I want my life to matter. I want to make a difference in the lives of those I know. I don't want to be famous or rich or remembered by the masses. I want to live to inspire rather than impress.
One little old lady I knew well...my Nan...lived that kind of life. She stepped into heaven early on the morning of December 28th, 2011. We farewelled her with a 'Celebration Service' on New Year's Eve. Here's what I wrote as a tribute to Nan on behalf of all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren...of which there are plenty:)
Life is………..How would you finish that thought?
In light of today’s events, life is obviously
a gift…and one to be shared and celebrated and honoured.
As we grandchildren and great grand children of
Pearl Litzow stand before you today, we do so to honour a life well lived…that
of our Nanna. We honour her for running the race well….with perseverance and
courage, with joy and faith, and with love.
And we share a few simple thoughts and memories to
remind us of good times. And to pass on to our children and hopefully they to
their children, the importance of living life well.
In The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, he
explores life through the lens of three metaphors…life is a TEST, a TRUST and a
TEMPORARY assignment. If that is true, then Nanna Litzow excelled at life.
If life is a test than she passed with flying
colours. Many of us appreciate her incredible courage to keep on keeping on
with life despite trials and pain. As she was tested with the loss of Grandpa, the
grief of saying farewell and then having to embrace a totally different life
alone, she did so with determination and a matter-of-factness that we all can
learn from. Mowing acreage and learning to drive are 2 rather large hurdles to
overcome especially when you are in your late 60s and early 70s. Many of us
admired Nan’s strength and courage at that time. Just as we admired her grace
and patience during her time of illness. Shortly after her cancer diagnosis
last year she told us that whether she lived or died from this thing, she would
be happy, because she would either live, and still be here with us or she would
die and be with her Jesus. To her it was a win/win situation. The test of
sickness and pain, of disease and discomfort was passed by Nanna with faith and
pure grit. And in doing that, she set a fine example for us.
If life is a trust, then she was one of those ‘who
to much was given and much was expected.’ And she delivered. She may not have
had great wealth, but what she did have, she shared with all of us. She shared
her time – so many of us remember visits with Nanna years ago and more recently
too where she would take the time to teach us how to crochet, or cook, or play
dominos or….. Brett especially appreciates the 10 years of Friday lunchtimes he shared with nanna when he
worked in the Lowood branch.
She shared her food – lots of delicious, yummy
home cooked goodies we will never forget. Her special sponges and her tomato,
onion and cream dressing for the Sunday roast chickens. Her bottles of apricot
jam that you had to write your name on because it was such a precious commodity
and we didn’t always like to share it. Her white and blue lolly jar on the
bench at the Lowood house. And of course those cold, refreshing iceblocks she
would give those of us stupid (or brave) enough to accept big cousin Brett’s
dare to eat nanna’s chillis straight of the bush.
She shared her gift of sewing and crafting….with
lovely clothes made and all of us girls recipients of a beautiful hand-pieced
patchwork quilt. She shared that mower…some of the boys remember burning holes
in the backyard and their bottoms after lapping the backyard with one driving
and 2 on the hessian bag being towed behind.
She shared her faith – there’s no greater gift
than to pass on your knowledge of God and your love for Him to your family. And
that’s what Nanna did. Through her prayers and her conversations and even
through her cards and letters, she reminded us of the things of eternal value
and how they are to be the foundation of our lives. Isaac says “I always remember that whenever asking nanna a question totally
unrelated to God she would some how turn the whole conversation around and by
the end be declaring Gods never ending love for us.”
We are very thankful that nanna was a lady who took
what God entrusted her with and blessed others with it. She was a good steward
of the gifts she was given.
If life is a temporary assignment then Agent Nan is
back at base, enjoying the praise and presence of her ‘handler’. Her time with
us was fleeting as we consider that none of us grandies will have any more than
41 years with her, but she lived well during her time and she leaves a legacy
that will far outlive her. And that’s the best way to live. She leaves memories
of funny comments and cooking delicacies like the best ever roast pumpkin….of
camping adventures in her 70s including being the 5 foot lady with the 7 foot
fishing rod….of being the domino queen and the tennis addict….of a warm
delicious smelling kitchen and even warmer hugs. She leaves all of us an example
of how to live life with a great love for family and a deep, strong faith. She leaves the reminder that the greatest
treasure in the world is peace with God…and we are excited that at her passing,
this peace with God just took on a depth, intensity and joy that we can’t even
begin to imagine. A fitting reward for a lady who has completed her temporary
assignment and can now look forward to her permanent and eternal one.
There is much more we could say and share but we will
save that for our own times of remembering and reminiscing.
So to finish, we simply say ‘Thank-you Nanna…you
were a blessing to us all. And we look forward to seeing you again. So in that
home in heaven, stock the fridge and open wide the doors. And give Grandpa a
hug for us too.”
