Aren’t Grandparents the best? I was blessed to grow up near both sets of my grandparents, able to see them almost daily. I had cooking sessions with my grandmothers. Grandma Erb taught me how to make her homemade noodles for chicken and noodles. Grandma Whattoff taught me how to make kringla and lefsa (Norwegian staples). My grandparents knew how to work hard and to live and love unselfishly.
It felt completely natural to marry into my husband’s
family. My mother-in-law was one of
thirteen children, and their family is just as wonderful as mine. Grandma Gronda (mother of the 13) was my
husband’s only remaining grandparent.
She peacefully passed away a couple of weeks ago, at the age of 93. Grandma lived Hebrews 12:1, running with
endurance the race set before her. She
had many struggles throughout her life, not the least of which was raising
thirteen children in a 4-bedroom, 1-bathroom house above her husband’s barber shop. But the year’s I knew her were filled with
laughter, love and faith. She didn’t
hold an ounce of regret over not having a bigger house, or fancy furniture. She didn’t question whether her life meant
something. She had poured herself into
her children and grandchildren, leaving a family legacy that would make anyone
proud.
I find myself in a season of introspection. Our time on earth is so short, and I want to
make the most of it! How will I be
remembered as a mother, grandmother, friend, sister, and daughter when my time on
earth is done? The choices I make today
set the course for how this question will be answered tomorrow. Knowing this makes me want to be brave and
live outside the box our culture has set before us. Rather than live in extravagance, I want to
be extravagantly generous with the gifts God has given me. Can you imagine the snowball effect that
could happen if each of us lived this way?
What a wonderful world it would be:-).
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