Dear Nan,
I know I’m supposed to be working on my assignment, but I
have so many things I want to say to you that they won’t stop until I get them
out.
Today I was reminded of what an amazing lady you are. Every
single person that spoke of you talked about how much you loved Jesus and how
you prayed faithfully for the people you loved, and even people you hardly
knew. Even though you were a little person you had a big heart and made a big
impact on those around you.
You were such a quiet person. You always listened before you
spoke and you didn’t want to be noticed. You probably would have been
embarrassed today if you had heard what people said about you and seen all the
people that loved you gathered together to talk about you. But it was so
important to us because while you were quiet your life spoke volumes.
There was one thing that you made sure everyone around you
knew, and that was that you loved Jesus. Jesus was your best friend. I know
this was what you held on to even when you didn’t understand where you were or
what was going on. And saying that Jesus was your friend was not at all cliché
or trite because your life lived and breathed Jesus. People around you had no
doubt that the most important person in your life was Jesus. You wanted
everyone else to love Jesus too. Right up until the end you were the most
amazing missionary. You didn’t have formal theological training, you would
never have addressed an audience and you didn’t leave Australia, yet your
faithful work has reached so many people. What a truly wonderful thing to be
remembered for – your love for Jesus.
You would have been so proud of all your boys today. Each of
them spoke so well and it was clear that they love you deeply. I bet you had no
idea what an impact you had on their lives. They are all men who love God, and
each of them stood up today and remembered times when you had taught them about
Jesus. You taught them well, Nan. Your prayers for them were not in vain. And
now they teach others what you taught them. Your work on earth may be finished
but it continues in the life of your five sons. What a truly beautiful thing it
is to know that while they are sad that you are no longer with them, they will
spend eternity with your best friend Jesus, who is now their best friend too.
Thanks for introducing them to your friend.
Guess what Nan? I got to meet Elsie today! I couldn’t
believe she was there! I remember you telling me about her, and how you used to
go on Beach Missions together. She even got up and spoke about you. It was
lovely hearing about you from the perspective of a life-long friend. I can see
why you were friends, she is such a nice lady. I’m glad I got to meet her.
Today has been strange because I keep getting flashbacks of
not just times I spent with you but also things I remember being in your house.
I remember the three plastic cups that used to stack up to make a soldier. I
remember the little flower and butterfly scenes that sat under glass domes –
one of them used to rotate and play music when you wound it up, that was my
favourite. I remember your reading glasses, and how you could never find them,
because even though they had a chain on them that went around your neck you
never left them on. I remember how you always gave us a glass of cordial and a
biscuit when we came over, and that was so special for us because we didn’t get
the special cordial and biscuits that you had! You used to have a ceramic girl
sitting on your table that held the paper napkins. And your cutlery was on a
stand that used to sit in the middle of the table – I used to think this was so
cool, and one of my favourite jobs was to put the cutlery back on the stand
after it was wiped up – so much cooler than a cutlery drawer!
There are some memories that I have of you that keep going
around my head too. How your hair was always perfectly set and you were just
the right height for a hug. You always smelt lovely too. Whenever I stayed with
you I would notice how much you talked to yourself – it would take me a while
to realise that you were in the kitchen chatting away to yourself and I didn’t
have to listen! You always called us ‘love’ or ‘darling’, and I know it wasn’t
because you didn’t remember our names but because you loved us.
I know you didn’t always like going to church, Nan. I
remember you telling me about how as a little girls you hated going to Sunday
School and your dad used to drag you there each week. But then you found out
that Shirley Temple went to Sunday School every week and had said that all good
children should, and from then on you loved it! You did like Shirley Temple. I
have all of your Shirley Temple books you gave me – my favourite is the one
with all the newspaper clippings of her you stuck in. I also have your ‘Miss
Bobby’ book that you were given by your Auntie – you told me that your mum got
you in trouble for asking for it for Christmas, because books were so
expensive, but your Auntie loved you so much that she bought it for you anyway.
One of the things you and I loved to talk about was Beach
Mission. We used to chat about what things were the same and what had changed.
You obviously loved your time there, even though it was hard work. One of the
last conversations I had with you you asked whether I was still going to Beach
Mission and how my college work was going – ‘You must be nearly finished now’
you said. How on earth you remembered that I have no idea – you didn’t even
know what day it was. But these things mattered to you, and somehow they stuck.
There is so much more I could write, Nan, but I need to sign
off. I know that right now the worries of this world, including our sadness
that you are not here any more, do not matter to you. You are finally with your
best friend in the perfect way you are meant to be. I bet you are more in love
with Him than ever, and that you haven’t stopped singing since you got there.
We all still have work to do here, so our lives continue without you. But you
are not forgotten by us, and your love and prayers for others continues its work in
many lives. I pray that when we reach the end of our lives the same thing may be
said of us that was said of you today -that Jesus was your friend and you
faithfully told this to everyone.
I will end with your favourite song that was sung today. It
is a song that we all think of when we think of you, because it was your
favourite right up to the end.
Jesus loves me, this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
The Bible tells me so.
See you soon Nan.
Lots of love,
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