Bye for now Grandma..

My grandmother, Ruby Jewel Russell died on Saturday after a long struggle with health issues. My children will not have memories of her so I will dedicate this post to her and share a few of the memories I have of her.
--She had a really funny laugh. My mom has the same laugh. I have a very vivid memory of the two of them getting tickled about something and laughing so hard they cried and couldn't breathe.
--My grandma got up every morning between 4 and 5, read her bible and prayed. Her family was always assured of her prayers for them.
--She was a die-hard coffee drinker. Her house was always full of the smell of fresh-bewed coffee.
--She used this lotion called Rose-milk lotion. Not even sure you can still buy it but I remember the smell of it pretty vividly.
--She took a lot of pride in being a wife. Every day, no matter how bad she felt, she got up, got dressed and did her hair and makeup. She believed that part of being a good wife was making yourself look nice for your husband.
--She embroidered beautiful dish towels and linens. I still have some of the tea towels and pillow cases that she gave me for my wedding.
---She always hugged and kissed us when we would leave from visiting her and we always stood in a circle and held hands and prayed for safe travel before we left her house.
---She loved her church, loved to go to tent meetings that they held every year. Assembly of s God folks know how to do some serious church. We are talking all day services people!!
---She was ill a lot during her lifetime, had lots of surgeries and lots of hospital stays but she used those times to tell the nurses and doctors about her faith in God.
Those are just a few memories that I have of her. She was a God-fearing woman that lived a life worth remembering. I am thankful for her legacy of faith. To my grandpa who lost his sweetheart, my mom and uncle who lost their mama, my cousins who lost their grandma--I pray for us all in our sorrow but we have heaven to look forward to where she is happy and whole and praising God!! Until then...