I know what today is; it’s Josiah Day. But, this morning, I have traded in my party hat and noisemaker to sit next to my Grandma’s hospital bedside so that I can stroke her hand, remind her of all the good times we’ve had together, and tell her how much I love her.
She barely stands five feet tall and only weighs 100 lbs soaking wet. She is 94 years old but is spunky, full of life, stubborn as a mule, and will argue with you for hours on why men should never wear their hats in buildings and girls should keep their shorts to the knee caps. She hates the countryside and doesn’t like to eat breakfast or BBQ sandwiches but will tear up the Chinese Buffet and drool over an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.
She wouldn’t ever hurt a fly…literally. It was a known rule that if there was a fly or bug of any kind in the house, you were instructed to make every effort possible to save its life and release it to the great outdoors. I can’t tell you how many hours I reluctantly spent chasing flies and catching bugs to set them free. However, if you came across a snake, there was no mercy. You MUST chop off its head and ensure its death by cutting it into a million pieces before setting it on fire and burying it three miles down the road before covering the hole with cement. She hated snakes.
Most people often tell me that I am just like her. I can’t stand being surprised…neither does she. I love entertaining others and throwing parties…so does she. We are extremely bossy and blunt, and I’m sure both of our pictures would be next to the word ‘control’ in the dictionary as we both need it, crave it, and demand it. Nosy would also be a word our pictures would be next to in the good ol’ Webster Dictionary. She has taught me how to become a professional at ‘checking’ the rain gauge, ‘sweeping’ the sidewalk, and opening the blinds at just the right angle to monitor the ‘neighbor’s’ and ‘neighborhood.’ She told me that some might call it being nosy. Still, she would call it protecting and serving our community. My love for furry animals also came from this sweet lady, and together it is our life mission to ensure every stray dog or cat in the neighborhood is well fed. It doesn’t matter if the leftover fried chicken, hamburger, or pasta salad also attracts the raccoons, possums, and armadillos because our motto is, “The more, the merrier.”
Every Friday we have a lunch date together. I pick up my husband from work, and we swing by Dairy Queen before heading over to her house, where for over an hour, we listen to her tell stories of her younger days and laugh at her one-liner jokes. It’s my favorite time of the week, and I think hers too because she always begs us not to leave so soon.
With today being Josiah Day, and as I reflect on my circumstances, my heart can’t help but break as I think she might never hear me say the words, “I am pregnant!” We haven’t talked a lot about my fertility issues together, but she has always reassured me that God’s timing is perfect, and He never forgets our prayers. She reminds me often that my mother is living proof, and for that reason alone, I should never give up hope.
My Uncle Ronnie has already passed away, and my mom’s young age has been a blessing as she has been able to help assist my Grandma over the years. It was just a month ago that she told me my Mom was her “angel,” and God knew exactly what He was doing when He gave her a child at such a late age in life. She said that she couldn’t understand God’s timing then, but she sees how perfect His timing was now.
So as you can see, Josiah Day is a little different for me this month. I’m still celebrating, but I’m not only going to celebrate the promise of a new life but the life of my Mamma and what I have learned through her. I also celebrate in the truth that God never breaks His promises, He never forgets our prayers, and when we think all hope is lost, He shows up and breaks through our darkness. I don’t know when the day will come in which I can actually celebrate Josiah Day while bouncing him on my knee, but my Grandma has proven that God’s timing is perfect; He is never early and never late. It takes a little patience and a lot of faith, but it’s always worth the wait.
Happy Josiah Day!
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