Wednesday, June 11, 2008

It is well with my soul

Erika (my sister) and I with Bossy and the girls, Nov. 2006

Yesterday we returned from our 7 day trip to Florida to see my grandma (affectionately called Bossy) one last time. Today we got a call that she had passed this morning. I am, of course, sorrowful at the passing of my Bossy that I really loved, but it is a joyful sorrow, bittersweet in so many ways. You see, I know in my heart that Bossy is with Jesus right now. I am not sitting here questioning it or trying to make myself feel better by saying it, it is a truth I am sure of.

While my sister and I were visiting, Bossy was transferred to hospice so we had the opportunity to go back to the nursing facility to go through her things. We found an old autograph book there that will be a treasured possesion for the rest of our lives. Bossy was a member of the Salvation Army, even attending their training college, when she was a young woman. At that time their whole focusing was winning souls for Christ. These young men and women were sold out for Jesus and what they wrote in this book just took our breath away. It gave us a glance of who Bossy was as a young woman and her heart for Jesus.

Here are a couple of quotes some friends put in the book:

Just one life, 'twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ, will last.

An archer is known, not by his arrows, but by his aim. May your aim always be souls and heaven. God will make your try a try-umph!

We only found out today that she did not communicate besides with grunts to anyone else but when my sister and I, who are the only Christians in our family, began to talk to her about Jesus, she spoke words to us. She told us she loved us. She sang the words to old hymns to us. She told us she wanted to be with Jesus. She told us that our girls were just precious. Over and over again, "Precious, precious, precious."

Thank you Bossy, for such precious memories.

8 comments:

Amanda said...

oh amy...i know just how precious knowing you had that last time with her is...oh how i know. funny how similar our experiences and the timing were...and my heart is filled with joy that you can know she is with Jesus now.

Carrie said...

I'm so sorry for your loss, but am glad that she is with Jesus now and not suffering. What great memories you'll always have of her and the stories you can tell Lilla when she gets older!
I'll pray for you and your family!
God bless :)

Kimberly said...

I am so sorry to hear of your loss, but feel it is wonderful you were able to visit one last time.
My thoughts are with you and your family!

Deedra said...

I'm so sorry for your loss, but so glad that you have the precious precious memories of your last visit together, and the treasured book that you found.

meg said...

Wow- what a blessing to have had those last few days with your Bossy; I know those will be memories you will treasure as you grow thru your grief.
Blessings.

tami and todd said...

That is bittersweet, but it is such a blessing to have knowledge of such a beautiful afterlife! What an incredible women she was, thank you for sharing this information with us!

Cyndi said...

I am so glad that you have this assurance. I pray that the rest of your family will come to know Christ through this experience of Bossy's passing.

Anonymous said...

What wonderful lat times you had with her. And so happyt they are not truly last. When we lost Granny in May there was nothing there. Just a shell. And peace for her at last. But no recent memories for us. You have been blessed!
Tammy :):):)