READING: 1ST TIMOTHY 4:12, 1ST CORINTHIANS 13:13
MOTHER AND GRANDMOTHER
Eight children. Eight! That’s hard to imagine for me. I have 6 children, but eight… seems like so much more work. But wait, eight of them were those you birthed. What about the others you raised? Chuck, me, not to mention the several others you impacted along the way. You were a mother to us all. You still are.
GRANDMA WITH LARRY HUGHES
Basic Training Graduation, Fort Benning, GA 1999
GRANDMA WITH LARRY HUGHES
Basic Training Graduation, Fort Benning, GA 1999
AND THE GREATEST IS LOVE
I was in a Partnering Meeting for one of my construction projects a few months ago. It was right after Christmas. The moderator for the meeting gave an ice breaker, going around the room and asking what is the greatest gift we’ve ever received. He was talking about Christmas gifts, but he wasn’t prepared for the answer I gave. No one in the room was. I took the opportunity to preach the gospel. For a moment, everyone in the room had to think about Jesus. That means they had to think about their relationship with Him and check themselves.
“My greatest gift,” I told them, “is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I had a Grandmother who taught me about the Love of Jesus, sometimes through her words, but mostly through living it out loud. We spent a number of years decorating the Christmas tree while she told me stories of Jesus, while we sang His songs of praise. She was the kindest person I ever knew, even when she had plenty of reasons not to be. She was a true living example of the love of Jesus. That gift has lasted with me longer than any other and I always cherish it.” My God, how true that still is for me!
I’m sitting here in tears right now, so thankful for all the blessings God has given me in my life, one of which is you, Grandma. What an amazing mentor. I’ve seen people raise their voice at you in anger, yet you were steady as a rock and answered back with a gentle kindness. I don’t know how you had such a loving resolve about you, but I’m so glad you did. You won me over with it. I cherish the loving moments we spent together. You taught me love, by loving me. You taught me to trust Jesus. Turns out, I’ve needed to put my trust in Him throughout my entire life, even right now, today! I needed His love. I needed yours. You brought them both to me and I am forever grateful. Thank you!
GRANDMA HUGHES WHEN SHE WAS YOUNG
This is likely what she currently looks like now, in Heaven.
GRANDMA AND GRANDPA WITH THREE DAUGHTERS
Bobbie-Ann Hughes Sumersill, Wendy Hardy, Doris Hagins
THE LIVING EXAMPLE
Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
1ST TIMOTHY 4:12
We are all called to be living examples. You were certainly that. Look at your impact. Today is May 13, 2020. You’ve been gone since 2002. I’m writing this post while full of the Spirit of God, singing praises to Jesus, thinking of you and listening to Gospel music. You were one of my greatest examples. I tell my children stories of you all the time. Each time I cry. Each time I tell them how wonderful you were and how I see you in their mother, my wife. She’s a lot like you. She loves me like you did, unconditionally. She tames me like you could. A single run of your fingers through my hair and I’m putty in your hands. She has your touch. She is God-given, like you were. THANK YOU GOD FOR SUCH WONDERFUL BLESSINGS!
GRANDMA HUGHES AND SHAE CREEL
Grandma’s Living Room, Home, Jacksonville, Florida
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
It’s Grandma’s Birthday! Happy birthday grandma, mother, sister, wife, friend, child of God. We all love you and miss you and can’t to be reunited with you again in Heaven where we’ll all be able to sing praises to our Creator together forever more.
When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, Than when we first begun.
Amazing Grace
Love you, Grandma! Thank you for everything!
