A Tribute to 80 Years: Nana Going Strong
What’s the sexiest animal on the farm?
Brown-Chicken-Brown-Cow.
Nana was confused about what we were saying. We said it
slowly. Then she repeated it, enunciating every word perfectly. “Brown.
Chicken. Brown. Cow?”
“It’s like when you see a cute boy, you say
‘bow-chika-bow-wow’.” I tried explaining the sort of onomatopoeia that goes off
in your head when you see something really stunning.
“Bow-chika…whut?”
“You say bow-chika-bow-wow, only say it fast.”
She tried it.
“Now say brown-chicken-brown-cow the same way, really fast.
GO!”
Again with the perfect enunciation. “Brown. Chicken. Brown.
Cow.”
Corrie was rolling on the sofa and I was barely holding it
in as I attempted to give my grandmother lessons in coolness. The best part was
that at a few weeks short of being 80-years-old, Nana was actually putting in
sufficient effort.
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I come from a line of strong women.
Grammie, who is waiting for me in everlasting life after
fifteen years of on-and-off cancer.
My mom, who is everything I want to be when I grow up. She’s
an amazing mother, an incredible wife, and the best-looking grandmother I’ve
ever seen. Bow-chicka-bow-wow.
Then there is Nana, my mom’s mom. She was widowed at a young
age and raised her two daughters alone. Those two daughters produced twelve
grandchildren. Nana is the perfect testimony of the Lord giving, the Lord
taking, and the Lord giving some more.
Come to think of it, if there is one word that could embody
Nana (besides hilarious) it would be generous.
Nana is a giver. She’s Santa Claus at Christmas, a free lunch when you
haven’t seen each other in a while, and an unexpected gift when you’re paying
for school. She shares what God has given her with not only her family but with
everyone she knows.
When I think of Nana, it gives me courage. One woman can
have two daughters, raise those daughters, and then those daughters follow
Jesus. After that, those two daughters can have twelve children between them,
and when those children grow up, they follow Jesus. When you witness this, any
doubt that miracles still happen dissipates from you mind.
Every grandchild has a special, individual relationship with
Nana. My relationship with her consisted of her introducing me to theater when
I was younger. She took me to so many plays, amateur and Broadway. She even got
me a scholarship to a summer acting camp.
She was always supportive of my dreams, my education, and
anything else I wanted to do. But she wasn’t one to simply say she was
supportive and do nothing. She always followed her support up with action and
that made so much of a difference. Only God knows how she was able to love all
of her grandchildren the same way without having favorites.
In life, you’ll always have tight spots and rough patches.
During these events, God often provides a place for you to go with no questions
asked. Nana has been that place for her grandchildren.
So, it’s no question that on her 80th birthday,
that Nana is going to get a tribute.
Here’s to 80 years, Nana. I love you.