The Metz's: We will miss you Baba

Jason's grandmother went to be with the Lord on March 25th. We will miss her so much but know she is rejoicing with the Lord and are thankful she is no longer in pain. She went to be with Him with a smile on her face. The last week was very difficult for our family. She had hospice care in her home which was hard to watch, but we are thankful for the precious time we got to spend with her. Just a few days before she passed away she spoke with Jason and I and his brother and girlfriend and wanted to give us advice. Some of her last words were reminders to Look for the Lord first in everything we do, not compromise with the world, and to learn to compromise with our spouse. Many of her last moments when she was awake were spent saying verses and singing hymns that were so obviously written in her heart. What a testimony to her life.

Baba is Ukrainian for grandmother. Jason's maternal grandparents are both Ukrainian. Both of my grandmothers past away when I was very young, so to have her at our wedding and share many of our first memories together as newlyweds has been so precious to me. Baba has been such a special influence in my life the last 4 years since they moved to Texas and Jason and I married. We have spent so many wonderful holidays in their home. She is a beautiful women with a heart of gold. I am so inspired by her legacy of love and faithfulness to the Lord and her family. Her smile and sweet hugs have brightened so many days. She was always filled with joy that was contagious to others.

A few months before she passed away I was sitting with her one night and was able to share the story of how Jason and I fell in love and God led us to marry each other...It was so special to her to hear that. We talked about many more things, including how she was able to share her testimony and the gospel with a young nurse who had come to take care of her. She had prayed over her and given her a large print bible she could no longer read...This same woman preached the gospel through street ministry in New York City in her younger days and snuck bibles into Europe many years ago to take back to her family. She told me many times how special that conversation was to her, but I was so blessed by it as well and am so thankful for that night.

She planted seeds in so many of the lives around her, and brought so much love and joy to the world! Baba wanted her memorial service to be a celebration of her life. At the service this past week, each of the grandchildren and children spoke, making it so personal and special. I included a couple of pictures below from the slide show Jason and I put together. It was so much fun to go through and find pictures of her as a young woman! She had so much style and personality! We have been blessed and have became better people by her influence.