My maternal grandmother was the wife of a farmer – a woman with a true pioneer spirit. She often shared memories of her childhood in Montana, gathering buffalo chips to build a fire. When she grew older and married a farmer, she’d rise before the sun each day to knead and set bread for the crew of hungry men who worked in the fields. Then she would go outside, kill a chicken and prepare it for lunch.

Her hair was prematurely white, but she didn’t change it. She would braid it and twist it into a bun to keep it off her face. That radiant face was marked with wrinkles that made skin look like tanned leather, but through her beautiful blue eyes, the heart of true beauty came shining through.  One special thing about grandma was her spirit in adversity. She buried 5 of her 8 children and her husband before she finally succumbed to death herself at 76 years of age. She rarely complained, but I’m sure her prayers were filled with angst and sorrow at those times. In my eyes, she was a perfect role model.

I’ve fond memories of her singing with the ‘old time religion’ station, as she prepared the mid-day meal.  The dog added his own musical chords to accompany her. One of her favorite of the old hymns was “Silver and Gold.” I love those lyrics because they remind me of her, but also because the words carry much meaning in their simple message.

“Don’t give me a mansion on top of the hill. Don’t give me the world with a shallow thrill, but just give me a Savior. My life He can hold. I’d rather have Jesus than silver and gold.”

Thanks, Grandma for planting that truth in my heart.  My memories of you remain alive.  Perhaps I’ve turned you into a super-hero, but I think you deserve that status.  We all have our faults.  We all make mistakes as we age.  We learn from the past.  We struggle to make sense of world events, but because of the great love that God has for us, we are redeemed and promised a life eternal in paradise.