My Grandma Sold Glass.

For the past two years, I have served a congregation in the thriving metropolis of Gainesville, TX. In that time, I have done my fair share of funerals and in doing so, I have learned that doing funerals for family members is by far the hardest. However, I imagine that each of us here could identify with that sentiment because Virginia Woodson treated everyone she met like family.

It’s no secret that the past year has been a very trying time for the Woodson family. In May, when we were cleaning out Grandma’s attic before she moved, I came across this Bible. It was inscribed to Tommy Woodson and given to him by the Simpson Methodist Church on September 24^th, 1933. From it, I offer you these words of comfort and assurance found in the 91^st Psalm.

(READ PSALM 91)

91 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

In this passage, the Psalmist emphasizes the idea of a refuge, a dwelling place, a resting place in the Lord. Over the past year, anytime we would ask Grandma how she was doing about moving and what was happening with the house, she always replied saying that she was at peace… that God would provide for her… that she was favored and blessed by God. I think she embodied this idea of a refuge and of a dwelling place. She knew something we had difficulty grasping – that her home lied not between bricks and insulation, but in the hands of God and as long as she rested in the palm of her Heavenly Father, she had nothing to fear.

Virginia Woodson lived fearlessly. She lived through the Great Depression and World War II, she and her husband owned and ran their own business, she kept three children and eight grandchildren in line, she remained strong after losing her beloved husband far too early, she survived breast cancer, she could drive stick shift – and not just stick shift, but the Model A which did NOT have power steering, she did water aerobics, she never missed church, she traveled often… She lived fearlessly. This fearlessness did not come from her alone; it came from being rooted deeply in Christ. She possessed a strength that we cannot acquire on our own but one that comes from knowing our refuge, knowing our dwelling place, knowing that we are blessed and favored by God. There is no doubt that we are also blessed by God through the gift of life and joy that Virginia Woodson shared with each of us.

The Gospel of Luke tells the story of Simeon, a pillar of faith in the Hebrew Bible and a game changer in the Gospel. We are first introduced to Simeon when Jesus was eight days old and being brought to the temple. As Mary and Joseph enter the temple with Jesus, Simeon took Jesus into his arms and praised God. Simeon was a devout Jew and knew with every fiber of his being that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Simeon relied on his deep faith in God’s covenant to end the suffering of Israel and to bring about hope and healing for God’s people. In that brief moment, when Simeon held the Christ child in his arms, he held an everlasting covenant between God and God’s people. With joy and exuberance he lifted up this baby… this fragile, new born baby… and cried out to God, “Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” As Simeon kissed this newborn baby, he kissed the face of God. As Simeon held this newborn baby, he represented the passing down of devout faith to a New Jerusalem. As Simeon held this newborn baby, he held hope. Simeon has been my favorite person in the Bible for quite some time. After much reflection, I have realized that I have known Simeon for my entire life. Virginia Woodson is Simeon. Think about it… faithful servant, full of joy, knows with every fiber of her being that she WILL meet the Messiah before her death, more hope than any one person could comprehend…

You know, as kids and even as adults – if you can call us that, we often joked about Erica and Michael being the favorites among the grandchildren… then Michael was the one who made her a Great-Grandma which basically meant game over for the rest of us. In the months leading up to Isabel’s birth, Grandma was even more joyful than she already was. She RADIATED joy. She was fixated on the hope that comes with new life and could rest assured knowing that the lessons of faith, love, patience, and grace that she had implemented into us would soon be passed down to the next generation. She knew that the hope she found in God would transcend generations and lead each of us to our own refuge. Through each of us, Virginia Woodson lives on and will continue to live on. When we think of Virginia Woodson, there is probably one word that comes to mind for each of us and that word is JOY. It is impossible to not associate the two together. Last week when I was home for the brief window when she was awake, I was able to see that joy on Grandma’s face once again. It was over something silly, but from it came that laugh – you know the one. Grandma’s rolling laughter that echoed through the room and lit up her entire face. I was standing next to her and trying to think of something to say that would keep her awake… anything at all… And so I blurted out the latest “Barney Adventure.” Barney, for those of you who haven’t met him or aren’t my Facebook friend where I post pictures of him daily, is my four year old cocker spaniel who is just the most precious and perfect dog in the entire world… most of the time. In fact, he wanted to come today and even had his necktie on, but the airline and I disagreed on what was considered a “lap child”. Anyways, so we were standing in the hospital room and I walked up closer to her bed and blurted out, “Grandma… I took Barney to Petsmart today to get his nails trimmed… and he peed all over the floor.” And then came that beautiful, joyful sound. Grandma laughed. Never had I been so happy that Barney sometimes had poor bladder control. Her laughter filled the whole room and for that brief moment, we KNEW that there was hope. But this time it was a different kind of hope than before. We could feel the hope of knowing that THIS is not the end, nor is this our goodbye. We know Virginia has gone to her everlasting refuge… her dwelling place… her resting place in the Lord. And as long as we rely on these same words of faith that she so naturally embodied, we will never say goodbye. Just as the Psalmist says, angels will guard us in all of our ways and upon their hands we will be lifted up. I know that there is no other angel I would rather have guarding me.

