Grandma King

Joey's Grandma King passed away at 2:20 a.m. this morning. We kissed the top of her head and said goodbye at 1:30 a.m. When we left, we knew it was the last time but her heart beat was so strong we thought...maybe?

Joey would be much better writing about Janet. What I know about her is so general. She is from a town in Ohio called Mogadore. Her relatives had a rich history there. She met and married Joe Morgan who died of Lupus when their son was six and their daughter, Reta, was just four. A short time later, she married one of the most eligible bachelors in the area, Robert King. They had two more children, Laura and Robin. Somehow, she came to live in the Lansing area and was a member of First Christian Church.

She was in pain most of the time I knew her due to rheumatoid arthritis. It destroyed her feet and her hands. She was a tiny woman with a fiery attitude but she could also be sweet and reflective.

Grandma King fought to accept the grace given to us by God. She just couldn't see how He could really forgive us. I watched last night in her last hours as her grandson, named after her first husband, whispered in her ear, "let go, Grandma. It's okay. We love you but you can go now." When we opened her Bible, there was a note which said, "read John 5:36." So we read it to her.

36"I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. 37And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39You diligently study[c] the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

41"I do not accept praise from men, 42but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God[d]?

We took a break from our visit to have a wonderful dinner with my aunt Ginny and uncle Lynn. It was such a great time. Lots of laughter, lots of planning. We visited the Coles and the Yi afterward and really felt the exhaustion as we drove back to Holt. We wanted to wait until tomorrow to see her again but my heart was leading us back to Janet...and all Joey needed was the reassurance to go.

So we went back and spent the last few hours with her. We probably had too good of a time, laughing with Joey's cousins Travis and Jessica along with Aunt Diana. But there were serious moments, too, like when Jessica discovered Grandma's feet had turned blue within an hour. This young, college co-ed rubbed lotion on her dying grandmother's feet to bring them back. She then rubbed lotion on her arms and massaged her legs. I will never forget this image of Jessica in bed with Grandma as Joey rubbed Grandma's head and held her hand.

We drove home that night listening to "Nothing But The Blood" by Ish. I must mention how moving it is when you need to hear a hymn like this one and this particular time but you not only need to hear the hymn but two of your friends voices are singing it to you.

I dropped Joey off at his house and was in my bed by 2:05. She died soon after and Joey called me around 3:00. I felt relief that this woman didn't have to struggle for breath anymore. I had knelt next to her bed praying for Jesus to come and take her. She was a fighter. She came through several heart surgeries. She was in and out of the hospital taunting death but it needed to be over now. Thank you, Jesus.

It is sad that she will not be at our wedding. She never got to see any of her grandchildren marry and she never held a great-grandchild. She also never met her unborn grandchild due at Thanksgiving. Of course, there's a million other things she never did but the things that count are the ones did do. Janet was loved and loved and was saved from her sins.