Dearest Persons,
I'm wearing my reserved clean pair of socks today. I'll be wearing them tomorrow as well. Grandma Burkey is dying. As I write this my whole family is with her in the hospital singing to her, talking to her, praying for her... I want that I could be with them with all of my heart. Technology is such a blessing, though. Mom's been emailing me to keep me updated, along with emails from Aunt Nita and Uncle Pete. When I got back from the cruise (pictures will follow soon!) I got a hard email from Mom and called her right away. I talked to her for a while then called Aunt Mary Ann and she gave me Grandma's number and I got to talk to Gramma on the phone! And you know what she said to me?
"I love you Kara Joy. I love you Kara Joy. Keep following Jesus. Keep trusting in Jesus. Never stop loving Jesus."
My last words from my Gramma... how powerful! She's going to be with Jesus tonight. I'm so excited for her. My heart aches and I covet your prayers as I am hurting and more than anything want to jump on a plane and come home for a few days, but that seems to be impossible and so I'd love your prayers.
I've been thinking alot about what I remember most about Gramma and what I loved most about Gramma and I want to post those things, for my heart, not really yours... but for your sake that you would be encouraged by what an incredible heart for Jesus my Gramma has slash had. (She's not quite with Jesus yet.)
Thanks for loving me and praying for me, friends. I can't make it without your prayers and support.
CLINGING TO HIS MIGHTY GRIP,
Your Kara Joy
When I was little she would sing me this song that, correct me if I'm wrong, she made up...
Satan doesn't live here anymore.
Christ threw him out and then he shut the door.
He made an awful fight, he couldn't stand the light,
So all he did was make an awful ROAR!
Jesus started cleaning up the place
For sin had left it in such a disgrace!
From the ceiling to the floor, His blood ran on before, now
Satan doesn't live here anymore! Doo, doo! :)
When she would wake me up in the morning she'd shake me and say very fast,
"Good morning good morning good morning! It's time to rise and shine!"
We would play Scrabble for hours and Grandma and that dictionary would ALWAYS win. We never stood a chance.
Grandma loved her lakes she lived by. We would always paddle boat together and she would paddle for a while and then I would paddle the rest of the way when her leg got too stiff. I remember one time we paddled all the way across the big huge lake to visit Megan Mondich and Gramma told me stories and we sang and talked about Jesus the whole way there and back. When my legs got too tired from paddling she'd say, "It's ok, lets just float" and we'd just sit in the boat and sing to Jesus. Oh how I'll miss that faded yellow paddle boat.
When I went to visit her this past fall she taught me how to make Borsch, and we sang this song together...
Jesus paid it all! All to Him I owe!
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow!
Oh praise the One who paid my debt!
And raised this life up from the dead!
Whenever our family gets together at Thanksgiving and Christmas or anytime, before we eat we always sing "Great is Thy Faithfulness". As I was singing through that tonight I was stuck on the 3rd verse which is my solace for this time where I'm stuck in Egypt so far away from all of the Burkeys.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today! And bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings are mine with ten thousand besides
Great is thy Faithfulness! Great is thy Faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see!
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me!
Great is thy Faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with thee!
Thou changest not, thy compassions they fail not
As thou hast been thou forever wilt be.
Great is thy Faithfulness! Great is thy Faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see!
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy Faithfulness, Lord unto me!
And the thing I remember most and will cherish always about my dear Gramma Gloria Ann Burkey is her love for Jesus. Gramma shines with Jesus love and she continually lived her life in such a way that others would want to know Christ too. Acts 20:24 is the verse Gramma shared with my little brother Caleb this past week when he was able to tell her goodbye and it states,
However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
Grandma Burkey, you finished the race and completed the task Jesus gave to you. You testified the gospel of God's grace and changed so many hearts to Jesus. I love you Grandma. I wish I could hold your hand and kiss your cheek and wrap my arms around you, but I will see you in heaven again and I hope and pray that I can live like you and too testify the gospel of God's grace and complete the task that Jesus has given me as well.
Yellow Blue Bus, Grandma... I LOVE YOU!
1 comment:
I love you Kara Joy and am praying for Grandma even right now. She is going to get to see Jesus really soon!! And one day you and I will get to see him too and we will get to see Grandma again. I wish that I could be there to wrap my arms around you and give you the biggest hug in the world, but your gonna have to consider this a huge Kara Joy hug. Or even better, go get your box of crayola crayons, and hug that and pretend like it's me. And then get your book out and look at Grandma!! I sure do love you and wish that I could be there for you right now.
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