Words to Live By...

I think that I remember the first time I experienced my grandma's mind starting to change.  I was staying at the lake with her right after Ryan and I were married. He was on a fishing trip with all the men in my family, and I got to spend time with Grandma!  On my way to the lake, I was in a car accident, and totaled our car.  Grandma was always a crier (good tears, sad tears, always a crier... all of us girls in that family took after her! :). And so it did not surprise me one bit that she started crying on the phone when I called to tell her that I'd be a little late.

When the tow truck driver finally got me to the cabin, Grandma was watching for me at the back porch window, where she would always have her greetings and farewells for everyone.  She was weepy and gave me a big hug.  And then she said, "Oh honey.... just slap on a little lipstick, you'll be fine."  And then she gave me a few little slaps on my cheeks, like she always did.

It made me smile and giggle and kind of raise my eyebrows a bit.  "Slap on a little lipstick?"  I don't recall her ever saying that before... so it seemed a bit goofy to me at the time.  But oh, how those words have been sort of like a mantra time-and-time again, for different seasons in my life.  Grandma was an amazing example of a godly woman, and her "go-to" was no doubt Jesus Christ.  But this little phrase reminds me to stay tough, keep my head high, and press on!  Grandma knew all about that too.  When I'm crabby, I'll remind myself to just "slap on a little lipstick."  When I don't want to do X, Y, or Z... "just slap on a little lipstick..." If someone's really on my nerves, I tell myself to just "slap on a little lipstick and get over it."  Grandma would laugh right now if I could tell her all this.  "Oh, Katie!" I can just hear her! :)


Many many words have been shared with us in the past few days.  Words of encouragement and prayers.  Words from Scripture, and words to remind us of our big BIG God.  I am completely overwhelmed and extremely grateful for every. single. word.  Every one of them.

Tonight as I wrap up my evening, some words are still ringing in my heart:

"Where do you go from here?  You go to your knees."

"God's plan for you outweighs the circumstances of your day."

"Kiss your children.  Love your husband."

"God doesn't miss anything... "

"I will be your prayer warrior..."

"Please let me know if you need anything while going through this."

"God knows your child... nothing has changed."

"Remember, this is not too big for God.

"This whole situation is just messed up.  Messed. Up."

"Praying for your strength and stamina and not to let the enemy win..."

"Do it anyway."


And last but not least, the echoes in my heart of my amazing grandma whom I miss terribly right now.... "Just slap on a little lipstick, honey.  You'll be fine."


Grandma,  I am slappin' on some FIRE ENGINE RED lipstick, and I will not bow out of this fight.