Grandma "M"

This year during the April conference, the Tabernacle Choir sang a song that is very special to me. It is called "Consider the Lilies".

Here are the words:

Consider the lilies of the field,
How they grow, how they grow.
Consider the birds in the sky,
How they fly, how they fly.

He clothes the lilies of the field.
He feeds the birds in the sky.
And He will feed those who trust Him,
And guide them with His eye.

Consider the sheep of His fold,
How they follow where He leads.
Though the path may wind across the mountains,
He knows the meadows where they feed.

He clothes the lilies of the field.
He feeds the birds in the sky,
And He will feed those who trust Him,
And guide them with His eye.

Consider the sweet, tender children
Who must suffer on this earth.
The pains of all of them He carried
From the day of His birth.

He clothes the lilies of the field,
He feeds the lambs in His fold,
And He will heal those who trust Him,
And make their hearts as gold.

On January 29, 2006, the most wonderful, self-less, Christ-like woman in the entire world past away from an almost 10 year battle with Alzheimers. That woman was my Grandma "M" (for Martindale). At her funeral, all of the grand kids sang this song, "Consider the Lilies", per her request. I feel like the words of this song are a perfect testimony of the way my Grandma felt and what she wanted her posterity to know when she died. When I heard the news that she had passed, I was devastated. Many people are not close with their Grandparents, and maybe only see them a few times a year or receive the occasional birthday card. This was not the case with my Grandma "M". I felt like I had lost a parent. There were times during my childhood when we lived with my Grandma, and even when we didn't live with her, we may as well have because of all the time we spent there! Unfortunately, my Grandma had been living in a rest home for the last few years of her battle with Alzheimers, and I didn't get to visit her very much. I often regret this, but then I also feel that the woman that was in that rest home was not my Grandma, and I wanted to remember her differently. I wanted to remember the Grandma who's face lit up when her grand kids came to visit her, who would do anything for anyone, who everyone in town knew, and if you mentioned to anyone that she was your Grandma, they would go on and on about how wonderful she is. I wanted to remember the woman who's home was my own personal heaven on earth. You could always feel the spirit in her home. You were always welcome. There was always food on the table and a comfortable bed to sleep in. My sweet baby Malea was born after my Grandma had left this earth, but I know that Grandma and Grandpa took good care of her up in heaven until she was ready to come down. Malea's middle name is Mary, after my sweet Grandma.

I hadn't really thought about my Grandma for a little while until I heard the choir singing that song during Conference. Almost instantly, my eyes were filled with tears and I had a good cry. I felt that I needed to do a short tribute to her, and to let her know that I will never forget her and will always love her. She will always be an example to me, and I am so grateful for all the things she has taught me in my life. I miss you Grandma, and will always love you!!!