In Loving Memory of "Gammy"

Today is the fifth anniversary of my grandmother (a.k.a. "Gammy") going to be with Jesus. I miss her so much. She was the perfect grandmother and such a great example of a kind, thoughtful and fun-loving Christian. More than anything, she loved to serve others.

The following is an excerpt from one of her Gratitude Journals. (Thank you to my Aunt Jeanette for sending this out to our relatives today! Such a sweet memory of Gammy's servant attitude.)

February 11, 1994

Over several cups of coffee this morning, I sat and was doing some pondering of my past days. For several weeks I had been getting ten years of Volunteers files up to date and getting everything in order to hand over to our activity director. In other words after eighteen years of really working hard at this voluntary business, I was slowing down to almost a halt.

On February 10th, I went out to the Nursing Home (Rosewood) and turned in all of the books and files. In the afternoon, we volunteers had our monthly business meeting and I resigned as their president and founder of ten years. What a load off my mind! I enjoyed all of my voluntary work at Rosewood, Four Seasons, and Hillcrest Nursing Homes, but now I wanted to do what I wanted to do. 

So, on this morning of pondering, I looked back through the years. In my seventy-one years as far back as I could remember, it seemed like I was always doing for others (as millions of others have done). I probably wasn't any better or any worse and what I have done is certainly not outstanding but it was an interesting path to travel. The joy and blessings that I have received along the way are too many to count. God has been so good to me to give me the health and ability to do my tasks and I'm grateful to Him. I believe He led me to become a caregiver and a volunteer. The loved ones I tended to are all gone now so most of what I was doing is no longer needed.

Does all of this mean that I can now rest on my laurels and do nothing? I really don't think that God wants me to do that just yet. Yes, I want to rest my body now but I still want to find new avenues to take and see what I will find along the way. I will always do some kind of volunteer work if I can help someone or try to be a blessing to someone. As Aunt Bonnie would say, "I still have rats to kill!" I do miss hearing her say that.

As far as I know, there are still lots of books to be read, lots of new people to meet, and lots of old friends to remember and check up on and I do not wish to be alone and hidden under a bushel. What fun would that be?

The joy of waking everyday and to wonder what the day will bring is something I look forward to. I may not wake until 10 or 11 - but not all of the day is gone! I do stay up late at night and a lot of that time is in reading.


I so look forward to seeing her again someday. In loving memory of my Gammy...