When I was little, I thought my Grandma (Billie Gideon) was the one who put the bibles in all the hotel rooms all over the world. That might sound silly, but not if you knew my grandma. She worked for a church and was always a good Christian.
Last night, my grandma died after injuries she received from the tornado destruction in Joplin.
Grandma was always so sweet and caring. I have a few memories that really stick out that show her generosity. One of the most vivid memories was when our family was hurting financially and she came over and wrote my mom a check for $250. That amount might sound small to you, but I know that it was a fortune to my grandma, who lived without having a lot for most of her life.
When I was in 2nd grade, we had to move out of our house and into my grandma's house. I remember my grandma telling me that she received a letter from my school that I was to be tested to be in the gifted program, and how it made her light up.
One of the proudest moments in my life was seeing my grandma's face when she heard I was featured in Popular Photography magazine.
My brother and I often reminisce about the time we lived at Grandma's house because we would always get paid (a mere) 25 cents to rub our grandma's feet. Silly, I know. But maybe that's where I learned some fundamental business ideas: charge for your time, and do your best when performing a service for others. We'd always take our hard-earned money to the candy shop a few blocks away from my grandma's house and enjoy the fruits of our labor.
From what I know of grandmas in general, they're mostly known for their yummy cooking. Such is the case here... pork chops and sweet tea have a special place in my heart, and the cheesebread she made at Thankgsgiving was already legendary.
Grandma's life, from my perspective, was a difficult life. God doesn't guarantee that following Him will ever be easy, though. And grandma dealt with trials and tribulations with grace. She led her life by serving others, and I know that Jesus loves her for that. Grandma's health had been getting worse and worse over the past couple years, and her memory had been fading. I take great comfort in knowing that the Lord was ready to heal her.
Maybe she'll rub his feet. :)
Grandma with Ellie in 2005...
Thanks for reading,
Dale
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