My Grandma (aka Granny)
My cousin Barbara gave Grandma the name Granny, after the Beverly Hillbillies famous Granny Clampet. It fit as far as all of us grandkids were concerned and from that point forward she was always called Granny by the third generation.
I will not speak of the wife that she was, of the mother that she was or of the neighbor or friend that she was; I didn’t know that side of her. I will only tell you of the person that I did know, my Grandma. She never doted over me as a helpless little child, but I never felt left out around her either. She would always allow me to help her; with what ever it was that she was doing. We made rugs, cooked, picked flowers, washed dishes, collected eggs, took long walks through the pasture and my favorite she would read “The Pokey Little Puppy�.
My Grandma never learned how to drive a car; she often had to depend on others to get places. I never could understand that as a child, she was so much humbler of a person than I could ever imagine of being myself. I never remember her speaking ill of others, maybe disappointed by some family members at times. Trust me we have some pretty slow learners in our family; I put myself at the top of that list. Grandma loved us in spite of our short comings.
I never remember my Grandma telling me or anyone else that she loved them, I never remember her kissing me; it just wasn’t her way. I never felt that I wasn’t loved by her though or the people that were around her did not love her. Her boys (Jim, Bob, Charles & Larry) all had very strong feelings for her from my eyes; I think they were all mommas’ boys when it came right down to it. My dad (Jim) would normally take his family over to my grandparent’s most every Sunday evening when I was young. My Uncle Larry who I seemed to think was so tough was always so soft around my Grandma. My Uncle Bob would come down from Topeka to visit her, she always let us know when he was coming and we would have a family gathering. I remember he would always give my grandparents gifts on Christmas that I never understood as a child. It wasn’t until I was about 10 or 12 that I realized that Granny & Granddad’s anniversary was on Christmas Day. My Uncle Charlie lived in California much of the time I was younger. I do remember that he flew back once for a visit, he was at Grandma’s house for at least a week, even as a child I could tell how excited she was to have him there.
My Grandma was at home around her family, she could out talk everyone I knew even my Great Uncle (Pete) Melvin. When there was a family gathering she would get excited about the whole situation and just sound like a buzz saw cutting wood. She could spite words out fasted than I could take them in and how she could never take a breath baffled me. If I wanted to get into the conversation I would have to make some type of major distraction to disarm her so that I could get my dozen or so words in. I was not as skilled as her, however, and knew that I would have to take a breath at some point and she would steal the conversation back to her favor. I think back of those times now with great fondness, my Grandma really enjoyed being around her family. If you were ever in her presence at a Freed Family Reunion in Pratt, Ks you know what I am talking about.
I never talked to my Grandma about Jesus and what her relationship with him was. By the time I finally realized that I needed Jesus Christ as my savior my Grandma was mentally gone. I truly hope that my Grandma knew Jesus as her savior, so that I will get to see her again. My Grandma did go to church but that is not what I am talking about. If you have read this, my prayer for you is that you have personally accepted Jesus Christ as your savior. I am no saint and I have made many mistakes in life, but accepting Jesus as my savior is not one of them. Unlike this Earth and the physical bodies we live in; our spirits will live forever. There are only two choices for our spirit after death, light or darkness. None of us are good enough to make it on our own, we all need a Savior. Jesus is that light. In a few short weeks we will all be sitting around opening gifs and celebrating Christmas. Have you ever really thought about what Christmas is? Jesus Christ was born, he is the gift. He came to save us from our sin. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life�.
The older I get the more people I care about I loose; I pray that you are not one of them. Life is short if you do not personally know Jesus as your Savior don’t wait any longer pray to receive him into your heart something like this.
“Heavenly Father, I know that I am a sinner and that I need your forgiveness. I accept Jesus into my heart and allow him take my sins, I accept your free gift of eternal life through the sacrifice of Jesus� Amen.
We were created by God to serve him, learn who he is through his Word (Bible). Relationships are everything in life, those we have with people and those we have with God.
In loving memory of my Grandma, Alice Jane Ward.
God’s Blessings to all who read this,
Coy Del (CD) Ward
