Gram and The fruits of the spirit

This week was all about Family...went to Chicago with my Mom and step-dad to bury my grandmother last week.  This was the first actual funeral I have ever been to in my (short) 30 years and I have to be honest I was a little nervous about it.  My aunts had decided on an open casket and we had a viewing the night before the service and burial to say good bye to Gram.  I didn't really know what to expect when I saw her...I have never seen a dead body before.  Would it be scary, weird, gross, I had no idea and stayed in the back of the room hiding behind having to care for my son for a good time before going up to find out.  My mom went with me and the truth was...she was beautiful. I know in movies that is all anyone ever says at the viewing "she looks so beautiful" or "so peaceful".  But it really was true!  Gram looked at peace and about 20 years younger than the last time I remember seeing her alive.  Just stunning.  It was a great way to be able to say goodbye one last time to her. In fact I found myself glancing back to her again and again all night and throughout the funeral the next day just to catch a few more glimpses of her lovely face.  

The service was just what I needed, I learned things about my Grandma I never knew..like her middle name was May!  Wilma May (Jones) Boales.  How pretty!  And that after she retired from her job in Downtown Chicago at the age of 71, she took a limo home on her last day of work!  She did this after taking a bus to the el and then walking several blocks to work every day of her life before that.  The one thing that stuck with me about the service was that everyone kept saying over and over what a good example she was for everyone around her...always patient and kind, she was a quiet woman who held her tongue and the best example of a christian woman.  After this week, Gram has become someone I want to strive to be like; no matter what happens to me or around me I want to be content and personify the fruits of the spirit as she did. (Thanks "Pastor" Bill)  The fruits of the spirit...what are they? They are written and hang on a plaque by my back door and I look at them every day, but I could not for the life of me recite them all by heart!  The nine attributes of a true Christian and Gram had them all!  Even through hardships in her life as devastating as the death of a child, nasty relationships, divorce, financial strife...through all of that and more, every person that spoke of her said she never let any of it penetrate her because of her relationship with Jesus Christ.  Wow.  What a woman she was.

So here they are, the 9 fruits of the spirit or Rather, the 9 dimensions of the 1 fruit of the Spirit that characterizes all who truly walk with Christ

Love
Joy
Peace
Patience
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-Control

Wow...can you say you have all of these virtues?  Every single one?  I doubt many people can...but I can tell you this, I am sure going to try...I want to walk with Christ and I want to be the one who "teaches" my children how to live life as a Christian and to be close with God so that they may have abundant and eternal life also.  Teach them not by "sitting them down and telling them about it" but by living my own life in this way. (thanks Aunt Bertie :-) 

The rest of the weekend was just so good to be able to connect with family members I haven't seen in a while and making raviolis from scratch with "Chef Bill" (formerly Pastor Bill) and about 15 of my cousins in one kitchen!  Watching Tino meeting family and saying "I love you": for the first time!!  Well, he said "I La lou" but close enough!!!  It was a week of restoration of family, and faith and I am so thankful for it.

Unfortunately all of the time off and good Midwest food (white Castle, fried chicken, BBQ, raviolis, Chicago Hot Dogs), my Fitness suffered a bit!  Even with an impromptu Sh'Bam session in my cousin's basement after some live Karaoke, it's time to get back in shape!  Last 10 lbs; be afraid, be very afraid!!!

I love you Gram and Thank you for being such an amazing example of a true Christian.   See you later!  (Thanks Mom ;-)