A Grandmother's Love

As I look at nature all around me, I think of my Grandma Geneva and how she loved the flowers, the trees, the clouds in the sky and yes, even the bees.Some called her Lucy because her middle name was Lucille. Grandma had pretty white hair and a beautiful smile, a gleam in her soft blue eyes that sparkled and shined.And when she told stories of long ago,about living the days with her Mother and Father, her Brothers and Sisters. I listened quietly as Grandpa sat in his chair reading his newspaper .It was so quiet in the house, you could have heard a pin drop, that is how interesting Grandma's stories were to me. I was only a child but I held on to every word that Grandma Geneva would tell me. She told some really good and exciting stories and even funny ones while she was baking cookies or cooking the evening supper. I could listen for hours, I never wanted the stories to stop. My Grandma was a busy, busy woman, She had many things to do,it never mattered how tired she was,she kept on going until her daily chores were done and while she would do her chores, I would play with old buttons and Grandma's pretty jewelry, the old Christmas wrapping paper that Grandma would keep. I loved the colorful beads and Grandma's big rings that I would put on my finger. I was a queen with Grandma's jewelry on. But many, many times while looking up at my Grandma, I remember seeing sweat pour down her face. Grandma worked the big garden along side of my Grandpa and then come in and make sure we all had supper on the table .It was never just sandwiches, it was the full course meal, the biscuits and gravy, the mashed potatoes, the meat. We always had our belly full, Grandma made sure of it. There was so much to love about Grandma, the sugar cookies she baked, the mashed potatoes, the yummy pumpkin pies and the good biscuits, they would melt in your mouth. She was a wonderful cook, not any of the fancy stuff but the good ole fashioned cooking from the south. She was from the beautiful state of Tennessee. She made the best jellies every year from her own apple trees and the strawberries from her garden. And flowers, Grandma was just crazy about the many varieties of flowers, they were every where you looked in her yard. Anyone who came to Grandma's house loved the flowers too, and when her visitors would leave, she would give them some flowers to take home to put into a vase. She always said that the good Lord gave her strength.I believe that the Lord gave her kindness and lots of love too, she had the kindest heart of anyone I know, her heart was so warm and full of love, and in the most cruelest person, Grandma found the best in them. And she taught me to do the same. She would tell me that this is the way Jesus wants us to live, to treat others with kindness and love. and if someone is hungry or needs help, help them .Anyone who knocked at her door,whether she knew them or not, she offered to feed them and feed them alot.She never wanted anyone to leave her house hungry, she sent them on their way with a jar of her best homemade jelly. She made raspberry, strawberry, grape and even apple butter. Grandma made the best unlike no other. My Grandma was a very smart and rich lady, when I say rich I don't mean moneywise rich, I mean rich with love, politeness, strength, honesty, beauty, a writer of songs and the prettiest poems you ever heard. My Grandma was very special to me, I thanked the Lord for giving me such a special Grandma, she taught me so much and also loved me so much, we were very close. A valuable lesson that I learned from Grandma Geneva, was to always love the Lord with all my heart and to be good to people, if I did all this, she said I would be able to go to Heaven one day and laugh and sing with the good Lord and all of the angels. Then she would smile and give me the biggest hug, Grandma's hugs were worth a million bucks to me. My Grandma Geneva taught me so much, how to cook and how to crochet, to make quilts and how to plant flowers. She was such a very talented Grandma too,she loved to write songs and poems.We would make up songs together and she would let me go through her jewelry, I would put on her beads and wear her hat proudly. Grandma always said I looked so pretty, just like a queen.I would dance around and say I love you Grandma, so loudly.Those words will be with me as long as I live..Such kind words always came from her When it came to Grandmas, mine was the best.One year, we lost Grandpa,but Grandma stayed strong, I knew that she cried, but never in front of me.She said the Lord called him home,and she soon would be going too,but for now, Grandma would be happy living out the rest of her life living for the good Lord. and spending time with her grandchildren. But the older that Grandma got, the more that she reminisced and I believed that she was ready to go home to be with the Lord. she had outlived all of her Brothers and Sisters, and even outlived her friends. Then a few years after Grandpa passed away, my Father, her Son, was diagnosed with a brain tumor, stage 4, the worse kind. I felt my heart break into, as a twig from a tree snaps. And my eyes were so swollen as I had been crying for days. Grandma lived her life for God in every way, how could this all be happening? I didn't think I would ever understand. But every morning before Grandma would start her day, she would reach for her Bible beside the bed and read some, then she would pray her daily prayer to the Lord.She taught me to sing and to laugh and to pray. Grandma told me that the Lord has a plan for us all, and though we do not understand it, it's the Lord's will. My Grandma sure was good at explaining things. She had a great heart that had a bright light, she said that Jesus lived there and gave her wisdom and sight. I so believed that, Grandma loved all people and made the best of the worse of times, She had been through the depression and seen many things, she kept everything like pieces of yarn, old Christmas wrapping paper, Styrofoam cups, etc. .that is what the depression did to people. My Father had passed away. I prayed and prayed and prayed. He died at the age of 69, leaving my Grandma alive at the age of 93. She still got around good and seemed to be holding up, better than we expected. Grandma lived a long time and taught me so much. I will always remember her love and her soft gentle touch. When I was very cold, she bundled me warm and made me hot tea. In everything she did, she let me know that she loved me. We did everything together, she was my best friend.And though she lived for 95 years, her life on the earth it had to end. As Jesus called her home, one sunny Spring day to live in Heaven forever. I didn't want her to leave, no never.But Grandma said do not cry and keep on living the good life

My Grandmother Geneva(Some called her Lucy),She was the greatest Grandmother ever, she taught me so much, how to love God, to pray and to live the right way. She taught me how to save things, how to can foods and how to cook, and even how to make quilts and how to crochet. I loved this woman with all my heart. She passed away at the age of 95. She loved all people and even found the good in bad people.

A Grandparent can mean so much in a child's life, to teach them so much about life and how to live it right. A good Grandparent should have patience with the child or children, be able to tell the greatest stories of their childhoods, teach things such as canning, how to plant flowers, in other words, be able to take the time to spend with the child and do things together, reading books is quality time. There are so many things a Grandparent can do to help a child through life, and when the child grows up, they will always remember their Grandparent and what they were taught by them. Then they can begin to teach their child. I will always remember my Grandmother Geneva and what she meant to me. I hope that I can be just like her when I become a Grandparent.

My Grandmother who loved gardening, reading her Bible, Canning, sewing, quilting, and most of all, she loved planting her flowers and watching them grow.

Be the best Grandparent you can be, make a big difference in a grand daughter or grandson's life. The way you treat them will help them become great Mother's or Father's or even great grand parents. I will always remember my Grandma and how she helped me to learn, how to have manners and to treat others with respect. She taught me so much. She was a special woman who wrote poems and songs and wasn't afraid to read her poems or sing her songs in front of anyone. She read her Bible every morning before she started out her day and at night before bed, she said her bedtime prayers. Everyone loved her. She gave her heart to people and knew Jesus personally.