Beautiful Feet
I’ve been wanting to write this post for a while now, but every time I would try I felt I couldn’t start it properly so I’ll just give you the facts. On January 9, my Grandma Sharon was diagnosed with Stage III cancer. After a surgery to remove a tumor in her colon, they discovered it was cancerous and the cancer was in her lymph nodes as well. Today, she had her first chemo treatment. She will have a chemo treatment every two weeks for the next six months. The prognosis is good. The cancer is in no other organs and the doctors expect the chemo will clear it out of her lymph nodes. Praise be to God!
But what’s affected me the most during this process has nothing to do with medical reports (although there’s a good chance Grandma doesn’t feel this way.) What has affected me the most, and in the best way, is watching my Grandma through it all. I’ve always known my Grandma to be a wonderful woman of God. From a young age I’ve looked up to her as a role model and inspiration. She would always encourage me as a kid to memorize scripture, to read my bible faithfully, to always attend church. And not only that, but she’s been a continuous example of what it means to be joyful in Christ. I hardly know anyone, except for her two daughters (my mom and Aunt Christy,) who know how to turn any moment into one of laughter. All three of them are pranksters and jokesters, in the greatest way. She always played with me as a kid and sang to me. She would sing “Beautiful Feet” a child’s gospel song as she would draw funny faces on the soles of my feet and on the feet of my cousins encouraging us, reminding us that “beautiful are the feet that bring good news.” And boy, has she been an example of that to me my entire life.
The joy has not stopped since her diagnosis. I read her journal on CaringBridge whenever there is a new post about her journey. Every post brings me great joy. She shares about the opportunities she’s been given to pray with others and tell people about the great God that we serve. She shares verses God has given her as encouragement. She tells of laying in bed reciting scripture, which she so accurately states is more rewarding than counting sheep, a true testimony to the value of the lessons she’s instilled in me since childhood. And yet, she is so authentic. She admits she wishes that she didn’t have to travel this journey, but that she does look forward to how God will use her through this. The joy is not false, but rather a trust in God that has manifested itself in the most beautiful form.
Thank you, Grandma for showing me time and time again what it looks like to put Jesus first, to trust in Him and His will even when that might seem nearly impossible. You are an incredible woman and I am eternally grateful for your influence and involvement in my life. Keep living the way you do and God will certainly continue to use you to share His love, as you already are. I love you so much and I pray for you everyday and will continue to do so until you are healed of this disease. It seems it’s almost harder for me to trust in God with this than it has been for you, but by your example and the power of the Holy Spirit, I am putting you in His hands, trusting he will be faithful to you, to us your family.
Thank you for everything, Grandma. You have beautiful feet.
Sincerely,
Kendra Leigh
{Dear _________} 
Beautiful, honey!
You are a wonderful writing. Thank you for continuing the example that Grandma, your mom and others have given you of glorifying God in all things.
that would be “writer”
Obviously, I’m not. :)
Well written. She is a great lady.
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