1 Year Anniversary

People tend to celebrate milestones of life. Birthdays. Anniversaries. Weddings. Birth of a Child. Most anniversaries we celebrate are happy and bring us joy-filled memories.  Sunday marks the one year anniversary that Kitty, my grandmother, left her earthly home and went to spend eternity with her heavenly Father. We as her family miss her presence, but rejoice that she is in heaven with her Savior! 

Today I wish to honor her by posting the eulogy I delivered at her funeral. 

Below are my notes.  

There are many stories that I could tell you about the life of Kitty. Most of them are quite hilarious.  If you knew her, you  know that if she thought it, she said it.

I will begin by telling you how Kitty or Kathryn acquired the name Kitty. Whether you are family or friends, I imagine most of you knew her by the name of Kitty.  Kitty’s first grandchild is Cindy.  When Cindy was little she would play with kittens at a neighbors house. She learned how to say the word “Kitty” She came to visit her grandmother (Kitty), and my Aunt tried to get Cindy to say Kathryn.  However, Kitty is all that she could say. So a generation later Cindy’s children and the rest of our family lovingly call her Kitty. 

She gave Cindy and me the love of high-heels. Cindy loved to dance around the house in her shoes just to hear the sound of them against the floor.  Kitty bought my first pair of high-heels. Purple, I believe. One day Kitty walked to my house in her high-heels because she wanted to see me. She walked because her car was being repaired.  This “little walk” was about a mile long.   She was a woman on a mission! Our family had to force Kitty to stop wearing high-heels around age 81.    

Kitty always kept a clean house, and one of her favorite things to do was washing dishes.  I wish that I had acquired that same love for my dishes. She taught us to never leave the house with a dirty dish in the sink. The ladies at my Mom’s flower shop were reflecting on different funny stories about Kitty while they were preparing the beautiful flowers here today.  Mrs. Betty Adams told a story about Kitty falling.  She called Mrs. Betty to come help her.  My parents arrived to take her to the emergency room. On her way out the door, she turned around and said to Mrs. Betty “Hey, how about washing those dishes before you leave.”

I remember holidays when the men would be talking while the women cleaned the kitchen after a HUGE feast that Kitty had prepared.  I was the youngest grandchild and would often sneak in the kitchen to help so I could be just like them and listen to their conversation in the kitchen. Our family has many memories of Kitty in the kitchen.  She always made a feast no matter what the occasion!

A few Christmases ago, I gave Kitty a grandmother’s memory journal. The journal had questions in it which prompted her to answer with stories about her life.  She wrote about her favorite cat and making paper dolls as a child.  She wrote about cleaning scraps up after her mother who was a seamstress.  One question she was asked in the journal was what was something that your father taught you?  Her answer was “he showed me help first.”  Pause “help first” I wonder if she knew how profound that statement was?  “Help first,” we could even say, “serve first.” Thinking back on her life, I can see how she lived that. 

John 13 tells the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet.

 

John 13

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?" 7 Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand." 8 Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him,  "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me." 9Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" 10Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you." 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean."

 12When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them,  "Do you understand what I have done to you? 13You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16Truly, truly, I say to you, a servants not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, 'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."

 One thing we see in these scriptures is service lived and service taught

 

Kitty served.

She cooked church meals.

She cooked meals for people in the community.

She taught service to many of us through her service.

For Cindy it was making squash casserole on special occasions and whenever she and her family were in town.

For Tim it was a special dish that she made sure was always on the table.

For Michael it was washing his clothes.

For me it was washing my clothes and cooking my beloved macaroni and cheese.

 Service lives in her children.

 My Daddy serves. If your ox is in the ditch, he is there. He has spent his life serving my Mom and me.

 Aunt Dianne has taught all of us true love and service by taking care of Kitty the past 6 or more years. She gave up her life to make sure her mother was given proper care.

 Kitty was service lived and service taught.  Kitty knew that she was not greater than her master.  She served because God had given her a gift that was ingrained in her life.  Service was a must for her. Service is a way of life.  Service is pure worship and that is exactly what she would want us to do today. 

 All those who are spiritually washed by the blood of Christ have a place in heaven. Because of this, our family has the hope that we will meet her again. 

For our family and all Christian families, a funeral is not a day of mourning but a day of Remembrance, Reflection, and Celebration.

 

Remembrance of the Cross

Reflection of  HIS Grace

Celebration of what Christ has done for us.

 

 

Let’s Pray.

 

God you be glorified.

            

Below is video footage that I made of Kitty in the nursing home.

 http://www.youtube.com/get_player

Happy 1 year anniversary Kitty! 

*To leave a comment click on the word COMMENTS, found below. I would love to hear from you!

