If you’ve read Quilted by Christmas, I hope you saw the dedication, because that book has everything to do with my grandmothers. I thought it would be fun to spend the next couple of weeks talking about the two ladies who inspired Jemma.
Nanny is my father’s mother. She is the strongest woman in the worldt. Most of the time, she’s this incredible quiet spirit. Often, she just sits and watches her family, smiling. Believe me… we’re a noisy bunch. She had five children, who had nine grandchildren, and I I believe we are at nine great-grandchildren, plus a great-great grandbaby. Factor in spouses and, even when only a fraction of us get together, it’s a rowdy crowd. Nanny raised children who laugh easily and love much. This gave me aunts and uncles who are like second parents, and it gave me cousins who are like brothers and sisters.
She’s gone by many names… Granny. Nanny. T. Yes, T. She is downright famous for her sweet tea, which none of us can duplicate. I have literally dreamed I was in her backyard scooping tea out of a barrel. My cousin spent several years in her toddlerhood referring to Granny T. True story. She also makes the best fried hamburger you ever ate. Ever. In your whole life. And brocooli casserole. Chicken casserole. Corn pudding. Sour cream muffins… Thanksgiving at Nanny’s is quite the wonder.
I had the privilege of being in Bible study with Nanny. That woman loves Jesus. Even her name, Gloria Hope, is a prayer. She has this steady love for him that glows on her face, permeates her entire life with gentleness that is a rock in our family. She didn’t say much, but when she did, everybody listened because it came straight from her spirit. She’s a giver too. At 85, she volunteers every week at the hospital.
She has a rod of steel in place of a spine, I just know it. There’s no other way she could bear up under the things she has endured in her life. She lost her father when she was young, suffered through cancer and all that went with it, and lost her husband in her fifties. In one year, she lost her son-in-law to cancer, endured a five-way bypass, lost her youngest daughter, and walked her oldest through cancer as well… There has been much grief in her life. Much that would make the average person crumble. But not my Nanny. The beauty of her is that she knows Jesus is in charge and He loves her, that He’s going to work all of this out for good in the end. I don’t know many people who could endure what she’s gone through, but she has, with the strength that only comes from leaning on Jesus.
When you read Jemma, you see pieces of Nanny in her. And pieces of my other grandmother as well. You’ll meet her next week, so come back to visit! And if you’d like to read Quilted by Christmas, you can find the link here!
How about you? Care to share any remarkable things about your grandmother?
Richard Young says
Mine is pretty great as well, she sounds VERY similar 😉
It weighs on me being so far away from everyone at times, but reading this was the highlight of my day and is a great reminder of how wonderful my family is!
Jodie says
I hear ya. This family… I’m pretty sure it’s the best in the world.
Ann Ellison says
I had two amazing grandmothers. My grandmother on my mother’s side lived to be 103 and she had a young soul until the day she passed away. I can still hear her saying “I look in the mirror and see an old lady but on the inside I still feel 16. ” I loved sitting by her in church and singing alto with her to all the old hymns. My dad’s mother had been a teacher and she encouraged my love of reading. I would sit in her lap while she worked crossword puzzles. She had dementia and after she got to the point she couldn’t figure out the puzzles she saved the puzzle from the date before and then copied the answers in the current one. I spent many summers growing up at both grandparents and have many sweet memories from those days. I am blessed now to be able to create these memories with my own grandchildren.
Jodie says
That’s so beautiful, Ann. You’re blessed to have had your grandmothers and blessed to pass along the grandmothering now. Thanks for sharing!
Melanie Philip says
Mine was awesome! She died when I was 14, but she was a wonderful example of God’s grace, she didn’t beat the cancer the second time, but she knew God had a plan in all of it. she was the best!
Jodie says
Sometimes I know we don’t understand WHY God does what He does, but it helps to understand that he DOES know what He’s doing, even when it makes zero sense to us. Sounds like your grandmother had a firm grip on His hand and passed that on to you.
karen smith says
My Grandma, she took care of me all my life, oh my mom was around but not like a mom, it was my Grandma, who fixed my uniform for school every day, I had a starched white blouse, blue skirt ,and the straight hair that nothing would help. My Grandma would get so upset with my teacher every time a report card came out because I had hair that you couldn’t do a thing with my grade in appearance was never good. She would feel so bad for me. I am 74 right now an I miss her more every day. It hurts talking about her because I miss her so much.