My Nanna was pretty unique.
She’s been gone a good long while but I had cause to think of her today.
I went to help a friend with something this morning. It took a bit of time but the thing itself wasn’t a big deal to me because it was dealing with stuff I understood. For her though, she’d got into a muddle and a slump and couldn’t see her way through.
I felt like that recently when future SIL rescued me from a techno problem which had me ready to scream, but which was second nature to him. š
Before I’d even done anything to help, she had hugged me, offered me a drink and a seat, pointed to a gift she had prepared with a full page hand written card and had thanked me half a dozen times.
We did what was needed, more hugs and thanks and as I looked up from my car seat to put my window down to wave and say goodbye I saw her hands lifted towards my car and her mouth moving – and I thought of my Nanna.
When saying goodbye, Nanna used to take my face in both her hands and say all or part of this:
“The Lord bless thee and keep thee
The Lord make His face shine upon thee
and be gracious to thee
The Lord lift up His countenance on thee
and give thee peace”
When I looked up out of my window, I knew my friend was blessing me.
And blessing me from her heart.
And I loved it.
When I was little I just thought Nanna was Nanna.
A bit older I thought she was weird.
A bit older and I wanted to squirm out of her hands and her gaze.
A bit older – probably after she’d gone – I came to love and be grateful for all those times she’d blessed me.
Older still, I’m still grateful and wonder how much of the blessing in my life is the fruit of her prayers.
Thanks Nanna. (Pass it on please Lord)
And thanks for my friend who blessed me today.