Thankful Thursday: Mammaw

I am thankful for so many things this week. If you read previous posts you can find out what's been going on in our lives.

March 11, 2009 Mammaw (my husband's dear grandmother) went home to be with Jesus. We know she is at peace and rejoicing in heaven. It does bring comfort. She has always been such a strong woman. We got a call about 2:30 in the morning that her breathing patterns had changed and the nurse again thought she would go soon. We expected to get a call back that she was gone. She hung on till lunchtime, though, when her three daughters and her younger grandson were out of the room.

This week has been a week of learning experiences for me. I have so much to be thankful for and am glad for a chance to be part of Thankful Thursday. In so many ways I saw God's hand the past week.

* I am thankful for Mammaw and the life she lived, the example she was. She was so very special to my husband for his whole life. They had a special grandparent/grandchild relationship. He introduced me to her on his birthday weekend. After meeting me one time she introduced me to someone as her future granddaughter. I guess Mammaw's just know these things. :) That was always a special memory for me.

* I am thankful for all the people who have prayed for us and shown support for the family. I've seen people reaching out with hugs, prayers, calls, emails, and visits. Some have already brought food too. It makes you thankful for friends and thankful people care during a time like this.

* I am thankful for my dear sweet husband. Pray for him. Friday will be his 30th birthday (yes I'm exactly two weeks older than him.) We know all the firsts without Mammaw are going to be especially tough over the coming year and here is the first one. Please lift him up in prayer and that Caleb and I will do just the right things to give him just the kind of day he needs. I know Mammaw wouldn't want us to skip over his birthday because we are missing her!

* I am thankful for my dear sweet Caleb. I have so many stories to share about him. Was it easy for him to go to the hospital for several days and be entertained in small waiting rooms? Definitely not. But he was a trooper. We are all so proud of him. He was sensitive to us. He was a ray of sunshine to everyone he met. He was there when we needed him.

* I am thankful for God's timing. Weeks ago my husband was discouraged that his conference where he had to give a speech was scheduled for the first week of March this year. Other years this conference is always the middle or end of March. Looking back we are grateful for this schedule because the conference already happened, and my husband was finished with his speech and didn't have to worry about. Another thing about God's timing: Last week on Tuesday before Mammaw entered the hospital, one of her daughters found her and thought she was already gone. They got an ambulance and took her to the hospital. It was so serious that we could have lost her then. Why did God let her hang on for another week I've wondered? I feel maybe it's so we could all be there with her and tell her of our love and good byes. His timing is perfect.

* I am thankful we have a home in Heaven. It is such a wonderful hope we have to look forward to and anticipate. We didn't want to tell Mammaw goodbye in our earthly flesh. We know we will miss her. But we know also that she is in Heaven and we rejoice over that.

Once again I want to thank all of you who have read my entries and offered prayers for us. Keep those coming. We appreciate them. I'm not sure when I'll be back to regular posting or reading blogs. I need prayers myself because my throat is scratchy and I have an achy back.

Thank you for visiting. Join us for more Thankful Thursday posts by visiting Lynn.

This passage really blessed me this week (I Corinthians 5:1-10):

1Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
6Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7We live by faith, not by sight. 8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.