One Week

Its been one week. 7 days since I woke up with this feeling in the pit of my stomach and 2 missed calls from my mom from far to early in the morning.

The reply on the other end…Ma is gone.

Who is Ma? That is a fantastic question. For much of the world she was known as Jeanne Sanders. Wife to Jim. Mother to Eddie, Jimmy-Jean, Sharon, and Lennie. Daughter to Henry and Bessie Danley.

But to me and my siblings she was Ma.

Much of our formative years were spend storming through her house chasing after one another waiting for meals to be prepared in her constantly busy kitchen (it would have to be when there was an army of small people to keep fed). Games were played at the dining room table. Lessons in sewing, crafting, cooking, and cleaning took place in every room of her home.

You see, my grandmother was the picture of the women found described within the pages of Scripture. From the woman described at the end of Proverbs working diligently day in and day out to care for and provide for her family and anyone else who crossed her threshold to women like Mary who stayed busy ensuring her guests were cared for at all times. She fulfilled the mandate found in the pages of Titus to teach and train the younger generations how to love their husbands, care for their children, and keep their home.

And I was that younger generation. Paul commended Timothy for holding fast to the lessons he learned in his youth from his grandmother and mother and I find that I am fortunate enough to be able to know what a blessing he had with two strong and faithful women leading and guiding him. I am thankful to know that my foundation is solid because I had such a great example of how to persevere through the hard times and how to rejoice in the good and pleasant times. I learned how to love my husband well watching her love my grandfather day in and day out no matter what life threw at them. I have learned how to care and nurture my own children through the examples she set caring for my mother and my uncles as well as caring for me, my siblings, my cousins, and all of our children.

I learned how to work, both in the home and out, doing what was necessary to provide for the family God has given me. And I learned how to enjoy a good book and cup of tea. The lessons that were imparted to me by simply living life are treasures that I will cherish for the rest of my days and I pray I can become even half the women, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and follower of Jesus that she was.