Over the River & Through the Woods

I grew up as one of the small fortunate few that are blessed to live just a bike ride away from a wonderful place…

Grandma’s house, whichever one it was, was always a grandma’s house. Whether it be the curtains in the windows, the flowers, the vines twisting up the walk-the little things strangers account as nothing significant-this made up the entrance to a place every little boy and girl wish to go.

Perhaps as a child I couldn’t see, but as a grown woman I now realize that it’s nothing about this house that is so dear to our hearts…but the woman who through God’s grace, made it a home.

The refrigerators stuffed to the brim of unorganized goodies that she would search through joyfully to pull out the most beautiful bread loaf she found at the market, the counter sweetly covered in the fruit that she’d picked off the front yard tree that was just perfectly ripe that day. Her desk so blissfully unsorted as she pieced together a story for the paper and stopped with you to go through the pictures she’d taken that weekend with you…Grandma’s house.

The man I call Grandpa lives in this house so blessedly with a woman who loves like nothing I’ve ever seen…Never I have I heard a harsh word, an agitated statement, or so much as a grumble pass over my Grandmother’s lips-but rather it is the grace and merciful love of Christ that drips from her mouth as she speaks to you, to a stranger, or to her savior. I’ll never forget the first time my Grandma prayed over me…It was during a time when I was as a young teen rebelling against my family, my church- trying to control a life that I hadn’t realized wasn’t mine to hold…She prayed over me as I sat alone one day in my father’s office and a feeling came over me that to this day I can’t explain. Though I inwardly disagreed while she prayed, as I listened all of my bitterness melted away when heard not her words, but her heart…In all of my life I’ve never heard the voice of a person-the cry out to the Lord from an individual-as genuine as I heard it passing over my grandmother’s lips that day as she called out to God to give rest and peace to her granddaughter’s soul…

I can always count on grandma for a hug that will turn around my day; For her to tell the stories only the way she can, that can turn the most bitter and hardened person into someone who can suddenly receive this love that she send through her words…God has given my Grandma such a spirit of kindness and I am so encouraged by this.

The Bible charges us to show kindness to those who surround us, even those who hurt us, because we have been shown kindness(Romans 11:22). And though this seems to be something that is too hard to accomplish on our impatience, frustrations of life, and countless other sin patterns-In our finite reasoning it feels impossible to be merciful unless we’re first treated with such mercy. But the beautiful truth of it is that we were shown this in Christ’s love for us far before we were ever able to demonstrate any form of gratitude in return. The Bible says that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 3:23). And because of this grace we now have the ability to treat people with the love and kindness that Christ did us, simply because Biblical kindness does not find its origins in us, but in our Heavenly father. It’s not a personality trait; it’s a fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22, Colossians 3:12).

Today is my dear sweet Grandmother’s birthday and I want to thank her for showing this kindness, not only to the strangers she meets, but to the loved ones such as myself in her life (Because don’t we all know, as sad as it is true: sometimes its much easier to treat a stranger with grace than a loved one). Thank you for so faithfully demonstrating Christ’s love to me even when I refused to recognize Him as the origin, and most of all for glorifying him in all that you do, whether it be through crediting him with your words, or being completely silent and praising him in your actions. You are one of the godliest women I know and I praise the Lord that through the circumstances of adoption that God through His sovereignty so intentionally aligned-you are the woman I am so, so grateful to call my Grandma.

Happy Birthday~May your days be blessed by those around you, as much as you have blessed mine…