tray, & she had let him have it. They were talking about this to us & we were all laughing about it, & then they looked at each other. That look that I saw was the most loving, adoring look I've ever witnessed in my life, & one that has never left me. Not only did they have an amazing love for each other, but they loved me. Whenever we came to visit they just wanted to hear all about what was going on in our lives. As kids, we got bored a whole lot easier & weren't very interested in sitting around & talking for a few hours after we ate. But I will never forget how very interested they were in our lives. I could go on for hours about them. But I had another wonderful Grandmama, too.
My mom's mom, also called Grandmama, was one of my favorite people on this entire planet until her death last September. The whole time I knew her, my mom's dad was already gone but there was nothing lacking on that side of the family. My Grandmama was always cooking. She taught me how to make many of the things I love to cook. I got a love for cooking on both sides. I used to go stay at her house every summer by myself for at least a week, many times two. We had the most fun going to Waffle House for breakfast, going swimming in her neighborhood pool, going to pet stores to see puppies, & just talking. I loved her laugh, & she laughed a lot. Even though she was without my grandfather, she still stayed so active in her community & in the lives of so many people. I will never forget the procession line at her funeral on the way to the burial. The cars went as far back as you could see, on a very long straight road. She loved SO much, & so many people loved her. I loved her, & I know she loved me, & I was so very lucky to have her for the almost 18 years that I did.
A lot of times I feel extremely jealous of my friends. Lots of friends have families that live nearby. They get to see them often, they go on vacations together, they have all their grandparents & many times great grandparents too. But when I feel like that, I just try & remember how extremely blessed I was to have these wonderful people in my life. To have these incredible examples of love for others & loving Jesus; hearts that trusted God & prayed often; hearts that suffered many many trials but remained faithful & steadfast in their walks with God. People that loved me so very much. People that raised their children, my parents, to love me & encourage me, & to love Jesus & follow Him all the days of their lives, & who have instilled that love & truth into me.
Yesterday getting to see all my dad's cousins & family, & hearing their laughter sing throughout the entire house, & enjoying stories of years gone by now, I felt so completely blessed simply to know these people, but especially to be related to them. God is so good.
How great the Father's love is for us. How great His love is for me, that He would not only send His son to die on the cross for me, but that He would bless me so richly as well. That he has created so many wonderful things in this world to draw me to Himself, because He loves me. Without His love, we couldn't know love ourselves, & I am so thankful to know that love, & to have opportunities that I know are coming in the years ahead, to share that love with others that He loves also.
Whoever reads this, thank you. Even if no one does, I'm glad I wrote this because it's always good to sit & be reminded of how good God is, & how richly blessed I am. Thank God for family. Now, get off the computer & go spend some time with yours. :)
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