When the time came for me to begin preparing this eulogy, I thought back to all of the many wonderful memories I had of my Grandma. I tried to think of one moment or one really great story that I could share that embodied the true spirit of Virginia Woodson. I replayed over 24 years, 10 months, and 28 days worth the memories and all I could really come up with is this: My Grandma sold glass. That was it. Grandma sold glass. You need a windshield? Lemme call Grandma. You need some mirrors? I can hook you up. Hurricane came through and you need some windows? Take this business card, go to that address and ask for David – he will be the one on the phone. Hey, while we’re at it, are you having a party and needing some balloons? We’ve got helium too. You can also get helium’s best friend, Mr. Oxygen, but it may not make your balloons look very lifelike.

Glass. I lived less than 1/4 of a mile from her for pretty much my entire life and all I came up with was GLASS. Feeling angry with myself and worrying that two and a half years of grad school had gotten the best of my brainpower, I began to realize that there is no better way to sum up Virginia Woodson than with glass. You know, she had a lot in common with glass.

Remember that windshield we talked about? Windshields protect us from elements on the road – bugs, rocks, dirt, rain, Mat who is just a few months shy of 16 – windshields provide barriers from things that could do us harm. Grandma did that too. She protected those that she loved… whether it be through praying for them, making them lunch after a dog – or older brother – had stolen their meal, or by always giving us a safe place to swim and play, she was a protector.

And those mirrors? Mirrors reflect things that we may not be able to capture with the naked eye. Mirrors enhance the beauty of what is around them and project that beauty. Grandma was a lot like a mirror. She reflected everything that was beautiful and good in the world. Things that we may have not been able to see, she saw. She saw everything through the eyes of God – as beautiful and unique, designed with purpose and love. She was also pretty beautiful herself which means it’s safe to say that Erica, Regan, Isabel, and I know where we get our good looks from.

As for windows, windows allow us to see things that would normally be blocked off. They let in light, they let in fresh air. They give us a lens through which we can see the world and a new perspective of what surrounds us. Grandma was a window. Light radiated through her and she could light up any room she was in. When we saw the world through her lens, we could clearly see her deep understanding of seeking refuge in the Lord and resting in her dwelling place. She had the ability to make things new, to breathe in fresh air, to breathe in hope, to breathe in new life. When you looked through the window of Virginia Woodson, there was no doubt that she was a lens through which we come to know Christ. Just like Simeon who KNEW that soon he would meet the Messiah, when we see the face of Virginia, we see the face of Christ. We know that we are coming in contact with someone so much greater and so much more powerful than ourselves. We know that we have found hope and we can rest assured in the everlasting life given to us through that hope.

Glass. My Grandma sold glass. My Grandma provided protection, reflected beauty, and gave us a glimpse of the face of Christ. There is no better way to sum up Virginia Woodson than with glass.

Prayer

Almighty God,

We dismiss to you your servant in peace, in accordance to your word. Her eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepare for all people as a light for revelation and glory. We thank you for the life of Virginia Woodson and the many ways that she has impacted each of our lives. As we grieve the loss of this amazing and humble woman, we also find comfort in knowing that she is in your care. May we strive to be more like her each and every day. May we leave this place comforted, knowing that she has found her eternal refuge. God, we thank  you especially for your son whose life has provided eternal life for each of us. Help us to find hope in the covenant you have made with us and know that soon we will join you in eternal worship, Amen.

Thanks be to God for the life of Virginia Woodson, and thanks be to God for the new life she has found in Christ.