On Saturday, September 3rd, I attended my grandmother's funeral in a black dress and navy blue hat that once sat atop her head.

I watched cars pull over to the side of the road when our limo passed— in front of cars carrying my grandmother's loved ones and behind the Hurst that acted as her final chauffeur. Human beings making hearts with their hands while watching us pass, and men taking off their hat with respect were engrained in my memory for the months to come—but, believe it or not, there is only one memory that I will undoubtedly keep stored in my mind's front row until God-willing my 100th year…

The one thing I will NEVER forget is the crowd that joined together in one church to honor my grandmother's life. Friends of friends that met her once were there an hour early to celebrate her life, along with family members that remember her joyful manner from years back. People that were impacted by her smile and buoyant personality, and even those that only knew of her reputation wanted to come and support my family during what seemed like a difficult time.

I was overwhelmed when I first saw this colorful crowd as my family entered into the building, but, as the 'home-going celebration' progressed, I soon realized how significant this day was for US—the human beings in the crowd.

The key to a happy life is cultivating, harboring and sustaining love—within our heart, mind, body, and soul. Love is the key, as our Creator desires it to be.

The overall theme of my grandmother's celebration was love, from praise and worship to the testimonies of her life from her children and best friends. People were lifting their hands to praise the very God who created such an incredible woman, knowing good and well that she was with Him after decades of serving Him as only she could.

My grandmother LOVED God. Jesus was her homie and praising His name was her hobby. I understood, after understanding only a fraction of how good God truly is, why she adored Him. She knew that she was blessed with an incredible family, that she also adored, and being alive to see us moving, speaking and smiling was enough of a reason to give her life over to the One that created it.

On another note, and aside from my grandmother loving her entire family, I knew without a doubt that she loved me—and the love she had for me, displayed and practiced for me, was something that I came to appreciate more and more over time.

I considered her my matchmaker. She knew that I was a hopeless romantic, and knew my past of unsuccessful relationships that left my spirit depleted and self-conscious of its worth. She would, without my permission, give my number to possible mates after hyping me up as though I was Miss America. I couldn't stand the thought of a stranger having my number, but, in the same moment, I LOVED how highly she thought of me.

She saw me as a worthy young woman of Christ that deserved a love she knew our God could display. She wanted more than I could imagine for myself, all because she knew that love was the key to a happy life—and helping her granddaughter find a godly man to love that would sustain her in Christ would give her the slightest bit of comfort.

I’ll finish with this… My grandmother knew and showed, daily, the kind of love that we all need to introduce into our daily routines. Love is all-inclusive and refuses to discriminate. It is consuming and accepting, gentle and kind.

Forgiving someone that hurt you in the past is Love.
Looking in the mirror and respecting yourself regardless of what you see is Love.
Nourishing your body is Love.
Selflessly serving others is Love.
Putting others above yourself is Love.
Caring for someone who can’t care for themselves is Love.
You truly love others when introducing them to new experiences, ideas and thoughts becomes a priority. In other words, considering what God does for us, 

Our God IS love.

Thank you, grandmother, for your LOVE. Your infectious smile and loud laugh that rolled eyes and warmed hearts at the same time. Thank you for loving me enough to accept me, respect me and wish only the best for me. Thank you for your teachings and opinions, whether they were accepted at the time or not—I absorbed it all.

I love you, grandmother. Thank you for teaching me the key to a happy life, and thank you God for giving me this platform to share the same message. I hope you all were comforted by this short post, and I pray that through thick and thin you understand what reigns over all emotions, ideas and concepts. LOVE is the answer, and He will always win. ✞

Rest in paradise grandmother, where you deserve to be,

- Miss Lynn