Till We Meet Again....

My dear friend, Dorothy "Jake" Aliff, passed away quite suddenly this weekend. She was an incredible 83 years old. I have known her for many years; at least 17, now that I think about it. During those years, she played many different roles in my life. First as a co-worker, then employee (now that was weird!), landlady, friend, teacher of faith, my best friend's grandmother, and finally- a stand in grandmother for me. Her name even changed over the years. She started out as Mrs. Aliff. She quickly put a stop to that! So, then it was Jake, which is what all her friends called her. Then out of a need to be a bit more personal Ms. Jake. She was more than just a friend at that point and I felt she needed a title that showed a bit more respect. Finally, she was Nanna. I felt very privileged to be counted as a part of her family. She took family very seriously. So I knew she didn't throw out that sort of invitation lightly. She was so good about letting the people in her life know how much they meant to her. I know that is one of the many things I will miss most about her. She never let me forget how glad she was that God brought our lives together. I always liked to hear that, but I don't think I cherished it enough. She had a quiet unassuming faith. She wasn't a shout it from the rooftops kind of believer. However, you couldn't get to know Nanna without knowing how much she loved the Lord and trusted Him with all her needs. Her faith was always an inspiration to me. I think that is the biggest thing I will remember about her. I am very happy to have many good memories of Nanna. Like how she loved to rock babies. She could always be counted on to rock and soothe one or two of those little ones that arrive to the church nursery filled with separation anxiety. She'd sit and rock, talking quietly to them while they cried and shrieked their tiny heads off. You'd of thought she was deaf. I know I prayed for deafness a time of two, but she was just patient. Pretty soon, they would crawl down and play without a backward glance to her. But she would just smile and watch them crawl away. I will remember when she offered her home to me. I think she was a scared to leave as I was to take the step of being independent. I hope we were able to be as much an answer to prayer for her as she was to us during the years we lived in her home. I will remember when she told me she was so glad that Jennifer and I were becoming friends. How she had been praying for her and she felt I was the answer to that prayer. Talk about humbling and intimidating! However, I have spent the last 14 or so years thankful for that and many more of her prayers. Finally, I will not forget how she liked to get her hair done, hated to eat breakfast, how she enjoyed my new home, and how her presence, though quiet, was comforting. I am glad that she is now able to spend time with the Lord she loved and believed with all her heart. I am happy she is with her beloved Paul. I know she has missed him terribly over the last 20 years since his passing. Though the time till we will see each other will seem like an eternity to the rest of us, I know to her it will be but a twinkle of time. So to my dear friend and Nanna, Jake - Till we meet again - I Love You.