My Grandma

The last three months, I've had the incredible privilege to spend more time with my grandma, Gladys Knowles Finkenbinder, that I have for any other period in my life.  When I tell Grandma how awesome she is, she always responds, "Well, God's been good to me" or "Praise the Lord, He's been faithful". Spending time with Grandma the last three months has been such a blessing, and though she doesn't realize it, she teaches me by her example.  I couldn't be more grateful for this time!

Grandma just turned 99 this year.  Though Grandma was tired and ready to go to be with the Lord, she told me that when she prayed about it, the Lord told her it wasn't time yet.  She said to me, "Pray for me that I keep saying yes to the Lord. I don't know how I can serve Him, but as long as I'm here, I want to say yes to him".  99 years old, and she is teaching me again, by example, to say yes to the Lord.

One special night that I was visiting this past few months, Grandma gave me the sweetest hug and told me she loved me.  It was a brief moment, but one of the most precious moments that I will cherish for life.

Here's a woman who throughout her life has been a missionary to Indians, a missionary in China, Prisoner of War for 3 years during WW2, back to China, later married my Grandfather, who was blind, when she was 34, and then spent many more years in ministry by my Grandfather's side from Pastoring churches to ministering to the blind. 

Even today, though she doesn't do active ministry any longer, Grandma is faithfully praying for her family and others in need. And yet, she never focuses on herself being any big deal, but always is aware of God's goodness and mercy towards her. 

Many times, it's easy to take those in your life for granted, and ironically, it wasn't until I played a game of quelf with my grandma when she was 93, and I saw her build a fort and hide under it because the game said to, that I realized what a gem of a grandmother I had!  

Then at her 95th birthday, blind, disabled, young and old came to say happy birthday and express there love for my grandma!  Those on oxygen tanks, my grandmas swimming aerobics friends, her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren!  Incidentally, Grandma only gave up swimming a few years ago!

I look forward to as many moments with my Grandma that the Lord gives me, and I know, that when she does go to be with the Lord, she will be incredibly missed in more ways than one!

"Sometimes things seem difficult and it is hard to know exactly what to do, and sometimes there is a disappointment, but God sees all. Someone said to me that they thought when we get to heaven, there is one word that people might want to say more than any other… and that word was “Oh”… “OH, I wondered why that had happen that way, but now I know…” and God is making a pattern out of each of our lives. He loves us-- even though sometimes we might doubt him. Even though sometimes we might fail him, He still loves us. And Sometime, we will see the wonderful pattern that he has worked out in our lives."  -Gladys Knowles Finkenbinder