I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now I am sure lives in you.
II Timothy 1:5

What image comes to your mind when I say the word “grandmother?” Everybody has two … one of who is your mother’s mother (maternal) and the other your father’s mother (paternal). I did not know my maternal grandmother well as she died before my fourth birthday. The memories I have of her have been reinforced by my parents’ stories about her. I was blessed to have my paternal grandmother for forty-three years, so I knew her quite well. She was born on August 15, 1909, the youngest of eight children. She married my grandfather who was a postman and they had three children with my Dad being the eldest and two younger sisters. Later she worked in a hosiery mill. I was the eldest of their six grandchildren, of which only one is a girl.

I always felt close to my grandmother and I think we enjoyed a special relationship. She was faithful in her attendance at church. She sang in the choir and was a member of a circle. She could whip up a meal in record time and she enjoyed preparing meals for her family, making certain that each person’ favorite dish found its way on the holiday table. She was able to play some hymns on the piano, she worked hard with my grandfather to plant a garden and harvest its produce. She enjoyed working crossword puzzles. She crocheted and made snowflakes to decorate the Christmas tree. My grandparents attended my high school and college graduations. I loved my grandmother, whom I called “MaMa.”

My grandmother was a dedicated Christian and I do credit her for the role she played in my faith development. I have a number of wonderful memories of her and I am grateful that we had as much time together as we did.

Having a grandmother with whom you enjoyed special times and who influenced your spiritual life is a blessing. Let’s give thanks to God for all those who have helped us in our pilgrimage of faith.

Prayer

Gracious God, we thank You for grandparents, parents, and others who have helped us grow as disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His name, we pray. Amen.