This Thanksgiving, my family has something very special to be thankful for: my grandmother, Bernice Russell, was invited to meet her Savior for a Thanksgiving feast in Heaven! Grandma passed away peacefully in the middle of the night yesterday, and there is quite a miraculous story to share... My mom woke up at about 2:00am and couldn't sleep, so she decided to pray. One of her specific prayers was for my grandma's guardian angel to take her hand and take her home to Jesus because she had suffered enough. Less than an hour later, the phone rang at my mom and dad's house. It was grandma's nursing home calling to let my parents know that Bernice had passed away sometime between 2:30am and 3:00am. Coincidence? I'll let you decide for yourself. But I am convinced that God hears our every prayer and honors our specific requests when they are in accordance with His will. Forever I will treasure the image of my grandma being escorted to heaven by her faithful guardian angel. What a gift and consolation for our family!
My grandma lived a full and happy life of 98 years, with the joy of watching her four children have children of their own, and spending many years enjoying her great-grandchildren who lit up her eyes like nothing else could. Up until the last few weeks of her life, she kept her wit and her spunk, and she always loved visiting with people about the "good old days". Grandma passed away due to a tumor found in her lower abdomen, and she was simply too old and frail for the doctors to attempt a surgery. Thankfully, the good Lord made her suffering very brief, for she died less than 2 weeks from the time the doctors first detected the tumor. My parents were blessed to spend time with her nearly every day for the past 25 years, and they spent hours and hours holding her hand and praying with her during her final days on this earth. My mom marvels at how grandma's faith had grown these past few years of her life and is so thankful to have spent countless hours with her talking about spiritual things. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy especially brought much comfort to my parents and my grandma during her final days of suffering, and we are all confident that Jesus poured out his abundant mercy upon my grandma at the hour of her death.
I will miss spending time with my grandma when I go home to South Dakota to visit each summer. I will miss hearing her stories of being a hair beautician and being married to my grandpa, Charles, who she is now happily reunited with, I'm sure. I remember when Paul and I were dating, her eyes would get this twinkle and she would say, "Ain't love grand!?" I will miss her pulling out all of her old paintings and drawings to show me for the 100th time---paintings of famous movie stars and majestic mountains and roses so realistic you could almost smell them. She had so much artistic talent, and I know I will think of her every time I pull out my paints and brushes and attempt to use some of the talent she passed on to me. Perhaps most of all, I will miss the way her eyes lit up when I would bring my kids to come see her, and she would say over and over again how handsome and good-natured they were (I'm happy she didn't see much of their not-so-good-natured moments!) Yes, I will miss her dearly, but I know she will be even closer to me now as I visit with her beyond that ever-so-thin veil between Heaven and Earth, and seek her special intercession.
So on this Thanksgiving Day, will you please say a prayer of thanks with me for my grandma's homecoming to heaven, or if she's not quite there yet (meaning, a short stay in purgatory), please offer a prayer for speedy travels for her soul to reach paradise very soon. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
Grandma Bernice and Grandpa Charles...a long time ago.
Grandma Bernice...summer of 2012.
Nathanael sharing some chocolate covered raisins with his great-grandma.
