It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years already. There aren’t many days that go by that I don’t think about Grandma. It is such a blessing that I have so many good memories.
No one has ever given me $1 for seeing the first spring robin, or let me eat off a plate that says I am special, or could turn a shrug of a shoulder and a tap of the foot into a dance, or wrote poems for me and published them in the paper….no one that is except my grandma. Gone but never forgotten. Grandma Evelyn Alexander (GG) 4/4/33-8/13/11
I remember my grandma. I remember her smile. I remember how she could turn the shrug of a shoulder and the tap of a foot into a dance. I remember the songs she would sing. I remember the silly jokes she would tell. I remember her giving me a dollar every spring when I saw the first robin. I remember the joy she brought with her wherever she went. I remember how much she loved Jesus, and how much she loved me.
What do you call cheese that isn’t yours?
NACHO cheese!
one of Grandma’s silly jokes
Grandma was active in children’s ministry back before there were children’s pastors. She knew the importance of teaching kids about Jesus, and she did that. And she did it well.
Grandma was the life of the party. Ask anyone who attended the family bridal showers about “The Shoe Game.” As silly as it was, her shoe game will make anyone smile when they remember.
Grandma was a clown. A real clown. She wrote skits and practiced magic tricks. She even printed her own fliers to advertise. Grandma performed at birthday parties and church events. She loved being around kids.
“Ooga Booga Booga Boo
Ooga Booga Booga Boo!”
Grandma’s magic words when doing her tricks
Grandma would have made me a birthday cake every year, but she knew I preferred pies, so every year she baked me a cherry pie. As she got older and less able to cook, she didn’t forget about me and she gave me a can of cherry pie filling and a premade crust so I could still have my pie.
When we were younger there was always a contest to see who would spy out the first robin after the snow went away. Grandma gave $1 to whoever saw it first. (she probably gave everyone $1, that’s just how she was).
Remember the Beanie Baby Craze? Grandma LOVED her beanies. She had tons of them. And she collected the cards to go with them. She would buy them by the case from Cracker Barrell. She was even a member of the Beanie Babies Official Club, which meant she mailed on and got special beanies and certificates.
When I was older and could visit her on my own, grandma was known to disappear into her room sometime during the visit, not gone for long though. When I would leave and give her a hug she would reach into her gown pocket and slip me the $20 she got out of her room ‘for gas money’. She continued that even after I was married.
Grandma loved taking photos with her 35mm camera. I sometimes think she was ahead of her times. I remember seeing photos of selfies Grandma took. Back then you couldn’t see the picture when you took it, you had to wait until the film was developed to see what image you captured. Needless to say the selfies she took were pretty funny.
Grandma was known for cutting heads off people in her photos. She was a short lady, and always claimed she was too short to take good pictures. Oh Grandma!
Grandma liked to write. She wrote letters, she wrote skits, sometimes she wrote a journal that usually consisted of her daily activities, or what she was going to give all the grandkids for Christmas. She wrote lots of silly little poems. On several occassions she had her poems about us grandkids published in the local papers.
Of the many notes I have come across, this one stands out for sure. Grandma was using emojis long before they were popular. In fact they didn’t exist, so she made her own!
When we were younger we looked forward to Grandma’s Homemade Coupon Books. Little slips of paper with all of our favorite things. It was not something she just did. She put a lot of thought into those for us. After she was gone, I found a notebook with all of the ideas she thought of before she made the books. Among my favorite was “Good for one game of Canasta” (I loved playing cards and dominoes with my grandparents), “Good for one cherry pie” and “Good for one free backrub”.
It’s been 10 years. Sometimes it feels like forever and sometimes it seems like just yesterday.
In Joshua Chapter 4 we read the account of God parting the Jordan River for the Isralites to cross. Once they crossed God had Joshua choose 12 rocks to take with them. Stones they would use as reminders of what God had done for them.
Anytime someone in future generations would ask about the stones, the history would be share about how God provided a way across the river. They would be reminded of when God helped them cross the Red Sea to escape Egypt. The rocks served as a memorial for God’s goodness.
I am glad I have memories of Grandma. I am grateful for the photos and the stories I can share. She is an example of God’s light shining through someone. These memories and photos serve as a tribute and a reminder for God’s blessing in my life.
Interested in a family activity to help you remember someone or something God has done for you? Make some reminder rocks!
How about you? Do you have things in your life that remind you of God’s goodness? Or some great memories of someone no longer with us? Post a comment and let us know.
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