Showing posts with label Grandma's 90th Birthday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grandma's 90th Birthday. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

God's Faithfulness in Grandma's Life

Dear Grandma,

90 years ago today, your mother gave birth to her 15th child and 10th girl. She gave you her name.

You were one of the “four least ones,” and grew up working on your New Mexico mountain farm.

Your dad left when you were five and you thought everything would be better if he just came back.

You walked to a one room school house, met Indians, rode 14 miles in a covered wagon to church every week and worked and played with your sisters who have been lifelong friends.

You practiced your spelling words down rows while picking cotton. And witnessed FDR’s

destructive reformers slaughter the neighbor’s cattle and left them to rot, in order to bring meat prices up.

You moved to California to go to Bible school, lived with your sister’s family in an orange orchard, worked for an elderly and particular women for school money, and married Grandpa, one of the Bible school teachers from Illinois.

War brought shortages and you were thankful for Grandpa to get a war time factory job building airplanes, instead of being a soldier.

Your first baby was born cesarean. You named her Fama, after your closest sister.

Popular psychology advised that spankings were not good for children, but you remembered your mother and the Bible and decided you would go with the Bible.

Your early marriage was full of job moves, new babies, and caring for a very germ conscious mother-in-law who you did not know had TB in Illinois.

Back in California, you and Grandpa borrowed from your brother-in-law, Arnold & Fama Seeger for a down payment for your house and property where you lived for fifty years.

After your youngest was born you nearly died from blood loss, and stayed in the hospital for weeks. You asked God to spare you for Steve’s sake. We are all grateful He did.

You worked cleaning the church while Grandpa helped engineer the county roads in the National Park, often being gone all week.

All the family gathered at 6am for devotions each morning to read the Bible before school and work.

You urged all your children to get their driver’s licenses as soon as they could, not wanting them to be in your shoes.

You cautioned Mom with every young man that she brought home until Dad. Then you were happy for her.

You welcomed us into your home with the big yard and telephone poll swing set and old cow pasture gardens. At meals you delighted in the food from your own land.

When my siblings were born, we got to stay with you and then drive to the hospital in the night to see the new baby come. We watched with excitement while you prayed for Mom.

Because of God’s work in you, 50 of us have life and many more can look to you as grandparents.

Happy 90th birthday Grandma!

I thank God for giving us every year with you.

Thank you for praying for all your descendants and for training your children to obey you and the LORD. That is the greatest gift you could give us.

Thank you for encouraging me to hope in God and telling me His work in your life, when I cannot see how He is going to work.

But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting

On those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children,

To such as keep His covenant and remember His commandments to do them.

Psalm 103:17-19

I love you!

Your granddaughter,

Regina

Monday, April 12, 2010

Happy 90th Birthday, Grandma Stoops!


He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.

The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.

Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.

The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’S:

but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

The dead praise not the LORD,

neither any that go down into silence.

But we will bless the LORD

from this time forth

and for evermore.

Praise the LORD.

~from Psalm 115


Dear Grandma,

Thank you for raising Mama, your gracious hospitality

wonderful cooking, and your love for us


We have been memorizing Psalm 103, it is so beautiful.

“The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children, to such as keep His covenant and remember His commandments, to do them. The Lord has established His throne in heaven and His kingdom rules over all…Bless the Lord, all His works in all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!”


Thank you for your priceless legacy of loving the Word of God, welcoming the blessing of children, and being a godly wife and mother. “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates.”


Love and Blessings!

Melody

Remembering Grandma's House


Happy 90th Birthday Grandma!


I Thank God that He has allowed me to know you through all my growing- up years. My memories of being at Grandma and Grandpa’s house are vivid in my mind:

  • Getting wet in the sprinkler and having to wear Grandpa’s tee shirts was special!
  • I loved you, Grandma, giving me a bath. When I was clean you sang, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus!”
  • I loved spending the night at your house when Mom was in labor and we were waiting for the sweet new baby to come. You took such good care of us and made sure we all had enough blankets and fixed us our favorite food! The smell of your home was sweet and in the morning we sat in the living room and had family devotions. Grandpa would recite a couple psalms.
  • Your garden was abundant! I remember picking okra, corn and beans with you and Fama. Your vegetables were so good!
  • Your home was a reprieve from the hustle of life; it made me feel so happy and safe.


Through Mom’s stories of growing up I have gotten to know you better.

Thank you for praying for all of us and our cousins each day, as I know you do!


Every day I realize I am becoming more like you!


With all my love,


Dinah Seppi


Happy 90th Birthday Grandma


You and Grandpa passed the great legacy to my parents of having family devotions.

The puritans had worship twice a day.

We loved going to Grandpa and Grandma’s house and staying overnight, having devotions and having meals together.

I hope we will have many more times to see you.

Victor Seppi