Today, after 93 ½ years of living and 76 1/2 years of marriage, Jesus decided today was Grace Meeder Beaumont's last day on earth. Although tears flow as I write this, inside my heart is so happy that she is finally with Jesus, a place she has longed to be for a while now. What better gift could a granddaughter have to know her grandma is with Jesus?
God blessed my mom with quick thinking on New Years Day that saved my grandma’s life when she performed the Heimlich on her when a piece of chicken got stuck in her throat. My mom thought she had failed and that my grandma had already gone to see Jesus when an EMT came out from the kitchen of Wendy’s and gave her additional instructions that caused the piece to come out just as the paramedics arrived. My mom remembers saying “Oh God” when she thought after 5 attempts that grandma was gone and that was the moment the EMT arrived. No chance occurrence in God’s economy. (Also thankful for a quick thinking dad getting 911 and moving my grandpa so my mom could get to my grandma). God prolonged her life for an additional week, for reasons we may or may not ever know. I am sure there will be someone in heaven because of the testimony that occurred this last week of her life and what a joy that will be.
The picture in this post is from November. My grandparents ate at Wendy’s every day and the staff loves them so much they have made a reserved sign for their special table.
I consider myself so blessed to have forty some years of memories of my grandma, to have felt her love, prayer and encouragement for all those years. I was blessed to have just spent Christmas with both my grandparents and parents watching grandma my last night enjoy “dinner” of the cut out Christmas cookies I made along with ice cream. I am confident they truly are her favorite cookie, but sometimes it is hard to tell as Grandma always loved everything I made because she loved me! I am thankful for such a good last memory of our dinner in which she insisted we get out holiday napkins and place mats so we ate in style.
About 7 years ago I came across a journal in the bookstore titled A Mother’s Legacy. I bought one for my grandma, mom and sister to fill out. We are always so busy doing life we never have time to document our stories for future generations. I was reading her journal again tonight and I thought I would pull from it to share some “lessons” in addition to other words of wisdom she gave over the years. One of the things she noted in the journal was her wish that she would die before grandpa, as she couldn’t imagine living without him; God chose to honor her request.
I would encourage you to a journal together if you are a parent, grandparent or give one to your parents/grandparents so you have this treasure of information. You can find the journal on all the major book sites and it is around $10.
Lessons Learned
1. Thank you notes are a must. – Grandma lost her mother at age 13 and the aunts who were in charge of teaching her etiquette instilled the art of thank you notes. Even this past Christmas, my grandma had the list of all the gift givers and gifts and had her thank you note out the week of Christmas.
2. When you leave the house dress for success - even at the age of 93, grandma ensured when she left the house she had her make up on, her hair looking good and her outfit coordinated. Even on Election Day, she said she needed to look good to go vote. She would always remind me wearing sweats outside of the house was not the way to make a good impression.
3.A slip is a must when wearing a dress/skirt - modesty is always in style and there was never a day, even with her severe osteoporosis that she would think of going out without her slip. It might have required adjustments based on how she hunched, but the slip was non negotiable.
4. Good things are worth the wait. Growing up we lived about 3-½ hrs from my grandparents. I always hated to leave and the tears would flow so grandma started making what she called “Thruway boxes”. In New York, the main road is the Thruway. We had at least 30 minutes to the Thruway from grandma’s house so we were given our shoeboxes full of goodies and treasures but couldn’t open them until we got on the Thruway. The box was always worth the wait.
5. When you can’t sleep – pray. Grandma was a prayer warrior. One that I took great comfort in as when she couldn’t sleep at night she would get up and pray for her family, her version of counting her sheep.
6. Always remember the truth – Jesus loves you! In the journal she recalled one night she came home from school and her parents and sisters hadn’t returned. It was getting dark and she started singing “Jesus loves me” she continued singing until they came home. She noted in the journal “at the age of 86 he is still with me today”.
7. Be willing to work hard for what you want. Grandpa proposed to grandma when she was 16 and he was 19. Her father said she must finish high school before she could marry. So in her senior year she added a class before school and one after school so she could graduate a year early and get married. She was married a month after she graduated at 17 years of age.
8. Saving is a way of life. My grandfather always said he made half the money and my grandma saved the other half!
9. Always set a nice table. Regardless of who is eating and what type of meal, make your guests feel special.
10. Together we achieve more. One vacation I came across an embroidery sampler that wasn’t finished. I asked if I could finish what she started as she was no longer embroidering. Our masterpiece is now displayed in their living room. I love to visit and see our handiwork.
Guiding Light
The journal asks what scriptures/books you turn to for inspiration or guidance. Grandma’s inspiration:
Matthew 5:6: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Matthew 6:33-34: But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has enough worry of its own.
Matthew 7:7: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:13-14: Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Celebrating her life
Today I took my favorite bike route along the ocean to take time to reflect my memories of grandma and celebrate her life. I always default to Steven Curtis Chapman when I am in need of a boost and one of the songs that played on my iPod was “Last Day on Earth. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGCF9nJZt5Mt it was a reminder to me that I have accountability for each day that God gives me, what will I do with them? What have I still to do? What do I need to edit out to make room for what I am still to do? Those are questions I am wrestling now as I know Grandma would want me too and she will continue to cheer me on in heaven.
I know for sure when grandma saw Jesus today he said “Well done.”
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