Grandma Kelley

Ofelia M. Kelley

My Granny passed away last week, she had pancreatic cancer. She didn't want me to know she was dying until it was too late to say goodbye. I found out she asked to see me the day she died. By the time I got the phone call she was already unresponsive and then died 3 hours later. I wish I could say she spent her last few years enjoying her family. Not to say she didn't have many happy moments with her family but she had so many moments with my family that left her heartbroken and sad. The pain of strained and broken relationships was evident in her final years. To see these things has been such a trial for me but even in these sufferings God is glorified. She served the exact purpose God had planned for her from before he lovingly knit her together in her mother's womb. Broken relationships here in this world only serve to remind me of my heavenly home where there will be no brokenness. We are not striving to make this world around us perfect, the bible tells us this world is broken and full of sin. Instead we strive for our heavenly home and live our lives according the precious words of a majestic God. The bible says the Lord is a God of peace and that we can attain this peace only through his righteousness--when we strive for righteousness, by living our lives according to all his commandments (Deut 6:25). He tells us, "the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places (Isaiah 32:16-18)". The destroyer of peace in our families is always sin. Sin left unconfronted and not dealt with leads to the pain of brokenness and the absence of peace. I do not know what the last thoughts were for my beloved Grandma but I hope her brokenness had led her to repentance--that she finally saw her need for the Savior, trusted him for salvation, and was thus granted peace.

She loved to celebrate

She loved her Claire B Do

She loved being there to help me with my new babies

This was when Gracie was born

Riding Dumbo at Disneyland with Hannah and Katie

She always was so young at heart

Claire and her GG

My girls doing what I used to do with my Granny at the beach.

Again, my girls playing where I used to play when I was little.

Typical Granny K, always wild and fun

Where she wanted to be, at her beach with her memories