Monday, December 20, 2010

Sad, but mixed with Joy


My Grandmother died last week. As mentioned in my previous post, we knew she would leave us soon. We had planned a family Christmas celebration at the nursing home where she resided for Sat. Dec. 11, so several of my extended family members were all there. At 3:00 am that day, my mother awoke me, saying that hospice had called and Grandma wasn't doing well. We headed to the nursing home, arriving about 4 am. We spent the day together, watching her slowly decline. While sad, it was also such a sweet time of togetherness with my family. To see my uncle play hymns (recorded on his iphone) next to Grandma's ear, and then a time of us singing together, through the tears; to see my cousins from Texas that I hadn't seen in about 5 years, to see the faith of my family, in action. Grandma died about 30 minutes after we left to return home. Mom said it got quiet, so she thought Grandma must have thought the party was over and it was time to go home. Home--home to her heavenly Father, safe in the arms of Jesus.


The funeral was a sweet time of reunion also, getting the chance to visit with other relatives I'd not seen in a while, and meeting some that I'd never even met! It's strange how sadness can be mixed with joy.