Thursday, March 6, 2008

Great Grandma Belle

My Grandma Belle,

My great grandma belle passed away yesterday. She was a wonderful and funny woman! She was 97 years old and loved being active. A few weeks ago she came down with pnuemonia and was forced to rest and be on oxygen. She was not very happy about that. My cousin Christy and I went and spent some time with her on saturday just talking and laughing with her. Her favorite subject was the gospel, everything tied back to the gospel. One time when I was about 18 I told her something that had happened to me, and said that I was so lucky. She stood up as tall as she could, pointed her finger at me and said, "there is no such thing as luck, and I don't ever want to hear you say that! Every piece of 'luck' we have is really a blessing from Heavenly Father, so don't say 'I'm lucky' say 'I'm so blessed." That's always kinda stuck with me, and now I really do find myself recognizing my blessings verses attributing it all to luck. She was a fireball of a woman! Chris and I visited her on sunday for a while. It was a very neat experience. She didn't want to talk to me hardly at all (she had talked to me the day before) she only wanted Chris to talk. Right before we left we had a very special experience. I felt the spirit prompt me to ask her if she would like a blessing from Chris, but before I could ask her, she asked Chris. Chris gladly accepted and in the blessing told her that it wasn't her time to go quite yet, even though she felt like she was ready. Well she recovered from the pnuemonia a few days after our visit. A little over a week later her body began to shut down. Food and water no longer tasted good, and she didn't want to eat. Then on Tuesday she fell and broke her hip. She didn't want to go to the hospital so the home where she was at put her on morphine and made her as comfortable as possible. Our family was alerted that normally when this happens they pass very quickly. Luckily everyone in our family had been able to spend some quality time with grandma in the last couple weeks so when she passed wednesday morning with some of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren around her, she knew how much she was loved here on earth.
Instead of being sad, we are so happy for her! 97 years! She and my Grandpa were converts to the church and later temple workers. For Grandma Belle church service was a huge part of her life and brought her so much joy! My great grandparent's amazing faith has been passed to everyone in their family! My great grandpa passed away when I was in my early teens so I am so happy that they have finally been reunited! It's amazing how knowing the plan of happiness really can turn what the rest of the world may see as tragic, into something so wonderful! I'm sure she got up there, hugged grandpa Webb, and said ok, let's get to work, we have no time to waste! Hopefully when I'm 97 I can have that kind of attitude...I'm 24 and trying to obtain that attitude right now...it's really a work in progress. Horaay for Grandma Belle! She ran the race and fought the good fight, and I'm sure she is hearing Heavenly Father say "Well Done!"

No comments:

Forever!!!