Grandma Ressie

When my godly Grandma, Ressie Creed, went to heaven in 1989, my parents thought it important that I have something of hers.  Dad had purchased a set of William Barclay's Daily Study Bible commentaries as a gift for Grandma.  She used them in preparing her weekly Sunday School lessons for the young adult class she taught.  Mom and Dad saw to it that this set of Grandma's commentaries were mine.

In 2015, I felt prompted by the Lord to use Grandma's commentaries for my daily quiet time.  I read both volumes of Matthew and both volumes of the Revelation.  In December, I started The Gospel of Luke.  Many times, I would find Grandma's jagged underlining.  Each time, I felt closer to her.  I also discovered date I had inscribed where I had read a passage earlier.  It was a great spiritual journey.

On December 11, 2015, I was reading in Luke 6 about Jesus' selection of his disciples. I found a sentence marked with Grandma's uneven underlining. It read: " It is only in Christ that we can solve the problem of living together; because even the most opposite people may be united in their love for him. If we really love him, we will also love each other." (William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke, 1953, p. 73).

My mind reached back across the years to 1946 when Grandma, my momma, and others of Ressie's six daughters were born again at a Baptist revival in Prosperity, West Virginia.  I remembered how my grandparents were married for another 33 years before Grandpa Creed found Jesus.  Then I thought about how Grandma Ressie prayed for my papaw, Clarence Ruthven Creed's salvation.

I'll never forget my dad bursting into Miss Elma Reed's choir class at Mount Carmel High School in the spring of 1979, during my Senior year.  "Papaw Creed just got saved!" was his euphoric announcement.  I weep today at the thought of it. 

I remember my grandparents 50th anniversary.  I remember Grandma shouting in church, her little feet beating a tap dance sort of tattoo on the tile floor, forever pock-marked by repetitions of that holy dance.  I remember Grandpa praying around family altar and testifying in church.  And then I think about Mamaw's love that endured, prayed, remained faithful, and loved my Papaw Ruthven to Jesus.  

"If we really love him, we will also love each other."