Everything Happens For a Reason
Growing up my family life was amazing. I have grown up with an incredible amount of love. My most memorable family member was my great-grandmother, Kee Kee. Kee Kee was the first that I wanted to see on the holidays, the first person to call and say Happy Birthday, and she was even the first person I wanted to show my report card to.
Two weeks before Christmas my freshman year in high school Kee Kee passed away. She had been in the hospital with a broken hip and the hip was doing fine but she caught pneumonia. She went straight into intensive care and sense I was only 14 I was not allowed in. My Kee Kee died without me getting to tell her that I loved her and no family get together would ever be the same without her. I was completely devastated when I found out I had no clue how I was ever going to get over this.
Here is the part of this story that leads to my biggest regret. The last time I had seen Kee Kee was at Thanksgiving at our house about two weeks before. My uncle hollered upstairs that they were leaving and taking Kee Kee home. All I did was yell back down the stairs “Bye, love you, and see you soon”. Little did I know that I wouldn’t ever hug, kiss, or even get to see my Kee Kee again. That is now a fact of life that I must live with.
This I believe was my wake-up call from God. He was saying “Hey Katie, Wake Up, take time to love your family” I had never expected that Kee Kee wouldn’t be at Christmas, but God knew. I believe that this was a life changing time in my life. Kee Kee had always been a very Christian woman never wobbling in her faith. Until then I had wobbled, I had wondered why things happened. I knew that God was a key part in my life, but now I realized the key significance it really held. The day before my Kee Kee was buried I opened up my heart and let God re-enter into my heart and admitted, this time understanding the meaning, that I need him in my life and without him I am nothing. After my Kee Kee’s funeral Papaw pulled me aside and said Kee Kee left this for you. Inside it was her wedding ring and a note. The note said, “This ring goes to my great-granddaughter Katie and with it I want her to remember that I’m always here with her just how God is always here for her. She is a strong girl and I know she’ll always put God first. She is my baby and God has incredible plans for her. Love, Kee Kee”
That letter stays with me always just like God. I’m now very involved with missions spreading the Word, a Sunday school teacher, and a God-Fearing Christian Woman.