Another year has past.
Another Christmas gone.
This time of the year I especially miss my Grandma. She always had something special for us, her family, and it seemed, something special for others too. Whether it was making fleece hats and gloves for needy children with 4-H kids, or making little Christmas trinkets for whatever reason she felt had reason, it was always special to someone, somewhere. However, Christmas time wasn't the only time she gave. She gave the whole year through; hand-made flannel pajamas for adopted families at church, blankets for shelters, quilts for raffles, flowers for a fellow friend that passed away, flowers for Sunday's church service, cookies for coffee hour at church.
It seems almost surreal that we don't get that Christmas card in the mail. It was like a little book reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas and how it should be celebrated all year through- not just the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years. And each and every year since her passing, I find myself still looking for that card that will never come in the mail. But with each passing year, her memory lives on. With each passing year there is still something that comes in the mail that was made from something that was hers. This year, my stepmom made scarves for the kids from yarn that belonged to my grandma. Not only was this wonderful, there's more! She also made fleece hats and gloves for the kids. It was moving to read the notes in each gift box describing where the yarn came from.
Tonight I found yet another gift that was made in honor of my late grandma. It was a little scrapbook made the Christmas after my grandma passed. In it, was a couple of pictures of my grandma in her younger days. A newspaper article featuring her kitchen skills. Her wedding picture. A magazine article describing her as a "Giver". That she was...a Giver. And lastly a poem, although not written by her, it describes how she lived. And reminded me again about how everything has to be given to God, and in his time, things will be as they should be. It's his plan, not ours. He is there to comfort and guide us. To love us. To heal us. To give us strength. To take our fears away. To give us everlasting life. It also reminds me of the love that she had for everyone, just as He has for us.
Here it is:
Oh God
Will you cover me like a quilt?
In every night, through every cold
And lonely place, wherever fear threatens,
Snuggle close and cover me. Be my daily
Reminder to an everlasting source of
Comfort, grace, and strength.
Be my spiritual hiding place
For rest or healing
At the close of a day or in the middle
Or rejection or isolation, will You
Comfort, quilt, and cover me with Your love?
~ Amen
Source: "Quilted with Love", by Debbie Salter Goodwin
Another Christmas gone.
This time of the year I especially miss my Grandma. She always had something special for us, her family, and it seemed, something special for others too. Whether it was making fleece hats and gloves for needy children with 4-H kids, or making little Christmas trinkets for whatever reason she felt had reason, it was always special to someone, somewhere. However, Christmas time wasn't the only time she gave. She gave the whole year through; hand-made flannel pajamas for adopted families at church, blankets for shelters, quilts for raffles, flowers for a fellow friend that passed away, flowers for Sunday's church service, cookies for coffee hour at church.
It seems almost surreal that we don't get that Christmas card in the mail. It was like a little book reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas and how it should be celebrated all year through- not just the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Years. And each and every year since her passing, I find myself still looking for that card that will never come in the mail. But with each passing year, her memory lives on. With each passing year there is still something that comes in the mail that was made from something that was hers. This year, my stepmom made scarves for the kids from yarn that belonged to my grandma. Not only was this wonderful, there's more! She also made fleece hats and gloves for the kids. It was moving to read the notes in each gift box describing where the yarn came from.
Tonight I found yet another gift that was made in honor of my late grandma. It was a little scrapbook made the Christmas after my grandma passed. In it, was a couple of pictures of my grandma in her younger days. A newspaper article featuring her kitchen skills. Her wedding picture. A magazine article describing her as a "Giver". That she was...a Giver. And lastly a poem, although not written by her, it describes how she lived. And reminded me again about how everything has to be given to God, and in his time, things will be as they should be. It's his plan, not ours. He is there to comfort and guide us. To love us. To heal us. To give us strength. To take our fears away. To give us everlasting life. It also reminds me of the love that she had for everyone, just as He has for us.
Here it is:
Oh God
Will you cover me like a quilt?
In every night, through every cold
And lonely place, wherever fear threatens,
Snuggle close and cover me. Be my daily
Reminder to an everlasting source of
Comfort, grace, and strength.
Be my spiritual hiding place
For rest or healing
At the close of a day or in the middle
Or rejection or isolation, will You
Comfort, quilt, and cover me with Your love?
~ Amen
Source: "Quilted with Love", by Debbie Salter Goodwin
