My Granny Gertrude Smith on Faith

Most of our family would admit that my mother had a strong faith. She used her faith to help her through the tough times and was greatful for her faith during the good times. But where did my mom get her faith? From her parents Gerturde and Peter Smith. Over the years I heard my mom talk about her parents faith but it really hit home recently when I found some excerts from letters that my Granny wrote to her daughter Barbara during WWII. (Peter and Gertrude Smith on the left)

On October 22, 1942 she worte:

....I heard a story not long ago that mede me wonder if I and my children always thanked God for his blessings. It seems God sent the angles to earth one night with large baskets to gather up all the desires and requests of mankind. They came back with innumerable basketfulls. And then he sent them back to gather up the thank you's. I guess every one was so happy in getting his prayers answered or so disappointed in not they forgot because the angles went back with only 3 basketfulls. It's just a story of course but it made me wonder. I have had the occasions duirng the last six months to ask God for many things and they include everyone of you children and I've been very careful to say THANK YOU, LORD sometimes with laughter in my voice and sometimes with tears running down my cheeks....

This message really hit home. I am not sure that I remember the thank you's!! At the time my Granny wrote this she had two sons in the Navy (Bob and Don), a daughter headed for the WAVES (Martinia) and a second daughter accross the country with her husband (Barbara). About a year after this letter on November 24, 1943 Don's ship was sunk in the South Pacific. Waiting for news was a hugh strain on my grandparents and their childen. On December 17, 1943 they did receive word from the Navy that Don was missing. My Granny wrote on the day: "God grant he is alive. I think he is." (Donald Peter Smith pictured on the right)

on February 10, 1944 with still no official word from the Nave she wrote:

I seem to have come to the end of my road. My shoulders are weighed down with a heavy burden. I am dead inside. My reason tells me there is no hope. But something else says nothing is impossible with God. He can bring him back even if everyone says he is gone. I may be waiting for ships that never come in but I'll always be waiting.

A month later on March 4, 1944 she wrote:

As I look at it there is only one avenue of hope left for me concerning Don. I've done everything I can thon of. Now it's up to God. If it isn't--I don't think of that. I can't bear to think of what the rest of my life would be without him. Sometimes I think I just can't bear to wait any longer. But there isn't anything I can do except cry and after awhile I calm down. God is surely testing me.

After receiving final word from the Navy on March 28, 1944 she wrote:

I can not believe Don is not coming back. It seems to me I would feel it if he is dead. And I don't. Although we may have heard from the navy something seems to remind me that we haven't heard from God yet---

Never having the honor of having children I will never fully understand the ups and downs of loosing a son. I can only imagine it is one of the most earth shattering things that a parent can go through. How would anyone deal with troubled times like this if they did not have any faith at all? My Granny died when I was 9 and I never had the opportunity to discuss faith with her. My mom always told me that faith is a gift from God one of the most precious gifts you will ever receive!! I thank my grandparents for showing my mother how to rely on her gift of faith and I thank my mother for passing this gift on to me and her grandchildren!!