A Tribute to One of the Sweetest Souls I've Known
My husband’s sweet grandmother, who lived 91 full, beautiful years, passed away a few weeks ago. He had the honor of preaching at her funeral, as family and friends gathered to celebrate her remarkable life. She was a mother of seven children, a grandmother of 49 grandchildren and
Emma Corrine Swatzel was one of the sweetest women I have had the privilege to know. Her life spoke volumes on the day her tiny body was laid to rest.
I sat and listened as her children spoke of their fondest memories of their mother, as grandchildren shared how she made each one of them feel as though they were her most favorite. Through my tears for someone who will be greatly missed, my heart smiled as the most heartfelt words were spoken over this very special lady.
I began to think what words will be spoken over my life, as my body will one day be laid to rest. What will my children (and future grandchildren, and
As the family members shared about their mother and grandmother, I immediately thought of the verses in Proverbs 31 that describe that of a godly wife and mother. God’s Word goes into great detail (I think because God knew how much women NEED all the details!) of a woman who lived her life to the fullest and brought great glory to God through her life well-lived.
You can read these very descriptive verses in Proverbs 31: 10-31. The Bible tells us of a wonderful wife and mother: a woman who had a keen business savvy about her, someone who possessed great wisdom, a woman who had a work ethic that is hard to find these days, and someone whose family adored her greatly.
But it is specifically verses 25-28 (NIV) that I thought of that day of the funeral:
“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed.”
These words were basically what everyone who knew Grandma Swatzel spoke of. She was a woman of great strength (though her physical body was tiny!), great wisdom, great optimism, great work ethic and great dignity. And on that day of the celebration of her life, each and every child and grandchild, rose up beautifully and “called her blessed.”
I remember as a young wife, reading these verses in Proverbs and thinking “there is no way in a million years I could ever become this woman!” It was such a high standard that I never imagined I could attain. But as I grew in my walk with God and began to understand Him more and more, I realized that God would never ask something of us that He knew we could never achieve.
I came to the realization that these verses painted a picture of a woman and of a life that God knew we were capable of becoming and of living. But I also realized that this goal isn’t one that can happen in a few months or even years, but as goal for us to reach for over our lifetimes. At the end of my life, if any of the words of Proverbs 31 could be spoken at my funeral… then I think I would have achieved what God (and hopefully others) would call a Godly woman.
When I saw it that way, I released the pressure from myself to become all of those verses right now. We weren’t created to be a superwoman, though our culture tries to make us believe that we can be, and in doing so, women of all ages, races, backgrounds are crumbling apart in their lives trying to be all things to all people.
Our Creator never created us to become EVERYTHING to everyone. He created us to love Him, to love others, and to live a life that shows the world a loving, forgiving, and gracious God.
Sweet girl, allow me to help you release the pressure off of your life to be that superwoman! Because you’re not, and you will never be ~ and neither will I. Just start living your life NOW with the end in sight: what do you want your husband, children and grandchildren, your family and friends to say of you when your life comes to an end and God calls you Home? Then start living and becoming that woman now, one day at a time.
I pray that we all have the privilege of living 91 years, and even beyond… but my greatest prayer and desire is that you and I will hear the words that we heard on that funeral day of Emma Corrine Swatzel: her children and grandchildren rising up and calling her BLESSED!
