Grandpa.

This past Sunday, my sweet Grandpa met Jesus. He’d been sick and in and out of the hospital for the past year or so, but it still came as a shock. We learned on Sunday that he had pancreatic cancer, but it was too progressed to do anything. The doctors told us we had a few weeks, then changed it to a few days. We got two hours. Once Grandpa knew this was the end, he told my Grandma, his wife of 45 years, “it is what it is, God’s will be done.” And he peacefully let go.

My family has been scrambling this week trying to get to him and my Grandma right before Christmas. Right now, I’m driving the 24 hour trip back to Kansas after only spending a day with my family. But how encouraged I was within that one day.

My Grandparents love Jesus so dearly. I came into the situation expecting my Grandma to be a mess. She had just lost the love of her life, and was surely to be deep in grief. And she was grieving – just not the way I expected. God was so evident in every part of the weekend. Grandma was running cookies to the hospital, to thank the nurses for doing all they could and loving them. She and I both started crying when we left the hospital. As she hugged me, she told me that Grandpa’s favorite book of the Bible was Revelation, and in Revelation there’s a verse about God holding all our tears in a golden pot. She joked that God was going to need to get another pot for her. And just like that, my Grandma was back to her normal self, comforted by this verse Grandpa used to say to her. The night before the funeral, my brother dreamt that he had seen Grandpa and couldn’t explain to us all that he wasn’t gone, he was here! As my brother told us this before the funeral, my Grandma just nodded silently and said “he is here, honey. Grandpa’s here.” I was so encouraged by my Grandma’s attitude throughout everything. Sure, her heart was broken, but she had the hope and peace that he was, as cliche as it sounds, in a better place. I hope and pray I can have that kind of heart when it comes time for E.

My grandma told me that if one person came to know Jesus through the funeral, then it would all be worth it. Throughout the service, the gospel was preached in every aspect, as we all repeated this was a celebration because Grandpa was in Heaven. And you know what? Somebody accepted Jesus at his service. Praise The Lord – even this one request from Grandma in the midst of her grief was answered. God just kept extending His grace to my family throughout the entire week, and I was continually reminded that God’s grace FINDS us. How precious that we don’t have to search for it.

My grandpa was a quiet man, of few words. He had a gentle, loving spirit. He put his faith and family first. He would do anything for us grandkids. Today, I was greeted and hugged by so many people who knew and loved my Grandpa. Selfishly, I wish he was still here. I wasn’t ready to let him go, but I’m reminded that he wasn’t any of ours to claim. He was God’s, and God called him Home to save him from the pain his cancer was going to give him. And this Christmas? He’s celebrating with the KING. I can’t imagine a more beautiful celebration of Christmas than in Heaven.