Grandma Beck - 95

My Grandma Beck would be 95 today.

She passed away in 1995.

She was a driving force in my world.

In ways that have lived on far past her death,

right 

up 

to 

this 

moment 

in 

time.

When I think of her,

I can still feel 

the unconditional 

love

she offered so freely

to all of those she loved.

She wanted all of those she loved
to "live right"
but when we didn't,
she
loved
us
anyway.
That love never wavered.

And it seems I can still taste

her cooking! 

I don't know if or how earthly birthdays 

are celebrated in Heaven

but I sure hope she's 

having a great one!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What I've written about my Grandma Beck before

in 2013 and 2012...

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Ima Hussey Beck aka Grandma Beck

Today is October 12, 2013.  October 12th was my Grandma Beck's birthday.

Her full name was Ima Hussey Beck.  Her given name was Ima Hussey - no middle name 

- just Ima.

I'm sure she was picked on for that name.  I know people don't usually believe me when I tell them that was her name.  I asked my Grandma Hussey one time why she named Grandma "Ima" while knowing her last name was Hussey.  Grandma Hussey said she just loved the name.

My Grandma Beck would be turning 89 years old today if she were still living.

She died in February 1995 - from cancer - at the age of 70.

So much of my life has been lived without her.  The only child of ours she ever got to meet was Crystol but her strength has been present as I've been raising them all - especially since Rob died and I've been doing it alone. 

You see, my Grandma Beck raised children alone for so much of the time. 

Grandpa Beck left not long after my mother married and my youngest aunt was a baby and he did not come back home until I was almost grown. 

As I was growing up, I watched my Grandma Beck live out her single parent life 

with grit 

and determination 

and grace.

And, even as a child, I knew that wasn't easy to do.

It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized just how very hard and heartbreaking that must have been for her.

But no matter what life threw at my Grandma Beck, I watched as she just kept going and as she always just "did the next thing."

And most importantly, I watched as she NEVER wavered in her faith in God and she NEVER stopped waiting on Him to take care of her!

And He did.  He always did.

I imagine she has thoroughly enjoyed her time with Him since she left this earth 18 years ago.

What joy and peace she must have felt when she was finally in His presence.

I can only imagine.

I still miss my Grandma Beck.  There's so much of all of our lives that I wish she could have been here for but I am so happy that I had almost 27 years with her and I am so happy that she was my grandma!

I am grateful for all of her and her witness and example to me and what she was to all of our family!

And as I'm now living out what life has thrown at me, there are many days that I need to and can remember her example of keeping on going - no matter what - and just "doing the next thing." 

And as I'm raising my children alone, I'm hoping to do it with 

as much grit 

and determination 

and grace as I saw in her.

(photo of both of my grandmas - Caviness and Beck - at my wedding, Jan. 1, 1994)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What I posted about my grandma on April 7, 2012

Saturday, April 7, 2012

My maternal grandmother

Rob is not the only one in Heaven that I miss. 

My grandma has been in Heaven since February 1995.   

My grandma's unwavering faith in God, her hard work throughout her life, and her perseverance - NO MATTER WHAT - were all such great examples to me!  And her homemade biscuits, milkgravy, and her chicken and dumplings were wonderful! 

It's been 17 years - I still miss her so much.   

(Easter 1993)