Grandma Kurle

Yesterday I went back to my hometown for Grandma Esther Kurle's funeral. Actually, Grandma Kurle was my maternal cousins' paternal great-grandma, so she wasn't technically my grandma, but I was happy to adopt her as such. God blessed her with 98 years on this earth.
I visited Grandma and Grandpa Kurle occasionally with my cousins over the years. After Grandpa passed away, I mowed Grandma's lawn for my last two summers at home.
All was well until a large tree in her backyard was cut down. Then the garter snakes moved in. I was--and still am--deathly afraid of snakes.
There was one particular day when I was mowing along, minding my own business, and I heard a weird sound. I looked down and quickly stepped over not one, but two mangled snakes. I had to stop and go inside to calm down. Grandma, as always, was ready at her kitchen table with a snack for me. I told her I was sorry, but I just could not finish that day. As I went home still shaking from fright, little Grandma (really--she wasn't even 5 feet tall) went out and got rid of the snakes. It was quite the day for both of us. She probably didn't know a teenage girl could practically die from fright from such a little thing. There were more snakes seen during subsequent mowings--always with a scream from me--but I never mowed over another one! I was quite the entertainment for her neighborhood for those two summers.
It's always sad to say goodbye, even when someone is blessed with so many years on this earth. What I will most remember (besides the lawn mowing adventures) is sitting around her kitchen table with a can of pop, a plate of cookies, and visiting together.
I am thankful that a tiny lady in her 80's was braver than I could ever be.
God is good.