1 Year Anniversary

People tend to celebrate milestones of life. Birthdays. Anniversaries. Weddings. Birth of a Child. Most anniversaries we celebrate are happy and bring us joy-filled memories.  Sunday marks the one year anniversary that Kitty, my grandmother, left her earthly home and went to spend eternity with her heavenly Father. We as her family miss her presence, but rejoice that she is in heaven with her Savior! 

Today I wish to honor her by posting the eulogy I delivered at her funeral. 

Below are my notes.  

There are many stories that I could tell you about the life of Kitty. Most of them are quite hilarious.  If you knew her, you  know that if she thought it, she said it.

I will begin by telling you how Kitty or Kathryn acquired the name Kitty. Whether you are family or friends, I imagine most of you knew her by the name of Kitty.  Kitty’s first grandchild is Cindy.  When Cindy was little she would play with kittens at a neighbors house. She learned how to say the word “Kitty” She came to visit her grandmother (Kitty), and my Aunt tried to get Cindy to say Kathryn.  However, Kitty is all that she could say. So a generation later Cindy’s children and the rest of our family lovingly call her Kitty. 

She gave Cindy and me the love of high-heels. Cindy loved to dance around the house in her shoes just to hear the sound of them against the floor.  Kitty bought my first pair of high-heels. Purple, I believe. One day Kitty walked to my house in her high-heels because she wanted to see me. She walked because her car was being repaired.  This “little walk” was about a mile long.   She was a woman on a mission! Our family had to force Kitty to stop wearing high-heels around age 81.    

Kitty always kept a clean house, and one of her favorite things to do was washing dishes.  I wish that I had acquired that same love for my dishes. She taught us to never leave the house with a dirty dish in the sink. The ladies at my Mom’s flower shop were reflecting on different funny stories about Kitty while they were preparing the beautiful flowers here today.  Mrs. Betty Adams told a story about Kitty falling.  She called Mrs. Betty to come help her.  My parents arrived to take her to the emergency room. On her way out the door, she turned around and said to Mrs. Betty “Hey, how about washing those dishes before you leave.”

I remember holidays when the men would be talking while the women cleaned the kitchen after a HUGE feast that Kitty had prepared.  I was the youngest grandchild and would often sneak in the kitchen to help so I could be just like them and listen to their conversation in the kitchen. Our family has many memories of Kitty in the kitchen.  She always made a feast no matter what the occasion!

A few Christmases ago, I gave Kitty a grandmother’s memory journal. The journal had questions in it which prompted her to answer with stories about her life.  She wrote about her favorite cat and making paper dolls as a child.  She wrote about cleaning scraps up after her mother who was a seamstress.  One question she was asked in the journal was what was something that your father taught you?  Her answer was “he showed me help first.”  Pause “help first” I wonder if she knew how profound that statement was?  “Help first,” we could even say, “serve first.” Thinking back on her life, I can see how she lived that. 

John 13 tells the story of Jesus washing the disciples feet.

 

John 13

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?" 7 Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand." 8 Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him,  "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me." 9Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" 10Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you." 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean."

 12When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them,  "Do you understand what I have done to you? 13You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16Truly, truly, I say to you, a servants not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, 'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."

 One thing we see in these scriptures is service lived and service taught

 

Kitty served.

She cooked church meals.

She cooked meals for people in the community.

She taught service to many of us through her service.

For Cindy it was making squash casserole on special occasions and whenever she and her family were in town.

For Tim it was a special dish that she made sure was always on the table.

For Michael it was washing his clothes.

For me it was washing my clothes and cooking my beloved macaroni and cheese.

 Service lives in her children.

 My Daddy serves. If your ox is in the ditch, he is there. He has spent his life serving my Mom and me.

 Aunt Dianne has taught all of us true love and service by taking care of Kitty the past 6 or more years. She gave up her life to make sure her mother was given proper care.

 Kitty was service lived and service taught.  Kitty knew that she was not greater than her master.  She served because God had given her a gift that was ingrained in her life.  Service was a must for her. Service is a way of life.  Service is pure worship and that is exactly what she would want us to do today. 

 All those who are spiritually washed by the blood of Christ have a place in heaven. Because of this, our family has the hope that we will meet her again. 

For our family and all Christian families, a funeral is not a day of mourning but a day of Remembrance, Reflection, and Celebration.

 

Remembrance of the Cross

Reflection of  HIS Grace

Celebration of what Christ has done for us.

 

 

Let’s Pray.

 

God you be glorified.

            

Below is video footage that I made of Kitty in the nursing home.

 

Happy 1 year anniversary Kitty! 

*To leave a comment click on the word COMMENTS, found below. I would love to hear from you!