Happy birthday, Grandma!

For those of you who've never met my Grandmother, let me describe her to you. She is a petite woman, slim and highly energetic. She can out-talk anyone. She has three children, eight grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

Some of my earliest memories are going up the path through the ivy to visit Grandma and Grandaddy. Their house was always warm and inviting. Warm yellows and browns. Lots of pictures. A chalkboard in the hall. Carpet everywhere.

From Grandma, I learned the fine points of table manners and place settings. She often cooked us Chicken Divan served with buttered sourdough toast. I made this meal often when I was first married and I still serve it regularly today.

She often mended things for my family while I was growing up. She also had clothes that she'd get from people who were getting rid of their old things and we'd go through those to see what we could use. She taught us how to put outfits together. For instance, when you're going to go buy something, you need to ask yourself if there are other things that go with it. Make sure that you can make at least three different outfits with one article of clothing. She sewed and enjoyed crafty things and home decor.

I think that's why I like crochet so much.

When she sold her home after Granddaddy died, she moved to her condo and decorated it in blue and rose. Those were my favorite colors for years and years. A lot of how I decorate my home today is because of Grandma.

When I came over for a few days, I'd be tucked into the hide-a-bed in the living room and Grandma would do what she'd done all my life whenever I slept over. She'd talked to me until it was all I could do to keep my eyes open. Oh, how she'd talk! She'd talk about the people that she knew, past and present, about church and missionaries and ministry, about books she'd read, and about God. Always about God. And then she'd pray for me and I'd go gratefully to sleep!

Grandma is 90 now. She lives in a retirement center where she has downsized to a room, alcove area, bathroom and a big closet. She has long since given up driving, but her computer keeps humming while she works on her memoirs. She emails everybody every day. She holds a Bible study and has many visitors. Because she has a hole in her heart, a problem that she's had since birth, she now rides the halls to the dining hall in her motorized "car".

My college days weren't too long ago. It wasn't too long ago when she was driving me from Biola to downtown Los Angeles, where I worked at a Korean church. She gave up her Sunday mornings at her own beloved church to take me to teach Sunday School to Korean kids. She zipped around in her car just like she walks -- FAST! And she'd attend the Korean service for the adults while I worked with the kids and then we'd zip on back to Biola. We took those times to pray together and catch up with what was going on.

I introduced her to my boyfriend at that time and held my breath while they talked together. Keith is a talker and Grandma is a talker. Right away, they had some pretty serious theology discussions. They both survived them and Keith got the stamp of approval from Grandma. I married him three years later.

Grandma has always been involved in some kind of ministry for the Kingdom. She has always talked about the Lord's return. May it come quickly. Although there are many times when I would think, "Lord, maybe not THAT quickly," like when I was about to get married, or when I was going to have a baby, or when we were about to buy our new house! Grandma, a dyed in the wool, pre-trib rapture believer! Still, I can't fault her for her yearning to some day see the Lord face to face. I imagine that even a new husband, baby or house could even remotely compare to THAT!

She has always been involved in some kind of ministry. She was saved as a young wife and mother. Granddaddy went to jail once a week to minister to the people there. Grandma was involved in Bible study and helping missionaries. One day, her oldest daughter, my mother, became a missionary in Central America and eventually I came on the scene as a MK. Grandma and Granddaddy came for visits to Guatemala and Honduras and we would come home on furlough to freeways, houses with carpeted floors, fast food, English, and Grandma and Granddaddy's house!

She became involved in women's Bible study, and then later, when she became a widow, helped other widows. She also counseled women in their marriages. Her Bible is tattered from use. She's always clipping articles and putting them together in care packages for her loved ones. Every once in a while, even way off in Georgia, I'll get a pile of recipes, articles, puzzles, etc. from Grandma. She got us a subscription for Citizen Magazine for Christmas.

Most of all, I can't remember a time I have not gone for a visit and not been introduced to anyone in the vicinity by a proud Grandma. "So-and-so (it didn't matter who it was -- pastor -- janitor -- neighbor -- stranger off the street), this is my OLDEST granddaughter . . . " and then would follow a list of my latest accomplishments, however embellished by a proud grandparent they were. I'd nod and smile with the full knowledge of family pride and hope that the person at the other end understood that I was truly a regular human being and that my Grandmother was proud of me!

And so I nearly burst with pride myself when I see my Grandmother take Keri Lynn by the arm to thrust her proudly before whoever happens to be around, "So-and-so, I'd like you to meet my GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER . . . "

So, Grandma, this is for you. Thank you for the loving Christian heritage you've given to me and my family. Thank you for your support over so many years. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for teaching me through example. If I can be half as tech-savvy, half as well-dressed, half as hard-working as you when and if I should reach 90, then I'll be a happy woman. May God bless you as you enter into another decade! Happy birthday!

Love,
Jackie