It’s the weirdest thing how small this world is. And also how great God is.
Case in point. It’s been almost 5 months now since we laid my wonderful Grandpa to rest. We’ve been through Thanksgiving and Christmas now and have started a new year without him physically on this planet. But that doesn’t mean he’s not thought of and remembered every single day. You know how they say some days you dwell on those that have passed then others? This being my first immediate relative to die (we have been very blessed!) and we don’t live close enough to my grandparents to have seen them on a regular basis, his absence is not something I physically notice every day. But there are days and certain times. When I want to pick up the phone and call my grandparents and here his cheery voice answer “Hello!!” And then go through names of all his girl granddaughters and chuckle until he finally says “oh yes, Brittany, of course!!”. (Oddly enough, I loved it and it always made me laugh). And then have my grandma come on and say "who is it Orin?" and then talk to them both about what's going on and the weather.
On Saturday night I had a vivid dream and he was in it. It was fun to get to see him laughing and talking in my mind (you know those vivid pregnancy dreams? Yep, they are in full force). When I woke up Sunday morning though, I was really sad and missed him a lot. During church I sat there thinking about him and one thing that stood out to be that the pastor said in his funeral service all about how he would always bring candy for the kids at church and give it to them – and how much they all loved him. That was just such a neat story to hear and was one thing I didn’t remember about his time on this Earth. What a joy he was. But then it made me sad that he wasn’t here to do that anymore to all those sweet kids at church.
While thinking all these things during church and simultaneously listening to a wonderful sermon…which happened to be speaking about what the resurrection did for us as Christians and reaffirmed to me how much I know my grandpa is in heaven with no more pain and suffering and just joy. The realist in me also told myself, such is the circle of life and made me say a small prayer to be thankful for just how much time we got to spend on this Earth together.
Then the service ended and we ran downstairs to pick Charlie up. As we were walking back up, one of our friends we had met in the cry room when we first started going to this location of our church (our sons are 6 months apart) told us that his wife’s grandpa was upstairs and wanted to meet me. You see – I happened to be in the cry room with this girl and her son because Charlie didn’t do so great in the nursery when we first made the transition. We started talking about our kids and in my desperate (and awkward) attempt to make friends at church I asked her where they lived and where she was from. When she said Iowa, I asked where…and she said a small town. I told her to try me, because my family was from Iowa. And guess what? Her hometown is where my grandparents are from – good old Storm Lake, IA. What a small world indeed. Ever since that day, we always talk to them in church and say hi and see each other when dropping off and picking up our sons in the nursery. It’s nice to see a new (but familiar now) face at church every week!
My parents have come with us to church a few times and my dad met this couple and actually knows her grandpa and her grandma, who just recently passed away, because they lived in the same senior living home that my grandparents lived and grandma still lives. My dad loved talking to them about Storm Lake and they passed the test of staying engaged in the conversation with him!
So our worlds collided with Storm Lake, IA in common. And then I have to think that it was God putting the thoughts of my grandpa so close to my heart that evening and morning because meeting her grandpa was just what I needed. I was so excited and when I saw him, I almost burst into tears. He looked almost identical to my grandpa in terms of attire at church – nice pants, shirt and tie with a cardigan sweater on top and then he was wearing a farm trucker hat – every farmer’s perfect accessory. His voice was even similar. It was so fun to get to talk to him and he kept telling me how happy he was to meet Orin’s granddaughter. Just hearing my grandpa’s name made me proud. Our conversation with him and the rest of the group only lasted about 15 minutes, but it was the 15 minutes that my heart was longing for to bring back happy memories of my grandpa. He made me feel good as well to say that he thinks my grandma is doing well and he’s looking out for her. What a sweet old man!
I couldn’t stop thinking about the whole situation all day. And couldn’t help but think in this crazy world, how something as “coincidental” as this couldn’t be just a coincidence, could it? Believe what you like, but I felt like it was part of God’s plan that started way back in September when I said hello to the girl I didn’t know in the cry room. And I couldn’t have felt more blessed that day. I felt as if my grandpa was right by my side the rest of the day!
Kind of deep I know, but I just had to share. I’m sure many people have had instances where they feel as if their loved one is near and speaking to them and what a blessing that is. So thankful that I believe. And so thankful for the small blessings that some call miracles.
I found this awesome quote that I love!!
 |
| source |
 |
| our last trip and picture with my Grandpa |
Happy Tuesday - almost half way through the week!
No comments:
Post a Comment