Donna, from Blendermom.me, wanted to share her some lasting and sweet memories about her grandmother. I know that my grandmother made an impact in my own life and she even took me to church with her. I still remember her favorite song too and am blessed that I got to spend time with my grandmother so that she could instill love and create memories for me to remember for the rest of my life. Losing a loved one is never easy, especially, someone that was near and dear to your heart. I hope that you enjoy Donna’s story. As you read her story, think of ways that you can make a difference in the lives of others and how you want to leave a legacy for other’s to remember you by.
My grandma, whom we affectionately called “Granny” had Alzheimer’s and with that it seemed as if we lost her a little piece at a time. However, just before Thanksgiving, she passed away. She had not known who I was for quite a while when I would visit her at the nursing home. During these sad days after she died, I have thought of all the wonderful memories I’ve had of Granny. One of the many memories that stands out in my mind is that I would sit next to her and she would play and sing to me the song “Sweet Hour of Prayer” by William Walford. Those words are so dear to my heart as I now sit and play and sing.
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I love the beautiful words of the song as it talks about the absolute sweetness of a quiet prayer time with our Heavenly Father. In this time of sorrow for me the line from the song keeps echoing in my mind: “In seasons of distress and grief, my soul has often found relief…..” God has used those words that she taught me to calm and comfort my spirit over and over again.
“Sweet hour of prayer! Sweet hour of prayer!
Thy wings shall my petition bear
To Him whose truth and faithfulness
Engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face,
Believe His Word and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care,
And wait for thee, sweet hour of prayer!”
She always made sure to attend church faithfully and bring up my father and my uncle knowing God. My dad became a minister and obtained a doctorate in theology. He has devoted his life to serving the Lord by going into hurting churches and helping to re-build them. My father was one of the ministers who spoke at Granny’s funeral. He talked about how he would always come home from school to find the bible opened on her lap and her head bowed in prayer. She was “seeking His face” during her sweet and precious prayer time with her Saviour.
My parents taught me about Jesus and I came to accept Christ at the young age of four. I remember it very clearly and from then on I was sharing the joy in my heart with any one who would listen, even my baby brother. When my brother was five, I had the most awesome privilege of leading him to Christ and years later he became an ordained minister as well. He spoke the sweetest words at Granny’s funeral and shared how so many had come to know the Lord through our grandma, even though many had never actually met her face to face.
Another memory that stands out in my mind is that Granny gave my younger brother, my cousin, and me a bible challenge that if we memorized a chapter in Psalms, we would get a monetary reward. They had to learn the 23rd Psalm but because I had already learned that, she gave me Psalms 25:1-6. She told me her mom taught it to her and so she would like me to learn it.
Psalms 25: 1-6 NIV “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me. No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.
Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.”
Verse 6 declares how God has shown compassion and unfailing love time and time again, even in ages past. It got me to thinking how Granny taught me to about God, trust His grace and believe on Him as my Savior. She taught me through song, scripture, and example about His unfailing love and compassion and she also taught me by passing it on to her children who shared with me the salvation found in Him. You see, she left a legacy of faith that stretched down through generations.
I am praying that God will continue to bless and lead me so that I may lay a faith foundation and leave a Godly legacy for my children like my kind gracious grandma. Kittie Louise Suffield said “Little is much when God is in it”. I don’t have to walk around speaking in King James English. It can be as simple as sharing words of a song or favorite scripture. Teaching them by word and example how important it is to spend time with God. “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths” for little feet are following close behind me!
Listen to Sweet Hour Of Prayer by Alan Jackson
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How do you plan on leaving a legacy behind for your family, children, and friends?
