Loneliness

We both knew it was coming.  After the death of my Aunt Sharon, my Grandma Pearl's last daughter, we predicted that Grandma was going to have a hard time.  Caring for and fussing over Sharon had filled Grandma's life for three years.  Without the hours spent fretting and bossing Grandma is lonely.  Very lonely!

Her loneliness manifests itself in various ways.  Driving to Harrisburg unannounced is her newest one.  She calls my beautiful sister at a minimum of twice a day.  It also manifests itself in some very difficult ways.  She uses harsh words when it comes to her great grandkids and the parenting of her granddaughters.  She speaks meanly about her neighbors.

I love Grandma for so many reasons.  I can see God using this situation to refine me and as my beautiful sister has blogged, her as well.  I pray that as Jeremiah writes I can somehow show Grandma that God intends to "turn [her] mourning into gladness."  He continues, declaring the word the Lord gave him, "I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow....and my people will be filled with my bounty."  Jeremiah 31: 13-14.