Finding Strength In Grief

There are many types of grief loss of a job, loss of an opportunity, loss of a loved one, and etc. The Holidays will always be a little bitter sweet for me. This year I lost my granny (on my mommy's side of the family). Holidays were her favorite especially Thanksgiving. She loved having all of her children and grandchildren in her home, eating together, and spending time loving on each other.

She always found an opportunity to give back to others, especially those in need. My favorite memory was when I was 4 years old and my granny, auntie's, and mommy spent all day cooking this delicious food. Then they packed all the food into containers and loaded them into the car and we went to this big building (of course at 4 years old I didn't know it was a homeless shelter), but people came outside and we gave them food. I remember about maybe an hour or so into being outside and cold I tugged on her coat and asked her "granny why are we giving all these people this food you cooked all day." With a big smile on her face she replied "we never know if we will ever be in a similar situation, when we may not have food or a home, and to show them that Jesus loves them."

At that moment I didn't know it but my granny was planting seeds in me. A seed of gratitude, compassion, humbleness, generosity, and etc. Oh what I would give to just give her one more hug and kiss and to hear her say she loves me. For years we continued as a family to cook and bring food and clothes to those in need to many different shelters. We even started serving monthly and over those years we seemed to feed more and more people not only physically but spiritually we would pray for them and often times with them. We were able to witness people's lives changed and given to Christ. Thanking God for allowing our family to have such an amazing matriarch and women of God who made sure she installed the love of Christ in every single one of us. Today after spending time with my loved ones I remember her smile, warm embrace and her zeal for God and I pray she is proud of all of us but more importantly that God is proud of us and we continue to walk in His will for our lives.