Remembering my Grandma

I have thought more about my grandmother recently and miss her. She was the matriarch and spiritual leader in my family. Everyone looked up to her and she was someone that you could always talk to.

She has a special family history. Her grandfather and his family accepted the Adventist message in Norway before coming to the United States.

Her spiritual influence had a big impact in my life and the values that she taught her family carried into my family.

I decided to journal my conversations with her during her last months of her life and I am so glad that I did for they are interesting to read.

Here is one of the conversations:

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Special moments were spent with Grandma today. After lunch today I read to her the Sabbath school lesson. It was about the faith of Abraham. I had to read two passages in the Bible to understand the story of Abraham going to the top of Mount Moriah to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. At the end we were both contemplating on how Abraham had a lot of faith to have almost lost Isaac on the altar. But he also had faith to believe and told his son Isaac that God would provide a lamb. I remember Grandma agreeing with me about Abraham's faith and saying "yes". Also, I remembered studying and being taught as a child that Abraham placing Isaac on the altar was an indication of God saying that His beloved Son would one day die on the cross.

Grandma's prayers are beautiful. Today her prayer was, "Lord, thank you for this beautiful day. Help us to surrender our hearts. Thank you for the privilege of hearing this message. Help us to hasten your soon return."

Every day is precious with her. I am so glad I have the time to spend my summer vacation caring for and watching her. It's been a blessing to me.

Another one of my favorite conversations with her was about how she met my grandfather. When I asked her about the details about how their interest for each other developed she said, "Those are very happy memories. Thank you for asking me to recall." They met in Loma Linda, CA and had a lot in common. They both grew up in big cities, Chicago and New York and their families came to the US from Europe. Their mutual love for each other was evident. At the end of the conversation when I said to Grandma, "I really enjoyed talking to you about that." She said, "Well, April. It's my favorite subject."

Here are some of my favorite pictures taken with her and during last years of her life

                                 
                              My uncles, mother, and aunt with her at her 95th birthday party
                           
                        (from left to right: Uncle Dave, my mother, Aunt Elizabeth, Uncle Albert)

I will always remember Grandma!