See you soon!

Today we said goodbye to an amazing woman. I met her this time of year exactly 20 years ago (WHHAATT!?? I'm getting old!) I was 14 years old at the time and already in love with her grandson! That year Bryan's family invited me to Thanksgiving and I met Nana Smith (or Pearl, as most adults probably call her!) I instantly felt like a part of the family. She hugged me the first time she saw me. Together, we made gravy and chocolate pudding every year! She has always lived in Pennsylvania and we live in North Carolina, so we usually only got to see her and Popop at Thanksgiving. I looked forward to Thanksgiving every year! About 7 years ago, Nana Smith had a stroke and could no longer visit in NC for Thanksgiving. So, we started coming to Pennsylvania each year! For 20 years, I have spent every Thanksgiving with Bryan's family and it has been such a sweet time for me!

Once Nana had her stroke, she could no longer move the right side of her body and had to move into an nursing home. She faced many obstacles, physically and emotionally, especially once Popop passed away and she no longer had his companionship each day. Even though life was hard for her, she continued to be the same sweet lady. I still loved seeing her each Thanksgiving because she was full of joy and genuinely happy to see my family. I loved watching the smile that my boys would bring to her face. I enjoyed watching them push her wheelchair around the nursing home. I liked taking pictures of her holding my babies and watching her face fill with pride. She was a precious, grateful, mighty woman of God, even though life was hard. Today, at her service, the pastor said, "Pearl didn't allow her circumstances to dictate her life." Boy, is that ever true! She could no longer do many of the things she wanted to do but she was still full of joy. And the work that Christ did in her heart in the last years of her life is absolutely inspiring! He used those quiet moments alone in her nursing home to build her into the woman He created her to be. It's incredible really, to see how he used the hard for good in her life.

Nana Smith loved this blog. Her faithful visitor, Millie, even printed many pages of it and made a binder for Nana so that she could read it and see the photos whenever she wanted. There have been many times that I've considered not writing but I knew Nana would want to read it. Her loyalty and love for this blog inspired me to keep writing! 

Today, I am thankful for Nana Smith. She wasn't my biological grandmother but for 20 years she treated me like a grand-daughter. I loved her so much!!! And I know she loved me, because she made it clear when I talked to her! I am going to miss her each Thanksgiving and all through the year when we would chat on the phone, but I know she is in her Mansion in Glory now! She is singing praises to her Jesus! She is walking, not riding, through the streets of gold! Hallelujah! She was ready to see her husband again! She is happy and so am I! I am also grateful for her testimony! At her funeral today, over and over again, we heard how much Pearl loved Jesus! She loved her family and she loved Jesus! Oh Lord, let that be said of me! May my family never question my love for them and may everyone that comes in contact with me, know that I love Jesus! That was Nana's testimony and I pray that I will follow in her footsteps! 

I said that today we said goodbye to a very special lady but that's not entirely true. Today we said, "we'll see you soon" to an amazing lady! I look forward to that day!