R. I. P. Grandma

My Grandma Vanderhoff (the taller one on the right, wearing the white sweater - the other Grandma is alive and well) passed away last week, and we buried her this Tuesday. It was such a bittersweet day. She was 92, and had lived a wonderful life full of love, happiness, and faith. The past couple of years she has had Alzheimer's, and has not been aware of very much. Still, even as her mind was slipping away, she was happy, physically healthy, and was a blessing to us and to the people in her rest home. I want to share an incredible story about the last time Karen and I saw her before her death. Mom and Dad had called and given me the news that Grandma wasn’t doing well. Karen and I drove in to see her right away. She wasn’t herself. She was sitting in a wheel chair, her head against her chest. She barely looked up as we came in and tried to talk to her. She definitely didn’t know who we were. We talked to her a little, and told her how much we loved her. She wasn’t very aware of what was going on, and seemed to fade in and out of consciousness. Just before we left, Karen and I prayed with her. As I started to pray, saying, “Dear Jesus,” Grandma suddenly became alert. She interrupted my prayer, and with excitement in her voice, she looked at me and said “He’s talking to me.” She smiled and continued. “He says He’ll be so glad to have me come!” After saying those words, she said "Amen" at the end of my prayer, her head slowly slumped back down to her chest, and those were the last words I heard her speak. What a powerful testimony to such a life of faith and love! I am sad that she is gone, but I rejoice that she is with Jesus. May she rest in peace.