Grandma Joyce

My Grandma went home to be with the Lord on Oct 7th, 2013

When I think of my grandma I think of a woman of God who loved her family. My grandma first and foremost was a godly woman. She was often in the Word either on her own or in a Bible Study. She was always praying for us and cared about each event in every one of our lives. She was so concerned for us that at times I would not want to tell her something just because I knew she would not be able to sleep. Yet, I always did want to tell her pray requests cause I knew she would pray!

She loved having the family together. She would start planning far in advance how we were all going to celebrate the holidays, etc. She loved to have us over or would come and just spend time with us.

My grandma was proud of all her grandkids. She was not only praying for me, she was also talking to friends about me (in good ways). I was blessed to meet many of her friends and some of them have supported me as I have gone overseas. Her friends even had me share while I was home from Thailand. This last summer she proudly took me to her group’s indoor picnic where I shared about my ministry in Thailand.

She also always spent time helping others- not just being generous with her money, but also with her time. I remember many years of her lining up meals for funerals at her church until she physically couldn't do it anymore. She also would crochet for Bundles of Love and was able to continue to do this during her fight with cancer as well.

She loved going out to eat and spending time with her friends. She often had a busier social life then I did at times in our lives. She traveled with us to family things and had to put up with our driving and choice of music/radio theater.

I rejoice that my Grandma is no longer in pain and knew the Lord as her savior so that I will see her and Grandpa in heaven. I realize how blessed I am to have had her in my life for 31 years.

My only source of sadness is that I was not able to be there with her and my family as she finished her race here on earth. I can find great comfort in this last summer with her and the last skype “conversation” I had with her just 3 days before she died.

I am sad that future generations won’t know her, but I do know that because of my grandparents’ legacy many generations will be impacted by their lives and love for the Lord and their family. 

Rainy Day....and both good and bad ideas

A few Saturdays ago I really needed to go to the store to get food and somethings for one of the ministries I am involved in after school. It had been raining off and on for about 24 hours, but there was a little break and  I biked to the main road to get a songtaew (public transportation) to the store. About half way to the road I realized that I was going to have to bike down the yellow dotted line to keep from getting wet. The roads are higher in the middle and either side was covered with water. This was a good idea.

I got to the store and it started to rain! Perfect timing! I decided to be a good roommate and buy laundry soap- good idea or bad idea this remained to be seen. I also had to buy poster size paper which was not rolled up. Before I went to get a songtaew back home (it had stopped raining) I remembered that I had little hair clips on my bag, so I was able to take out my hair tie and put my hair up in the clips. This freed the hair tie to act as a rubber band for the poster paper a good idea!

I got a songtaew back to the road and by now it looks like it might start to rain, so I was hurrying with my two bags to get to my bike. A dad and son from school asked if I wanted a ride, I said no, because I had my bike and wanted to get it back home. They mentioned the road was flooded to which I replied..."yep I rode through it earlier" (ummm it had rained while I was at the store...forgot that!). 

Got on my rain poncho-good idea and started biking. Suddenly I was biking through at least 6 inches of water even in the middle of the road. Buying laundry soap- bad idea- I knew that if a car tried to drive by me I would fall over in the waves they would create. I got off my bike and walked it on the sidewalk that was only 2/3 inches covered in water. Good idea

I stopped to take a picture of the "road" good idea until it started to rain again then it became a bad idea.

I made it home with only my shorts being really wet. Thankful for the rain poncho.

A few hours later I went to take more pictures with friends good idea

You can already start seeing the sidewalk that was completely covered before...

You can even see the speed bump!

Photo credits to my friend, Ginny, she took all the photos except the first two and this last one