My husband’s grandmother passed away last fall. She was 101 and a half. Can you believe that? The funeral was right after Thanksgiving so we ate what we could, put away the leftovers, packed up the car, and headed south.
We arrived at the funeral and greeted all the family, some of whom we had not seen for many years. It was an enjoyable time catching up.
But something happened during the funeral that I am still thinking about. It was a pretty small, Southern Baptist traditional-style church, and it was filled with people. During the service, the pastor asked if anyone would like to say a few words. Over and over, people stood up and spoke about Iris.
What Others Thought About Her
One man spoke about how their family had approached her years ago to ask if they could buy a section of land that she owned in the cemetery. Her large family had pre-purchased some plots and she was the owner. His family had run out of space and they needed room for one more and their spots were right next to her family’s spots. She looked him in the eye and said, “No. I will not sell you one of our plots in the cemetery… But I will give you one.” And she signed the papers and made it happen.
The next lady spoke about how she was poor when she was a little girl and she would come down to Iris’s house to play with Iris’s children. Iris would help her get a shower and get cleaned up. She would feed her and take her places. She introduced her to the church and would drive her there to be with other kids. Iris served this little girl and she didn’t care about her financial situation or cleanliness – she accepted her and helped her.
The next lady stood up and spoke. She actually spoke for a friend who was in the room, but apparently had decided not to say anything. She told the story about this friend who was getting married and didn’t have a wedding dress, nor the money to purchase one. Iris sewed her a wedding dress. Did you hear that? an actual wedding dress! And she paid for all the fabric and details herself, not letting this lady pay a cent.
There were other stories that day, but those are the ones that I remember most. I was really touched by the selflessness of this lady. Did she have hard times herself? YES. Did she have bad days? YES. Did she have her own family to worry about? YES. But she was giving and caring and obviously had a huge impact on their little town.
Evaluating Myself
So it made me think about myself. What am I EVEN doing with my life? Ha ha. Now, I know that comparison is the thief of joy. And I couldn’t even begin to sew a wedding dress! So, I am not intending to compare myself or others to Iris. But what about the gifts I do have?
- My personality traits
- My spiritual gifts
- The ways I am bent
All of these things can combine into ways that I can serve others, both in my family and in the world around me. How am I using the gifts God has given me?
What did my teens see?
And more importantly, what do my teens see? I was wondering what my teens and young adults saw during the service about their grandmother. So I asked them.
One of them said, “I thought it was evidence of a life lived for Jesus. There wasn’t a seat open in the house. It made me wonder what I’m doing for the Lord and pray that when I die one day I will have made an impact like hers.”
What an amazing legacy this sweet lady left. No, she was not perfect in any way. But she gave. She served. She lived. How can I impact my teenagers and young adults today? How can I impact the world around me? What do my teens see in the adults around them? Do they see a legacy or do they see stress, distraction, busyness, and emptiness?
What about you? What tangible ways can you serve others today? Who is impacting your teens? What do they see in the adults around them?
Blessings,
