Christmas, 2011 - Poem

My Gram (my Mom's Mom) used to write a Christmas poem and read it to us on Christmas Eve.  In a tribute to her, I decided to write on for my family this year.  I'd like to share it with you.

Christmas is upon us once again.

It almost feels like I’m taking it on the chin.

So many changes occurred this past year

Causes me to stop and shed a tear.

But tears can be good – they heal and cleanse

They help me look at life thru a different lens.

In December, 2010 my sweet Gram went to be with Him

Her first Christmas in heaven not a light was dim

I’m sure it was glorious to kneel at Christ’s feet

Better than the best Christmas treat!

The day after Easter 2011

My dear Mom & Dad were carried to heaven

Oh, what a celebration there must have been

But here on earth, the drenching rains caused quite a din.

Yes, I am sad for the way the were killed

But I know it was what God willed.

Just one day before they laid hands and prayed for Stacie, Kris, and me

That we would follow God’s will, that we would see

What wonderful things God had in store

They prayed, His love on us would pour.

The day before that we were all together

At Sarah and Tory’s we did gather

And heard the news that they were expecting a boy,

Little Jayden Troy, who would bring us such joy!

In September he was born on his very own day

He came into this world his very own way.

Stacie, too was with child once again – this time a girl

Our hearts and minds were awhirl!

Two new grandbabies for me

How could it be?

It almost seemed they would take the place

Of Mom and Dad who had finished their race.

I know they had prayed for them and their kids as well

They prayed thru many generations so all would tell

They prayed for my brothers and me

They prayed for my children and theirs you see

They prayed for our family for many yet unborn

Their lives were not wasted; they would not want us to mourn.

They loved all their grandchildren but none quite like

The very first grandchild, a grandson named Mike.

They experienced love when they held him in their arms

He had captured their hearts with his unknown charms.

Their second grandchild brought another first

A grand daughter – they thought their hearts would burst!

Of granddaughter Stacie the Holy Spirit told Granddad that she

Was given the gifts of healing and of prophecy

Oh so many things have occurred this year

I could not list all the things I hold dear

But I would be amiss if I did not share

The birth of my granddaughter – it wouldn’t be fair!

In October, Novella was born on the very day

We were to celebrate her aunt Sarah’s birthday

She was named for her great-great Gram

A great honor for God’s little lamb.

The very next month we all made our way

To Aunt Sis and Uncle Virgil’s on Thanksgiving Day.

Yes it was hard – Mom & Dad were missed

But we still gave thanks as we hugged and kissed.

I am so grateful for my dear uncle and aunt

Lord bless them, dear God please grant

Strength, health, peace, and joy thru the years

As they struggle, love, support, and pray through their tears.

And so as we gather to celebrate another birth

The One who came to give us great worth

We rejoice for our dear ones who have gone on before

As they celebrate with Jesus, their families and more

Because of Christ’s great love for me

I know that one day I will see

Mom, Dad, Gram, Grandpa (the list would go on and on)

So I can’t be sad that for now they are gone.

This is a day to celebrate the great love of God

And to know that He loves me even though I am flawed.

And so I surrender my life to His ways

I will follow Him for all of my days.

I believe in the words of the song that I hear

It certainly has become so very clear:

“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep

God is not dead nor doeth He sleep

For wrong shall fail, and right prevail

With peace on earth good will toward men.

Till ringing singing on its way

the world revolved from night to day

A voice, a chime, a chant sublime

Of peace on earth, good will to men”

At Peace

In working on a devotional for my ladies Bible study group, I was looking at the word 'peace'.  As I was going through different references to peace in Scripture I came across one that I have read many times before but it really hit home with me tonight.  It seemed to be talking specifically about Mom and Dad.  I don't know what more I can say about it so I'll be quite content to just let the Scripture speak for itself.

Isaiah 57:1-2 (The Message)
Meanwhile, right-living people die and no one gives them a thought.
God-fearing people are carted off
   and no one even notices.
The right-living people are out of their misery,
   they're finally at rest.
They lived well and with dignity
   and now they're finally at peace. 
 

Gram

My mom's mother, my Gram, died one year ago today.  She lived a wonderful life and was 96 years young at the time of her death.  I am grateful she died before Mom & Dad were killed.  Even though I had her around for such a long time and she was in such good health right up to the end, I still miss her.

I miss her laugh and the twinkle in her eyes.  I miss her wonderful sense of humor.  I miss her strawberry shortcake - my that woman could cook!  I miss the sweet way she said my name.

My office Christmas party was tonight but I just couldn't bring myself to go.  Gram dearly loved Christmas.  She made sure she had a Christmas tree in every room of her house - even the bathroom and the screened porch!  Of course the last several years that she still lived in her farm house, her kids would do most of the work in putting up all her decorations and then lovingly putting them away after Christmas.  It was quite an ordeal!

When I was growing up, Gram would write a Christmas poem every year.  The highlight of the day was when she would read the poem.  Of course, it rhymed and in it she would mention everyone in the family.  As our family grew in her later years even though I begged her to write another poem she said it was just too hard for her.  She suffered from palsy and writing was difficult for her not to mention there were so many of us that she had a hard time trying to work everyone into the poem.

Gram was a wonderful Christian lady.  She taught adult Sunday School classes for years.  She was a mainstay of her church never missing unless she was sick.  She did miss church her last Sunday on earth because she was in the hospital but she was there the week before that!  I loved going to church with her when I was in town.  It took forever to leave afterward because it seemed everyone in the entire place had to talk to her and give her a hug before they left.  She was so very loved by the entire church.  Even the teenagers of the church loved her dearly.  To me that spoke volumes about the loving woman she was.

Yes, she lived a good life and I know I will see her again when I get to heaven.  But I still miss her.  She has left our family with a great heritage!

Isaiah 59:20-21 (The Message)
"I'll arrive in Zion as Redeemer,
   to those in Jacob who leave their sins."
         God's Decree.
 "As for me," God says, "this is my covenant with them: My Spirit that I've placed upon you and the words that I've given you to speak, they're not going to leave your mouths nor the mouths of your children nor the mouths of your grandchildren. You will keep repeating these words and won't ever stop." God's orders.

5 generations: My Mom in blue, I'm behind her, my daughter Stacie is next to me, Gram is sitting in front of her holding her son, Kristopher.  Easter, 2010.