Last Monday, February 28th my great-grandmother, Marie Hunter, or Nana as we called her, was able to go home. Her desire to be at home with the Lord was something we were all very aware of and any sadness was simply because we will miss her until we see her again. I don't know if I could ever express how much she taught me and challenged my faith. Her life was an incredible example of how to live every second for the glory of God. Her funeral was inspiring as so many people were touched by her life and love for Jesus.
In 2004, I was given the opportunity to write an essay answering the question, "If you could have lunch with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?" The following is the answer I gave, that I was able to read aloud at Nana's funeral last week: "If I were able to have lunch with any one person tomorrow it would be my great-grandmother Nana. Being 90, every time I get to see her could be my last, so any time I am allowed to spend with her would be one more cherished moment with one of the biggest influences in my life. In a time when single mothers were not very common, she raised three children in Dallas during the hard times of the 1930s and 1940s. In the midst of many hard times, she has always maintained a strong faith and an inspiring love for her family.
If I could eat lunch with her she would probably ask me one of the first things she always does, "Darlin' girl, is there a boy in your life?" I would answer as always with a humorous, "no." Of all the things she has done in her lifetime some of the few that stand out to me are how she raised her children during such hard times and what it was like to work on a Corrie Ten Boom exhibit at Dallas Baptist University. Our lunch would consist of me asking a few questions and then proceeding to listen. Her life experiences and her continual faith in God have been a witness to thousands who have crossed her path. How luck I am to have such a remarkable woman as my great-grandmother and how blessed I have been to experience her presence in my life is one thing I am currently thankful to God for. "
I hope that if I make it to be 97 or if God takes me sooner, that I will have followed her example and lived every moment for the sake of the Gospel. I am blessed to have known such a giant in the faith and to be a part of her legacy.
"Our children too shall serve Him, for they shall hear from us about the wonders of the Lord." ~Psalm 22:30
2 comments:
This is so precious Kimbo! I remember you talking about your great-grandmother this summer. After hearing you talk and reading what you wrote, she surely must have been a special lady.
Kimberly ... I have just now read your post about Nana, and enjoyed again the words you read at her funeral. Thank you for saying beautifully what so many of us feel. She was the proof of "the legacy of love" God promises ... You are the proof as well. Grace and peace to you, Susan
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