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Listen while you read: "Here O My Lord"1 (Lyrics) |
Ecclesiastes 3:1 – To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. (KJV)
Inside her roughly built pioneer cabin were treasures. Carefully folded deep inside an old trunk, my great-grandmother's homemade blue Victorian wedding dress rested. Beside it sat her high button black leather shoes and her Bible. I looked through the window to her beloved small garden, to the tiny white clustered bridal wreath flowers, called "shoe buttons". Her humble heirlooms continued to inspire her family, and her small garden bloomed on.
Grandma's faith had prepared her for storytelling, and she had shoe-buttoned God's Word into her heart for safekeeping. She lived simply, sitting in her wooden rocker, while generations of children leaned against her knee and listened to her tell Bible stories. Her walls were bare wood, but for a picture of a guardian angel looking down on us. She told us that Jesus suffered and died for our sins, and then, scared us to death about hell-fire and damnation. Because she told me that God knew everything, I looked for black marks in heaven when I did something wrong. Thankfully, I've since learned about God's mercy and grace, but Grandma worked hard teaching us what she knew about how to behave in a proper way that would bring honour to her Saviour.
Years later, my sister gave me a shoe button plant because she knew that I loved them so. A blossom slowly floated to the ground, reminding me that given time, everything disintegrates after its purpose has been fulfilled.
Isaiah 40:8 – The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. (NKJV)
When I look at my plant and remember Grandma's heart filled to bursting with her knowledge of God, I am inspired to share Jesus with my own grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I pray that this word picture inspires you to do the same!
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You that everything has its season and purpose but that Your truth stands forever. Thank You that the love of Yours that Grandma shoe-buttoned into her heart is being passed on to people who never even knew her. Amen.
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Thank you for your message.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful memory.
You truly paint with words. Thank you, Karen.
Nicely done Karen,
Blessings.
Thank you, Karen, for sharing your grandmother’s inspiring story.
Thank you, Karen, for sharing this devotional with us. You brought back memories. Blessings.
Hello Karen
This was absolutely beautiful!
Thank you and God bless.
Good morning Karen,
Your devotion was very visual and inspiring. What a great legacy of faith!
Thank you.
Oh, Karen, I would have enjoyed sitting at the feet of your great-grandmother when she told her stories! You painted a delightful picture of that scene. Thank you for sharing your memories of her.
God’s richest blessings on your day.
(Ontario)
Dear Karen,
Thank you for this beautiful devotional with remembrances of your great-grandmother. What a special lady she was and her thoughtful ways of teaching her offspring about our loving God.
Blessings,
(Ecuador)
Dear Karen,
You painted some beautiful pictures into my thinking as I read this devotional. Thank you.
And I thank God for grandmas such as yours.
I pray that God will raise up many family leaders, grandmas and grandpas and all, who will make a lasting impression of faith in their descendants.
Keep writing.
Great, great, devotional today. Since I never heard of the shoe button plant I had to look it up to see what it looked like. I was envisioning in my mind bluebells or lady slippers. I also learned that the shoe button plant could be used for medicinal purposes as well. I like the way you made spiritual applications to your grandmother’s garden, the different seasons in life, and shoe button memories in relation to salvation. Very good thank you!
What a lovely story, Karen. I had to research (Wikipedia!) to find out what a Shoebutton plant is. Thanks for your memories and reminder to pass along the faith. Like many of our age we worry what kind of world our children and grandchildren will inherit. Then, I remember that no matter what, God will prevail. AND, I remember my Dad expressing the same concerns in the 1950’s. Course, he blamed everything on Franklin Roosevelt!
Blessings.
(Texas)
Dear Karen:
I’m touched by your lovely tribute to your grandmother. Would that all of us were blessed with a grandmother like her.
I love your simple devotion with not too many words – just enough words to paint the picture that will last in my mind for many days to come. We all come and go but the words we use can live on for generations. The stories we tell are sometimes the only real treasure we can leave our grandchildren.
Thanks for the reminder.
God bless.
Wonderful story and challenge, Karen.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for devotional. I think back about the good things of the past on a regular basis and have, for instance, my mother’s little Bible which she carried to church all the time. On occasion I use it for a children’s story in worship services I lead.
Thank you for reminding me about the good things of the past Blessings.