This past weekend we had a family reunion.  It was my Grandmother’s 90th Birthday.

Here’s my mom and her three younger brothers with grandma. 

Grandma has a been a rock to the whole family. She loved her husband till the day God took him home, despite some very hard times including my grandpa being too weak to walk and an invalid for years. She truly is the most grace-filled and hardest working woman, I have ever known –a real life Proverbs 31 woman!  Grandma loves Jesus and loves her family.  

To get to the reunion, some family traveled from far away and others live just up the road.  There is NOTHING as wonderful as having family all together in one room.  And like all families –we are very quirky!!!  We are loud.Loud.LOUD.  This was an adjustment for my husband when he entered the family! 

I have one Uncle {ahem Richard} who never comes for a visit without mentioning how HUGE our hair is.  What can we say? My sister’s and I grew up in the 80′s and we love BIG hair –notice in the pictures I wore my hair straight?  I knew the “huge hair” comment was coming – and it did…and we laughed at our family’s signature ways.

One of the gifts to Grandma was a memory book my mom put together for her (using Snapfish.com). 

It had pictures from the past.

And the memory book included pages and pages of handwritten letters and photos from everyone in the family.  I read the book cover to cover and started crying on page 1…I was a mess by the end of the book! Grandma is SO deeply loved by her family. 

The world defines success by fame and fortune…

but Grandma–

Grandma’s success is defined by faith and family.

 And so Dad opened our dinner in prayer –turning toward the author and perfector of our family’s faith. 

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:2

 And I look at the pictures of our family praying and I see a little boy at the head of the table.  

That’s my Alex –about to turn 10 in just one week. 

And my heart melts…my boy,

–at the head. 

It was just how the seating arrangement worked out (not meant to be significant) but for this mommy, that’s my heart’s longing –

that one day God would raise him up to be a Godly head of his family.

That he would always remember that success–

 is not defined by fame or fortune…

 but by faith and family.

 

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” ~ 3 John 1:4

 

 

 Dear Grandma, I know my sister Jen is reading this to you {my sister reads my blog posts to grandma}, thank you so much for following Jesus.  I think of Robert Frost’s poem, The Road Not Taken, when I think of you. 

Long ago there were two roads ahead of you – one would take you towards God and truth, the other would take you away from God and His truth. You chose the road less traveled and THAT has made all the difference in my life.

My mom followed you down the path you chose –on this road less traveled.

My sisters followed my mom, and I followed them down this path behind YOU.

And now our children are following us on this road less traveled.

Faith.

Family.

Success.

Grandma – you have affected generations to come and I pray that we will perpetually pass on your faith to future generations until Jesus returns. 

“His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.” ~ Luke 1:50

I pray that one day when I turn 90 years old (Lord willing), there will be a room full of love gathered around me just as you had this weekend.  Thank you for being a role model to me.

I love you!

 Walk with the King,

**Chime In: Are you a first generation Christian or has your Christian faith been passed down from generation to generation?  Who in your life, took the road less traveled, and made a difference in your life?