Pondering the Important Things

Next week is going to be a busy week, I think.  Usually I dread busy weeks because they feel never-ending.  This time, though, I think I'll be doing more pondering than anything.  That's odd for a busy week.

My great-grandmother just passed away.  She was 95 and was the last remaining great-grandparent that Kyle or I had.  She's not having a funeral--just a viewing for family only and then an immediate burial--and I was able to arrange my work schedule to be able to be able to make the trip to Decatur to be there.

I didn't really know this great-grandma that well (we didn't get to see her often) but I do remember her very vividly.  She said some wonderfully funny things to us when we were young, but at the same time, I hated the initial hello every time we got together because she'd always comment on just how much I look like my father (as a young girl, this bothers you, trust me.  ESPECIALLY if your father is very masculine).

This led me to remember the death of my other great-grandmother who passed away when I was about fourteen.  I visited this one all the time in the nursing home and during her burial, I cried and cried.  I was worried for my Granny.  I was worried for our family.  It was my first real encounter with death, and I remember it being unsettling.

Now I know where my Granny is, and I know where my other great-grandmother is, also.  It's very comforting to know.  I know that my Granny is being blessed in Heavenly Father's kingdom, and I've worked to ensure that her temple ordinances would be completed for her since she never had the opportunity to do them for herself here.  I was the one who did her baptism for her, and, weirdly enough, I'll be the one to do her initiatories and endowment when Kyle and I go to the temple on Tuesday...only a day after my other great-grandma's funeral.


I suspect I'll be thinking a lot about family this week.  I'll be thinking about death, life, and what to do in it.  I'll be thinking about eternity, and probably happiness and perfection.  I suppose at some point I will cry--not for my deceased relatives (why despair when they are in a beautiful, happy place?)--but instead because of this glorious opportunity to become like our Heavenly Father.  


Kyle and I don't go to the temple enough.  We don't read our scriptures enough.  We don't volunteer enough.  We don't pray enough.  We don't spend enough time together as a family.  We don't say I Love You enough.  You see...there is never enough of the important things.  


This week, I'm only working about 11 hours.  I just wasn't scheduled for very many for some reason.  Kyle wasn't either.  Now, because of the funeral, I'm only working two days and he's only got three.  Our paychecks won't be big this week (that's for certain) but I have a feeling we're going to be rich in understanding.  We'll be able to spend our days off with our families, at the temple, or at home close to one another.  At first, we were both worried about having enough money for this week, but now...I've had a reality check that the paycheck is NOT what's important.


This week, I'm going to make some more time for the important stuff :)