This summer our family has experienced a great loss. My husband's Grandmother of 91 years passed on to see Jesus in June. Obviously, Gran had lived a very full life. Anyone in their 90's has seen so much. But I have to be honest, nothing could have prepared me for her final days of life.
Martha Elizabeth (Nesbit) Barnhart was born July 22, 1921 in Eleanor, PA. You can read more about her life and what kind of impact she had on my sister-in-law here.
I have been blessed to know this lady for what feels like my entire life. When I was a child, she attended the church where my grandfather was a pastor. Later in life, I had the honor of marrying her grandson and so she just kind of became my Gran as well. Gran never knew a stranger and no matter what she had going on in her life she had all the time in the world for you to come and visit. I can never think of a time when she was too busy to talk. I could list thousands of memories that I have of this beautiful woman (and some day I may share them.) But right now I need to focus on the final days of her life.
You see, Martha, suffered from dementia the past few years of her life. Watching a loved one's memory begin to slip is a journey like no other. I would be lying if I didn't say there were nights my husband and I would cry out to the Lord to just take her home. We thought we knew what was best for her. But she continued to hang on. She continued say silly things like "Onion Ice Cream, YUCK!" Or worry about how she was going to pay for the dinner bill when it had already been taken care of. Or that she couldn't have a roll with dinner on a Sunday, because she didn't eat bread on Sunday's.
And then the afternoon came when we got the telephone call came that Hospice had requested that the family come. She appeared to be in her final hours of life. We prepared our children and our oldest daughter decided she wanted to come along with us. And so we went. We held her hands. We rubbed her legs. We prayed with her. We sang to her. We shared memories. And we did this D-A-I-L-Y for 2 weeks solid.
During those two weeks we saw 5 of her 7 great grandchildren (the other 2 were too young & lived 1 hour away) stand around her bed and sing Chris Tomlin's "Amazing Grace" and "Jesus Loves Me". During those two weeks countless memories of the little things Gran would do and how they had so much more of an impact than we ever gave credit for were shared. During those two weeks we bonded as a family in ways that we never would have with our "busy" life schedules. During those two weeks we learned that God's perspective of time is NOTHING compared to what we think it is on this earth.
~But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.~ 2 Peter 3:8
But the very most important thing that happened in that 2 weeks was we were able to read from Gran's Bible. And we were able to read God's Word to her. But through opening the pages of her Bible she was able to speak to each and every one of us.
Gran didn't just open her Bible, read it, close it up & put it away for the day. She lived it. She marked it up and it is the greatest treasure that she could have given any of us, next to all of her prayers for each of her family member's salvation. There wasn't a single page in her Bible that didn't have some marking on. In fact, good luck finding something that wasn't marked or noted. She listed grandchildren and great grandchildren's birth dates. She put the date & name of times when she talked about a particular scripture with you. You could almost always remember the conversation when you saw your name & date written by a specific verse.
In a day and age of technology we are losing some of the greatest Earthly treasures that we can leave for our family. Sure I use my online Bible on my iPad. In fact, I love it. However, if that is the only thing I am using will my children or their children ever see the impact that The Word of God has on my life? Will they ever see my handwriting and be able to hear me speak to them through The Word that will last forever?
Gran knew The Creator of all. Gran knew what was most important. And she left for all of us the one and only thing that will withstand all of eternity and that is The Word of God.
There is no greater legacy. There is no greater gift.
~For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.~ Hewbrews 4:12
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