NANA'S BIRTHDAY

     

          This past Monday, February 27, would have been my grandmother’s 110^th birthday!  I was born on her birthday and each year I cannot celebrate my birthday without remembering hers.  She always said I was her birthday present, and it established a strong bond that continues to this day. 

“Nana” lived two doors down from our house.  Growing up, we spent as much time with Nana at her house as we did our own.  All the major holidays and big events were celebrated at Nana’s house.  Whenever we gathered around her large dining room table, there were always others who joined us.  Nana was very mindful of neighbors and friends who didn’t have family, and if she found out someone would be celebrating a holiday alone, she insisted they come to her house and dine with us. 

        Nana had a profound influence on my life.  When I was in the second grade, my teacher Mrs. Howell (no relation), would routinely assign me speeches to make before the class.   February was busy as I had an Abraham Lincoln speech followed quickly by one on George Washington.  I would normally go to Nana’s house after school and tell her what my assignment was.  It was amazing that even before I told Nana, she had the World Book encyclopedias out and had done other research on my assignment.  She helped me write the speech and then Nana and “Auntie” (my great-aunt who was a High School English and Drama teacher) would coach me on memorizing the speech and my delivery.  I guess I never thought it was odd that none of the other kids in the class were ever assigned speeches.  Come to find out, Nana, Auntie, and Mrs. Howell were in cahoots with each other. 

        When I was sixteen and made my church aware that I felt called to preach, someone told me, “Your grandmother has been praying for this since the day you were born.”  Seems she was doing more than praying!

        Nana loved the church and served in many capacities of leadership.  She started our church library and would always arrive at church an hour before Sunday School to open the library.  Most Sundays I would be with her.  We got there before the preacher did!  She was Mrs. WMU, she always hosted the visiting revival preachers for a meal, visiting missionaries stayed at her home, and she would sometimes play the violin in the worship service.  She loved Ridgecrest and for a number of years attending Ridgecrest for a week in the summer was our summer vacation.

        Nana also loved to travel and instilled within me the same love.  When I was small I would listen to her exciting stories of her European travels.  She brought me some wooden shoes from Holland that stayed in my room for years.  Her niece was a Pan Am flight attendant, back with that was a glamorous occupation and she and my grandmother would fly all over the world. 

        When I was old enough to travel, she took me on some amazing trips, including two trips to Alaska and a six week odyssey that took us to Salt Lake City, Yellowstone Park, San Francisco, Los Angeles, the Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, Dallas, Texas, and two weeks in Hawaii!   It was on that trip that my suitcase was stolen.  While I was devastated, Nana reminded me that I had a Bible in that suitcase, and she was convinced that it was all part of God’s plan.  She told me that whoever stole my suitcase would read the Bible and get saved.  And she believed it!  

        Nana wanted me to get my education.  When I graduated from seminary she told me I wasn’t through yet!   “You need to get your doctor’s degree,” she said.

        In May of 1983 I graduated for the last time with my Doctor of Ministry degree.  I called her that night and she told me how proud she was.  It was the last time I ever talked to her.

        She died in her sleep early on a Sunday morning.  Of course, she was always early on Sunday mornings. 

        Monday night, just before the Bible Study, the class sang “Happy Birthday” to me.  I then shared with them that it was also my grandmother’s birthday, and I know Nana would be proud to know I celebrated my birthday by teaching a Bible Study!