Here is my inheritance from my Papa and Granny (my mom’s parents):

Their bathroom scale, Granny’s sunglasses, and Papa’s sock.

Interesting.

I asked to have their scale because it sat in their bathroom for my entire life and I love having it in my bathroom now.  It makes me feel connected to them and 6048 Chevigny.  I’ve blogged about Granny’s sunglasses before, notably here and here.  And Papa’s sock?  About a year before he died, I was visiting home and washed some laundry while I was there.  When I got back to Baltimore, I realized that one of Papa’s socks had made it into my clean clothes.  I just kept forgetting to mail it back to Mom and then he passed away.  It didn’t matter anymore and I realized, “I like having Papa’s sock.”  So I use it for dusting and think of him while I dust.

I am also lucky enough to have these dishes.

They were in the Stump cabin out at Tanalian for a long time.  I was counseling at junior camp there in 2000 and brought back some stuff with me to give to Papa and Granny, including these dishes.  I treasure them not so much for their looks (because I probably never would have chosen them) but because I remember Granny’s joy as she set the table for the three of us.  We couldn’t use them when we had guests because there weren’t enough so we used them on nights when it was just us.  (This is when I lived with them after I graduated from college.)  I have discovered that the largest plate (which is really a platter) is the perfect size for a round cake.  So I enjoy using it for a cake platter!

(I know I have other things from them too but for some reason, I just always think of these four things as “my inheritance” from them.)

And finally, I’ve inherited wisdom.  I often find myself saying, “Well, as Granny would say…”  One verse that my family quotes a lot and now even Nik quotes to me is Jeremiah 17:9.

The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Any time any of us kids would come up with some sort of scheme that was even remotely sketchy, Granny would shut us right down with this verse.  Ouch.

Our pastor used the verse in our wedding sermon but my reaction was probably not what he was expecting.  I busted out laughing.  Not exactly the appropriate response for a verse meant to illustrate why marriage is hard.This is what the scene looked like, plus a giant grin on my face.

I’ve been thinking about Papa and Granny a lot these days and missing them.  I think it’s because I’m sad that Ellie won’t know them and that they never got a chance to hold her.  I will show her these things that I have as small reminders of the rich Godly heritage that she has in her great-grandparents and quote her Jeremiah 17:9 as needed.   (Hopefully, that won’t be too often!)  And hopefully she’ll quote it to her kids too!