Tuesday March 3, 2020
Today is my Grandmother’s birthday. She would not be thrilled that I’m telling you because she turned 96 and hasn’t been happy with celebrating birthday’s for a long time.
We talked for over an hour about life. Even her voice is precious to me, I want to soak it in and have it pour over me like a soothing balm for my soul.
We’ve always been close.
She calls me honey just like I now call my grandbabies honey.
We reminisced about long ago times, good times with my grandpa. I asked her if she’d ever considered getting remarried after he passed away. I knew the answer.
No she said. There was only ever him.
When he passed away she never again slept in their bed or stayed in their room. A part of her was gone, never to be replaced.
I read Psalm 20 today. The entire chapter is underlined in my Bible because it speaks deep into my heart. Grandma and I talked about the battle she faces each day with too much time to think. She’s fighting the lies that tell her she may not be saved and that her soul may not be safe.
I realized again how vulnerable our seniors are to spiritual warfare. It can be so dark, so cold, so terrifying. Often they feel so alone. This chapter in Psalms spoke just the right words into her heart today as we talked on the phone.
may the Lord answer you in your distress my beloved Grandma
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you beloved Grandma
may he send you help from the from his very sanctuary my beloved Grandma
and grant you support from his holy hill
may he remember that he cleansed your sins forever my beloved Grandma
may he give you what you long for my beloved Grandma
may he bless what you’ve set your heart towards my beloved Grandma
I’ll shout for joy through my raging tears when you are victorious in seeing Jesus face to face some day my precious Grandma
I’ll tell everyone I know that you loved the Lord my beloved Grandma
it is the Lord, he saved you because he is God my precious Grandma
it is the Lord who answers your prayers and wipes away your tears my beloved Grandma
we spoke today about trusting in Jesus rather than all the horses and chariots in the world beloved Grandma
we spoke today about the strength we receive when we fully place our hands into his beloved Grandma
we spoke today about rising up and standing firm, fighting back the enemy beloved Grandma
thank you for teaching me that he will answer us when we call my most precious and beloved Grandma
may your horses and chariots be the word of God and your mighty prayers and may you find renewed strength and revived hope as each new day dawns
Thank you for praying for me all these years. Thank you for wearing out the carpet by your kitchen table as you knelt to pray with Grandpa for me every single day. Thank you for letting me see you cry when you spoke to the Lord, I never deserved the investment of prayer and tears that you sowed on my behalf before the Lord.
I love you forever and always.