My best friend’s grandma passed away two days ago. So my thoughts are with her and her family today as they both prepare for a funeral and celebrate Thanksgiving, which I’m sure includes being thankful for Grandma’s life and all she meant to them. It’s been a rough year for them, and my prayers are with them today. And I’m thankful they’re in my life.
Thanksgiving Day always brings back strong memories of my grandma whom I lovingly called Nanny. She unexpectedly passed away on Thanksgiving Day of 1996. Nanny meant so much to me and my life; she was MUCH more than a wonderful grandmother. Nanny is a huge part of the reason I’m a Christian. In the early years, when I lived with one or the other of my parents, she would call the Nazarene church in whatever town I lived in and ask them to come pick my brother and I up for church every Sunday, and they did. Later, when I moved into her house, she took me herself, every Sunday and Wednesday. She read the Bible to me and sang beautiful hymns to me. I would get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and find her reading her Bible and praying under the light of the vent-a-hood over the stove. I owe my relationship with God in part to Nanny.
Nanny dedicated her life to raising not only her kids, but her grandkids as well. She gave up A LOT for all of us, and I am so honored and thankful that she was my Nanny. Two of my children are named in part after her. And I draw much of my strength from my memories of her. She was a strong, selfless woman; I aspire to be like her.
I think of Nanny more on Thanksgiving Day not only because she passed away on this day but also because she made Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners so memorable. We were very poor, but somehow we feasted on those days. She spent countless hours in the kitchen, as many mothers and grandmothers do on this day, making everyone’s favorites. She did it gladly and without complaint. She let me help with the fruit salad each year. That’s why, to this day, I make fruit salad for every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. It reminds me of her; not to mention it tastes so good.
So, on this Thanksgiving Day, I thank God for my Nanny and remember her so fondly. And when I eat my fruit salad later today, I will think to myself, “Here’s to you, Nanny.”
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
It is good to have one day in a year designated for the expression of gratefulness. We do not have one here in Malaysia. But I am always in the mood for gratefulness. Hope you don’t mind me joining in. Your president, Abraham Lincoln is so wise!
The world would be less chaotic, it would be a more peaceful place if each one of us has the awareness in him that there are plenty for which he should be thankful for.
Gratefulness gives us contentment and peace of mind. These two qualities help reduce our stress level which helps greatly in keeping us healthy.
To remind myself of my good fortune, I have drawn up a list for my daily expression of giving thanks.
http://novice101.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/now-is-as-good-a-time-as-any-for-thankfulness
Hey my friend! I just saw this and wanted to thank you. Grandma always loved you and asked about you. We miss her so much. And I miss your Nanny too. She was a wonderful person. Always so kind when I came over. Love you!