I wrote this the day after my Granny passed away. This was
the beautiful moment of her passing. It is still very difficult but I am so
grateful that I was there with her.
Yesterday was a good day as Granny finally went home to be
with Jesus. We brought her home from the hospital late afternoon on Saturday
and she was so much more at ease and peace to be in her own home surrounded by
all of her family.
Just before she passed, I sat next to her side by myself as
my mom and aunt were talking with hospice in the kitchen. God just told me what
to say as I talked to her for about 10 minutes. She couldn't respond and hadn't
been opening her eyes all day but as I talked of past family memories with her,
I could see her lips move in an attempt to smile. I reminisced with her about all the
fun we had growing up with her. The summers that our family would spend out at
Uncle Greg's cabin at the lake, all of us cousins using the pool at her neighbor's
house, playing bocce ball in her backyard and lots of other memories. I
reassured her that we were all okay and wanted her to just let go and not wait
for us, we would be fine. She taught us how to live and how to enjoy life as
she never let anything get her down.
Near the end of our talk, I brought up the wedding quilt she
made for me and Branden. I told her that it was our prized possession and has
always been on our bed, in every country we've been. Then I talked about all of
the quilts she had made for all of us kids, grandkids, and great grandkids over
the years and how each patch of those quilts were a piece of her that we would
have with us forever. She would always be with us. A single tear ran down her
face as I spoke and she suddenly opened her eyes and looked right at me as I
continued to talk and tell her that it was okay for her to go now and how much
we all loved her. Her eyes shut fast and her breathing dramatically slowed
down. I called my mom in and she held Granny's hand while whispering in her
ear, "Just look to Jesus, just look to Jesus". It was only a couple
of minutes later that she passed.
What a beautiful moment given to us by God. It is such a
relief to know that she is with her Lord and Savior and that no disease can ever
ravage her body ever again. It's still difficult and painful but our God is
incredible in taking care of His hurting children.
Our wedding quilt
