The earth has yielded its produce; God, our God, blesses us.
– Psalms 67:6
“It’s times like these that bring my focus back to center. March Madness took on an entirely different meaning last month and there was no basketball tournament involved. I just hung up the phone with my Grandma Doris who has been moved to hospice. I wish I was by her side, holding her hand, and offering comfort – but she understands . . .”
Gary had begun to write this late last week, but shortly after the news of his grandmother we got him on a flight to South Dakota so that he could be by her side, holding her hand, and offering her comfort. This post was originally intended to share to the smiling faces of Haitian children with their precious hands holding the beautiful and bountiful harvest from their garden. But today, as Grandma Doris walks into the arms of Jesus, I believe that this verse speaks in another way.
Grandma Doris was a real woman. She had a presence about her. She was funny and witty. And she loved Jesus. In many ways, she reminded me of my late-Grandma (who was one of my favorite people). The Lord has blessed us with Grandmas who have helped shaped our hearts. And while I’m certain that both of our Grandmas were too humble to ever take credit, Gary and I both are keenly aware of the impact they had on our lives.
And so, while the world yields many things unpleasant, the world can also yield beautiful fruit because of women like these. As Bob Goff says “God doesn’t pass us notes; He passes us each other.” God, our God, blesses us with abundance.
