Tunes on 2s - Jesus Loves Me (1862)

Jesus loves me! This I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
They are weak, but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.

Of course this is a song that many of us grew up with in Sunday School, or picked up somewhere along the way. I also associate this song with my daughter's baptism. But today, we entered the church for a different reason, with a large group of family and friends singing this song as we walked down the aisle to the front pews. Today we laid my mother-in-law to rest.

Betty was a woman full of life; known for her crotcheting and knitting, her Christmas cookies, her love of gardening and flowers, and her pride in her family. She had a special relationship with each of her three grandchildren. She loved holidays and always had lots of decorations around the house and in the yard, and she was famous for the Christmas stockings she crotcheted for each family member and many friends. The immediate family also has a stocking at her house, which she would fill with little individually wrapped gifts, like funny socks or even little fart machines that she would take great delight in watching us open.

As a the most junior member of this family (except for Lucy), I am left with a feeling of deep sadness that I didn't have more time to learn from her and spend time with her. I am grieved for my husband, and for Lucy and Brandon. Lucy loves her grandma but probably won't remember much about her. It will be our job to remind her.

Jesus Loves Me. A song so perfect in its simplicity, for those entering life and those leaving it; and for those of us left to navigate between. Betty, you will be greatly missed.