Widows

Earlier this week, as I was driving somewhere and listening to St. Valentine radio, I heard the following reading from 1 Timothy:

1 Timothy 5:3-10

Honor widows who are truly widows. But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let these first learn to perform their religious duty to their own family and to make recompense to their parents, for this is pleasing to God. The real widow, who is all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day. But the one who is self-indulgent is dead while she lives. Command this, so that they may be irreproachable. And whoever does not provide for relatives and especially family members has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years old, married only once, with a reputation for good works, namely, that she has raised children, practiced hospitality, washed the feet of the holy ones, helped those in distress, involved herself in every good work.

Who does this make you think of? For me, I am reminded of my Grandma. She was widowed very early in life (in her 50's). She never re-married, and lived all alone on the farm. She worked hard every day, whether it was gardening, helping dad in the field, or making all of those craft items for the annual Christian Mother's Bazaar. She went to mass daily, and then came to our house to drive some of us kids to school. She moved her mom and her sister-in-law into her house and cared for them as they lost that ability to care for themselves. I have heard that she actually did this for several relatives before I was born.

Now, no one would ever accuse Grandma of being warm and fuzzy (a trait that I share with her), but now that she is gone, I am really beginning to appreciate the wonderful example that she gave me. Why is it that we so often don't truly appreciate someone until they are gone? And why is it that I got her non-warm-and-fuzzy trait, but somehow missed out on the hard-working-never-idle-not-a-lazy-bone-in-her-body trait? I didn't even get any little part of that trait. What's up with that?

But seriously, I have been blessed with so many wonderful examples of strong, Christian women in my life. And for that, I am thankful.