With a Long Life I Will Satisfy You…

My family took another hit this past week as we had another death in the family. I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that we lost my cousin. This past week we lost the matriarch of our family, my 92 year old grandmother. Though her death was very difficult, there was still a lot of peace and comfort in her passing because we know she was the epitome of a godly woman who lived a long and rewarding life leaving behind a magnificent legacy. Now she is with her Jesus, a long awaited dream of hers.

“For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die.” Isaiah 57:2 (NLT)

There are so many things that come to mind when I think of my grandma, so many things from which we all could learn. She totally rocked the whole Proverbs 31 thing! As I’ve discussed before, these are not just important character traits for women. She was very family-oriented, and she loved her husband deeply. She had a great love for people and welcomed them with open arms, even the sometimes unlovable or those who occasionally made poor life choices. Forgiveness and generosity were in her nature. She had a gentle, quiet spirit.

“You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.” 1 Peter 3:4 (NLT)

Most importantly though, my grandma loved Jesus with all of her heart. I think her greatest desire was for her family to share that love of God.

The morning of her funeral

The morning of her funeral during my quiet time I read John 12:24-25 in the Message Translation:

“Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.”

This spoke to my heart and made me think of my grandma. She was now deceased and was to be buried in the ground that very day. God impressed upon me that she was like that grain of wheat, that even though now gone, will sprout and reproduce itself many times over. I had a little comic relief laugh too…my grandma was always good at reproducing being that she had 13 kids! 🙂

I thought, “I have to carry on her godly legacy and pay forward her life and love for Jesus. I will make her proud by leading a life of impact for God.” The verse also reminded me that my grandmother was “reckless in [her] love”. This in turn made me think of Cory Asbury’s song “Reckless Love” (which I also wrote about before in “Why Would God Leave the 99?”) and how God has a reckless love for us. We need to have this same reckless love for people too, even the unlovable…just like my grandma did.

No greater way to honor my grandma

There is no greater way that I can honor my grandmother than to pay forward her same reckless love for God and for people…which, by the way, are the two greatest commandments in all of scripture.

“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40 (NLT)

My grandma let go of her life and was reckless in her love, and now she has life forever, real and eternal. She is with her Jesus where she has wanted to be for quite some time now as I’m told by a couple of my aunts. 

Her impact was evident

At the graveside, the funeral director commented on what a testament my grandmother’s love for God, family, and people was as evidenced by our family and the ceremony. We did some pretty non-traditional, yet beautiful things at her ceremony that seemed to stand out to him and others. These included personalizing her white casket with handprints, notes, and drawings created with colorful sharpies as well as having all-female casket bearers represented by a handful of her younger granddaughters and great-granddaughters.

The director said that he’s done a lot of ceremonies and doesn’t often see this kind of love and commitment to family and to God as demonstrated by our family at the service, which speaks highly to my grandmother’s life and legacy. It was truly evident that my grandmother was loved and honored.

The reward of a long life

I think the biggest thing that stands out to me about my grandma was her length of life. I believe my grandma was rewarded with a long life because of her righteous life and love for and obedience to God. This was the same for my grandpa, as he was 93 when he passed away a little over a year ago. Both did their best to follow God and lead a life worthy of Jesus’ sacrifice and salvation for us. I believe they would both want us to follow in their footsteps on a godly path to live a long life and leave an equally impactful legacy, just as they did.

The Bible tells us that long life can be our reward. Now, I don’t believe this is a “magic formula” because there are many godly people that seem to exit this earth prematurely (my cousin included in that). However, I do believe God’s word is true, and I trust in His promises even when some things in this life just don’t seem to make sense yet.

Here’s what scripture has to say about the reward of a long life…

“I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.” Psalms 91:16 (NLT)

“Follow the whole instruction the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, prosper, and have a long life in the land you will possess.” Deuteronomy 5:33 (HCSB)

“Long life is the reward of the righteous; gray hair is a glorious crown.” Proverbs 16:31 (GNT)

“My child, never forget the things I have taught you. Store my commands in your heart. If you do this, you will live many years, and your life will be satisfying.” Proverbs 3:1-2 (NLT)

“Wisdom offers you long life, as well as wealth and honor.” Proverbs 3:16 (GNT)

“The fear of the Lord adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.” Proverbs 10:27 (NIV)

Take Some Practical Steps to Follow My Grandma’s Example of a Rewarding, Long Life:

• Long life is a reward of the righteous. Follow God with all of your heart.
• Love God and love people with a reckless love.
• Love your family and your spouse deeply.
• Strive to embody the character traits listed in Proverbs 31.
• Always offer kindness, forgiveness, and generosity.
• Leave a legacy.

The Obituary for Shirley Mae Rathbone

Services to honor and celebrate the life of Shirley Mae Rathbone will be 10:00 AM Saturday, June 30, 2018 in the RiverCrest Chapel, Bixby. Shirley will be laid to rest in Oak Hill Cemetery, Siloam Springs, Arkansas next to her husband of 72 years, John Thomas “Tom” Rathbone, Jr. Shirley passed away on Tuesday, June 26, 2018. She was 92.

Born November 3, 1925 in Siloam Springs, Arkansas, Shirley was the daughter of Harvey Leroy and Cordie Mae (Lively) Davis. Raised by her aunt Maudie Mae “Bugie” Jones, Shirley attended Siloam Springs schools where she became a high school graduate.

Married to John Thomas “Tom” Rathbone, Jr. on January 29, 1945, Shirley followed Tom to various Naval bases as he served his country in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Shirley would find employment outside of the home until she and Tom began a family of their own. Altogether, they welcomed 13 children through the years. A full-time wife, mother and homemaker, it has been said of Shirley that most of her life was spent in the basement washing, drying and folding laundry. After all the kids left home, they loved to play cards with any offspring that would challenge them. Many family problems were solved during these games.

A woman whose life was defined by her faith in God and her relationship with family, Shirley loved her children and her grandchildren. There have been generations of memories made at Grandma Shirley’s house where it was commonplace to find her reading stories to the many grandchildren who surrounded her.

Described as faithful, happy, and forgiving (as one would have to be with 13 children), Shirley’s life made a positive and mighty impact on so many. Shirley will be deeply missed by those family members who survive.

They include: 11 children: James Thomas Rathbone of Holiday, Florida, John Thomas Rathbone, III of Broken Arrow, William Thomas Rathbone of Coweta, Daniel Thomas Rathbone of Tulsa, Timothy Thomas Rathbone of Sacramento, CA, Stephen Thomas Rathbone of Tulsa, OK, Mark Thomas Rathbone of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, Paul Thomas Rathbone of Collinsville, Rebekah Marie Schmidt and Deborah Kay Booth both of Broken Arrow and Benjamin Thomas Rathbone of Owasso. She is also survived by 40 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

Shirley was preceded in death by: her beloved husband, John Thomas “Tom” Rathbone, Jr. and two sons: Thomas Michael Rathbone and David Thomas Rathbone.

What kind of long life legacy do you want to leave? Tell us about it by leaving a comment below.

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