Nana Clare

I had the privilege of being able to speak at my grandmothers funeral yesterday.  Of course as with the loss of a loved one you grieve not being able to see them again.   As I went through the 2 days before her funeral and dug through the treasure chest of memories I had with Nana the peace that I had was so deep,  I knew God had prepared us for this day.   I post this so that you can catch a glimpse of who she was to me,  but also to encourage you to catch the vision that what we do today we do not do for ourselves but rather for the generations to come. 


I would like to spend just a few minutes to honor my Nana.

I have to privilege of being her oldest grandchild, and though it is very true my grandmother never had favorites among us I have to admit to my brothers and cousins after I had my forth child I would tease her and say I must be her favorite now because after all I had four kids to be just like her.  She would laugh.  But I knew, just like all of us knew, that we were all her favorites.

Each one of us were special to her.  If you ever doubted that all you had to do was go over and sit at her kitchen table.  She would start pulling out the leftovers, even though you had insisted that you had just eaten.  You would end up with a plate full of food and a cup of instant coffee.  Then she would sit with you and talk.   She and I would often end up talking about raising kids.  She would tell me some story about raising her own kids.  Then tell me I was doing a good job with my own.   I can't begin to tell you how much her words would encourage me as a young mother.

There are many things that I will remember about Nana.  I don't think I'll ever pass a yard sale without thinking of her.  The smell of meatballs frying with bring me back to her kitchen and who could forget Nana in her pink rollers.

But the thing I will remember most about Nana are her hands.  As she grew older I would look at her hands and to me they would tell her life story.  Most would say they were wrinkled and worn.  But I looked at them and saw a legacy...my legacy.

One of the earliest memories I have of Nana was when we were living on Pembroke Ave.  At the change of the season she would come and help my mom iron curtains.  No one could hand wash and iron curtains like Nana.   I can picture Mama sitting at our dining room table, my mom wiping down windows and Nana's hands dancing over the ruffles and valances with the steaming iron.  How rich my world felt that day sitting there with my great-grandmother , grandmother, and mother.  I know those are some of the moments that have made me who I am today.  Nothing fancy just one generation teaching the next...one set of capable hands loving on the younger one.

I saw her hands cook meals and always have enough to give to a neighbor.  In fact the neighbors always got the first portion she would gladly take less for herself.

Those hands were always generous..she always had  a little money to slip in your pocket and a wink to keep it between us.

I saw her tender hands lovingly care for her own mother.  Selflessly putting her own life aside to feed, wash and lift her into bed each night.  I saw the fruits of that as I watched my own mom do the same for her.

I watched her hands hold my babies as she imparted motherly advice to me.  Those memories I will always hold dear to my heart.

Then I watched my children hold her weaker hands and no matter how she was feeling she always had a smile for them.

Her hands weren't into fancy things of this world.  They were practical and frugal.  Not so she could have more for herself,  only so that she could do more for all of us.

Her hands never rested but were diligent.  If someone needed care she would set herself to the task.  No task was beneath her.  Her hands always had a purpose.

The last time I saw Nana I held her hand, my strong one, in her frail one.  The arthritis had taken a toll on them.  But to me they were still beautiful...I looked and studied them a bit, and then looked at my own.   Hers had once looked like mine and she had done her job well.  Now it is my hands who are to reach into the next generation...

I can't imagine doing it as selflessly as she has all these years but I am not left to figure it all out for myself because there is yet another set of hands in my life that reflect hers very well.  I get to look to them and hold onto them for guidance.

In closing I leave you with a scripture from Ecclesiastes 

Whatever you hand finds to do,  do it with all your might;

Nana did that she never gave half and effort to anything she did.   It's days like today that should make us stop and think and look at our own hands and ask the question what am I doing with these to make someone elses life better?

Nana you led me by example that it is not in the extravagant life that you find contentment.   It is in serving others that we really find true joy.  I may never be able to fill your shoes Nana but I hope my hands can love others tirelessly like yours did.  Until one day when we stand in Heaven ...hand in hand....I love you.