A Living Example

It's so great to get to know others through The Grand Connection! A friend of mine, Sharon Ball, is such an encouragement to me! You've probably read some of her comments.

After Sharon lost her grandmother, she wrote a beautiful post in her own blog, "A Break from the Norm." She graciously gave me permission to share it with you:

This has been a difficult week for my family as we have said goodbye to my grandmother who we all will miss. The homegoing celebration was yesterday, July 14, 2010, and my grandmother was 83 years old. During the memorial service, as friends and family talked about how she touched their lives, I was amazed at all of the new things I learned about her. For example, I never knew until yesterday that my grandmother graduated from Florida A&M University with a degree in Home Economics in 1951. I had always known that she was very active in her church and community, but I didn’t know the extent of her far-reaching involvement until yesterday.

As a powerful woman of God, my grandmother lived her life in a way that truly reflected God’s love and provided a living example of how to be in the world, but not of the world. She was the kind of person who never, and I mean never, gossiped about other folks in any way, shape, or form, and she was not a hypocrite. She had faith, but she also had works that went along with her faith, and she helped all of God’s children to the best of her ability. She was an amazing mother and grandmother, full of wisdom, guidance, love and patience that touched and changed lives. I know she is with Jesus, and I can’t wait to see her again when our Lord returns.

I’ll leave you with these few words…love your family and show your love while there is still life left in your body. No day is promised, so love fully, completely, and with reckless abandon, for in doing this we please our Heavenly Father.  

                                                                            — Sharon

Sharon, thanks for reminding us to love our families while we can. You are so right about no one being promised tomorrow. I look forward to meeting your wonderful grandmother one day in Heaven!

Have a great week,
Mary
http://www.marymaywrites.com/
http://grandconnection.blogspot.com/

Photo © 2010 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.

Sharing the secrets of the universe

Subscribe to Grand Connection by Email

Tuesday's Grand Connection Thought

by Mary May Larmoyeux

Last Tuesday I wrote about sharing family stories and a couple of weeks ago the Tuesday Grand Connection blog was about grandparents being gifts from God. Many thanks to those of you who sent me your memories of your grandparents! I'd like to share some of your stories over the next couple of weeks.

My friend Sharon, who writes a wonderful blog A Break from the Norm, said: "I miss my grandfather. He died over twenty years ago, but I think about him often. He especially came to mind a few weeks ago when my husband and I were having breakfast at a restaurant near our home. We were seated across the aisle from a man who was sitting at a table with a little girl. At first, I thought the man was the little girl’s father, but when she called him, 'Pa-pa,' I figured out that he was in fact her grandfather. The thing that struck me about watching them was how sweet and gentle he was with this little girl, who was obviously his little princess. As she yammered on in her little-girl voice he listened as if she were sharing the secrets of the universe."

I wonder if Sharon just expressed one of the reasons that grandparents are so special. Like the little girl Sharon mentioned, grandparents are quick to stop the hectic pace of life and exchange it for precious time with a grandchild. They care. They love. They listen.

Could that be why grandchildren seem to really hear their grandparents' words?

When I look into the eyes of our grands, I thank God for them and often recall a time long ago when their parents were young. I've seen firsthand how quickly time goes by.

Why do you think grandkids often listen to their grandparents as though they share the secrets of the universe?

Have a great week,
Mary

Mary May Larmoyeux

The Grand Connection

Mary's Examiner.com column

© 2010 by Mary May Larmoyeux. All rights reserved.
© Tasnadi Erika Dreamstime.com