The past month truly has been mixtures of joy and sorrow with several loved ones going home to be with the Lord. I wrote about a month ago about dear sister Rhonda Jones who died suddenly leaving behind her husband and five children. Please continue to pray for the Jones family as they still grieve their mother but strive to continue on in their everyday activities.
Then, a family friend, Elmo Nester, passed away after being ill for some time. We were blessed to see his dear wife at the annual family reunion the afternoon of his death. He will be missed, but we rejoice that his suffering is ended and he is with the Lord.
Last week, a dear sister in Christ, Ruth Adams, who had been ill on and off for over a year and a half, had a joyous homegoing to be rejoiced in. A couple of days before she passed she continuously asked those around her if they were seeing the angels that she was. On the morning she passed, after several days of not being able to move her arms or legs at all, she raised her arms, cried out "praise the Lord!" and passed away. It is times like these that you can not help but feel overwhelming joy for the loved one lost.
Sadly, Sunday afternoon, our family lost a dear loved one who inspired us all in her life. Grandma, Ethel Ayers Vass, passed away in the home of her daughter, Joyce, where she had been living for a couple of years. Grandma was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and even a great-great-grandmother! Up until about 3 weeks ago, Grandma still came to church every Sunday morning with her daughter Joyce, and was still even able to make some church meetings with Joyce on a regular basis. Grandma had a smile that could light up a room when you talked to her. She couldn't always hear you very well, but she knew you were there and that you were talking to her. My little boy Josiah would always go up to her and perch his hands on her knees while she sat in her wheelchair and would jibber-jabber to her like she was his long lost best friend. Grandma always smiled and talked back to him and loved on him. One of my personal favorite memories of Grandma was on the day after Josiah was born. Joyce brought Grandma to see us and to see Josiah. Grandma took Josiah in her arms and joyfully looked at his feet and proclaimed he was a beautiful baby! I don't think anyone told her she was looking at his feet and not his face! That day a four generation picture was taken. I was overwhelmed and in tears because I didn't know if Grandma would make it to meet our little boy. She did though! Even though she won't be here to meet the baby we are expecting now, I am so glad and overjoyed at the fact that she is no longer suffering in her body here on this earth. I rejoice to know that she is down at the feet of Jesus singing His praises and proclaiming His glory and righteousness forevermore!
We do ask for prayers for our family as we prepare to lay Grandma's body to rest this Thursday in her hometown. Even in our joy, there is of course sorrow too by all of us left behind. We will miss Grandma very much and as one grand-daughter wrote in a tribute to Grandma, she has left "her footprint on my heart".
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