Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Home Sweet Home

 Tomorrow, April 19, is Grandma’s birthday. On April 19, 2011, Nelda (Boyd) Lane left this world to celebrate her 94th birthday, along with her Lord Jesus and my grandpa, Carlyle “Pete” Lane, along with other family and friends who made it to heaven before she did.
 
 
My theology on heaven is pretty shaky, so I have no idea if they dished up cake and ice cream at her welcome home/birthday gala last year. Actually, if pastry was served, I’d bet that it was pie. Grandma probably baked and gave away hundreds, if not thousands, of pies in her lifetime—even after losing most of her eyesight. She gave her scrumptious homemade pies to the singles and “old people” in her neighborhood, she told me. Truth be told, she had more years under her belt than they!
 
 
(Several years ago, I was talking to Grandma on the phone. She was quite put out because some “young people” from a youth group had been making the rounds in her tiny burg, presenting plates of Christmas cookies to the elderly. “Elderly!” Grandma exclaimed crossly. “I am not elderly!” I held back my laughter. Grandma was 90 at the time.)
 
 
At any rate, I can’t help but imagine Grandma’s second heavenly birthday party. She’ll make the cakes and pies herself, of course, in addition to confections baked by other Boyd pastry-geniuses. Nettie “Mimi” Powell, my other grandmother and a pie-baking legend in her own right, will probably contribute a strawberry pie with real whipped cream as well as her marvelous homemade vanilla ice cream. My other grandfather, Graham "Papa" Powell, will likely help Mimi with the ice cream. (Pete won't  be of much use in the kitchen, except to entertain everyone with his funny stories.)
 
 
But regardless of the heavenly menu or lack thereof, I’m sure of one thing: considering the company Grandma’s keeping up there, she’ll have one very sweet birthday!

“Taste and see that the LORD is good.
Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!”
                            --PSALM 34:8

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