One of the most memorable pieces of my recent wedding day was the intertwining of my Nana: I wore her wedding band as my own and her Bible was read during our ceremony.

You see, she passed away from a battle with lung cancer when I was only 10.  Though I only knew her on this earth for a short time, an incredible bond was formed.  She loved cats and giggled at Garfield comics, always clipping them out of the Funnies for me… in fact, my nickname (and perhaps all her grandkids) was Pussy Cat.  She kind of giggled and grinned, like grandmas do, when she said that.  A favorite part of going to visit her was the smell of either simmering spaghetti sauce of chicken noodle soup.  My memories interacting with her are sparse, but life giving.  This is the woman who introduced me to Christ and laid the foundation for my faith.

As I’ve grown older and deeper in my faith, my desire for a conversation with my Nana, who’s faith could move mountains,  is insatiable.  A few years ago, one of her many Bibles was handed down to me.  I’m not sure which season of life she used it, but it’s filled with her remarks.  Every possible white space of that book has her thoughts written.  I can hardly open that Bible without taking an emotional roller coaster, because it’s like having a conversation with her.  I can read all her dreams, desires, struggles.  The chance to know her 17 years after her passing, as an adult who shares her faith, is the greatest gift.

Recently, I was home alone organizing the slew of post-wedding mementos, gifts, and decorations from our big day.  As I rifled through all the goodies, I couldn’t help reflect on the life ahead of me and John.  Our life together.  What that life would look like, what our legacy would be, what dreams we would together chase, how big our family would be, where we’d make our forever home… While my head was in the clouds, I came across one gift my sister gave me at my bridal shower: a sewing machine.

Now she’s a talented seamstress, as was my Nana.  So when my sister gave me the sewing machine, she happily included a bagful of sewing goodies from her own personal collection – just to get me started.  Spools of thread, scissors, needles, pin cushions, etc.  Among the bagful of goodies was an old box of safety pins.  As I examined the old weathered packaging, I noticed writing on the back.  Unbeknownst to my sister, those safety pins had actually belonged to my Nana, as it was her handwriting on the back.

Your life is God’s gift to you, and what you make of your lives is your gift to him. 

The message my Nana heard, likely struck a cord so deep that she had to write it down on whatever was handy.  In her case, a package of safety pins.

I like to think something greater prompted her to listen to her heart and take note, if only for the reason that 20-some years later her granddaughter might find it upon the beginning of her marriage.

And yes, I did notice “lives” is plural.

Here’s to making the best of this life God has given me, and with my husband, doing something bigger than ourselves as our gift to Him.

Happy Tuesday, friends. :-)
René

A couple images from our wedding of me reading from my Nana’s Bible.