I scooted to the edge of my pew, I was trying to catch her eye. I knew if she saw me, that would be all I would need to accomplish my mission. She turned her head toward me and just as I knew she would, she motioned for me to come and sit by her. So, I had gotten the okay. In a matter of moments, I was sitting by my grandmother in church. Next, on the agenda and most importantly to me at my young age was my intention of getting into her purse.
I have never asked any of my cousins if she let them into her purse during church, but as for me, Grammie made me think I was special. Now that I am older I have observed she did this with all her grandkids. I don’t think I had a monopoly on her attention, she had a way of making us all think we were her only grandchild. So, when I think of my times with Grammie, I often think of my times sitting with her at church. She would let me go thru her purse and she would give me wintergreen lifesavers to keep me quiet and I guess to keep my breath fresh.
After she died, my Mom gave me a couple of purses in her memory. One of them I had given to her not long before she died. Some time after, I was going thru them. I felt a bulge way down in the bottom of one of them. And like I had done so many years before, I pulled out a whole roll of Lifesavers. Such a memory. And what a LIFESAVER she had been. What a true example she had been for me! See, while she was letting me sit by her in church she also had been teaching me without even being conscious of it. I remember her praying in church and singing. Participating during times I am sure that she didn’t feel like it. She was a constant Christian. She was always ready to lend a helping and and did so day after day. She held dear to the principles taught in the Bible about the way we should live. I never saw a hint in her life that might have said she was thinking this might be a little to strict way to live our lives. She stood by her husband, Rev. Harvey M Howe, all of the years of his ministry and was a lifesaver to so many souls. I don’t think she had any idea how many people she had touched in her life. It wasn’t like her to keep tabs that way. It was just her way to do what needed to be done.
The church was packed the day of her funeral and I am sure that was a small number compared to the number of people she had impacted throughout her life.
It was a small thing I am sure to her to let me go thru her purse in church and to let me have a lifesaver or two once in awhile. However, the relationship she built with me throughout the years went far beyond that. She showed me what a Godly Christian lady was supposed to be. She also impacted me in a greater way than I realize by teaching my Mom the ways of the Lord, handing down to me her spiritual lifesavers. In times of my own life, when I hit a rough spot I can look to the faith of my Mom and Grammie and know that the God of my Grandmother and the God of my Mom is still the same God that I serve. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever.” So, today I say a great big thank-you, Grammie for being such a wonderful LIFESAVER!
