Today my precious Grandma turns 90.
90!
She has seen so much in her lifetime. Her mother died young, leaving Grandma and her younger siblings in the care of her parents. Grandma was raised in the mountains of West Virginia, and until she joined the Navy during World War II, she did not even know her exact birthday. Illegitimate children in those days and that area did not have a birth certificate or record of birth.
So she joined the Navy, and they took Willie Bea Ellison with no birthday. They renamed her Wilma Beatrice Ellison, with a birthdate of 8/19/1920.
In 1945 she married my Grandpa, and in time had my Uncle Bob. Thirteen years later, my Mom came along, and three years later OOPS ... welcome Uncle Paul!
Grandma has faithfully lived for the Lord for over 50 years. My favorite childhood memories are of her puttering around her house in the summer mornings, but at 10:00am the TV was off - the radio was off - it was her time with the Lord. She would sit in her recliner and read her bible, pray a bit, read some more, call her prayer partner. She has always been an encourager, writing birthday and holiday cards for missionaries. Even as she gets more feeble, she teaches a Bible study in her nursing home.
She's been old as long as I can remember, but it is just in the last few years as her health declines that I see what a vibrant young woman she must have been. Her eyes are still feisty! It is always such a joy to receive a birthday card, or "thinking of you" card from her. You have to read it out loud, because even before LOL and emoticons were invented, she would write something funny and then hahaha after it. Underlined, no doubt, to emphasize that she actually laughed when she was writing it.
Mom is organizing a card shower for her, and can you believe, I forgot to mail a card? I'm hoping Mom will print this off for her, so Grandma can see that I told the whole internet just how special she is. Our family will be in Heaven because she persevered through trials and tribulations to dig out a walk with God, to leave a legacy of faithfulness for us to follow.
Happy birthday, Grandma. Keep the faith!
3 comments:
Spend time with her and enjoy her. I just lost my grandmother, Marie aka FeFe, in May. She was a great woman. I loved her and have only fond memories and no regrets. Great Godly woman.
Happy Birthday to your Grandma.
Beautifully said my lovely wife:) Thankfully you have many of the same great qualities in you that she has passed down throughout the years. I love you babe.
Mr. Lemon
Such a wonderful tribute to your grandmother! I'm always so jealous of people who know/knew their grandparents...3 of mine passed away before I was born; my maternal grandmother was in poor health. We only saw her every 2 years.
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