October 19, 2012

Precious Memories, How they Linger!

Today I want to tell you about my Grandma Rossman. My childhood is FULL of many pleasant memories of this dear lady who loved to cook, bake, celebrate Christmas and be busy with her church and family. I cannot help but wonder if that is why these things are so dear to me? She had a servant heart ~ always baking bread and delivering it around the countryside, going visiting to shut ins, picking up people for church, and the minute the car was in park at church, she was out to go teach Sunday School, lead the singing, help with VBS or whatever else she knew needed doing. One of my favorite childhood memories is of Vacation  Bible School at the little white Nazarene church in St. Petersburg. I couldn't have been but three or four at the most; but, I cherish that clip in the camera of my mind.



I mentioned cooking and baking. Today, I am not able to be at Grandma's funeral because of my youngest son's health; but, I will spend that time making pickled beets and remembering Grandma working in her humongous garden, canning and pickling for all she was worth. Bread and Butter pickles, dill pickles, cherries, green beans, pickled beets and my all time favorite that will be DEARLY missed: her green sweet pickles. No one can make them like my Grandma!



Christmas time was another treasured time. There were Buckeye balls, homemade caramels, haystacks and hard tack to be made along with a myriad of cookies. I REALLY treasure the memory of when she came to my house one Christmas season, not too long ago, and helped me make all kinds of her candies. My son had just had one of his 17 surgeries and the sacrifice she made to come and help us have a Merry Christmas will NEVER be forgotten. That was Grandma ~ always doing for others.



Speaking of Christmas...Grandma was "Queen of Christmas!" From all the candies and cookies she made to the big old evergreen loaded with C-9 bulb lights and a million silver icicles, presents galore for everyone and Dennis Day singing on the record in the background, I learned how to celebrate Christmas! Christmas morning always came with the sound of the pressure cooker spitting away cooking the potatoes and the delicious aroma of ham or turkey and all the other things she prepared for our Christmas feast. Going to Africa as missionaries didn't stop Grandma from celebrating Christmas ~ she would send us the most wonderful packages with everything wrapped ready to celebrate. She never forgot to include necessary ingredients for her Christmas goodies either!



When Daddy was in college, we would often arrive at Grandma's in the middle of the night. The porch light was always on with its yellow bug light shining a warm welcome and Grandma would be there to receive sleeping girls into her warm loving arms. "Merciful heavens, I'm glad you made it all right! That is one long trip," she would say. We would slip up the stairs to bed. We were at Grandma's! I look forward to her welcoming me to her new home ~ When I get to heaven, she'll be there too to meet me with open arms and say, "Merciful heavens, I'm so glad you made it all right!" I plan to meet her there!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh how sweet, what precious memories you have. Hugs, Carla

The Dickinsons said...

Hey! Thank you for your super sweet comment on my latest blog post. I just read your 2 VERY TOUCHING post about your 2 precious Grandmothers' passing. I'm SO SORRY!!
Your post brought tears to my eyes. Especially how you ended it by saying that your Grandmother will welcome you to Heaven by saying that same phrase she always said to y'all. Wow! That made me cry.
I'm can empathize with you not getting to attend your Grandmothers' services. =( Having my Grandma go to Heaven last year and not getting to attend her service...made for some hard days. But Jesus was with me alllll the way down in Argentina and helped heal my heart. I'm praying for you in this time of loss. I agree with you, I too will pass on someday and I want to be remembered for the good I did from my husband and family and what I tried to do for Jesus. He is such an AWESOME Savior!!!
OH, WE HAVE TO MAKE IT!!!
We have recently taught our church people here the chorus:
It WILL BE WORTH IT ALL...when we see Jesus! So true!
Love ya bunches!
~Heather~

Making Memories 1999 said...

Thank you, Denise, for your sweet comment on my blog. I, too, am glad that our daughters like our blogs. =)

I enjoyed reading about your memories of your grandmothers. I'm so thankful for my memories...sayings that my grandmother had, things she did, decorations, celebrations, and the legacy that was left behind. How blessed you and I are to have experienced loving grandmothers.

BTW, when our families took that vacation together when we were young...didn't we go to visit your Grandma Rossman? I'll have to check our home movies of that and see if she is on there. What I do remember is your dad and my dad acting silly. (imagine that!!) =)

Thanks for your friendship!