Denay Nelson
What an extraordinary woman! The older I get the more I have realized just how extraordinary. It is hard to sum it up in anything less than hours and hours and hours of memories, stories and examples. But for everyone’s sake, I did my best ?? There is a quote by William Shakespeare that is actually commonly used to describe little or baby girls; but the last few weeks I have been thinking about it to describe my Nana Micky. “Though she be but little, she is fierce.” Although Nana Micky was petite in stature she was definitely a fierce lady.She fiercely loved and ministered to so many people. When I was a little girl I loved going with her to Food and Ramient or as she coined it, “His boutique”. There I watched her not only fold, and organize and arrange things but I also got to watch her interact with and pray over people. People who were maybe going through a rough time. Not only were their practical needs attended to but because of her, their spiritual needs were also met. She helped them to feel hopeful and loved. What I really admire is that it was not her feeling that she was the one helping others but it was a mutual blessing where both parties were learning and teaching each other.She fiercely loved her family! She was a wonderful example of what a godly wife looks like. She was loving, honoring, respectful and considerate of my Papa Ray. She said that when they met and he walked up to her that “things came alive” and that he was her “kind of man in every way” and it was an honor to watch, 66 years as husband and wife. She was a loving mother to both her sons and then her daughter in laws. She was a very involved grandmother to her grand daughters and then her great- granddaughters. For this I am so so grateful! My main love language is quality time and so from a very young age I felt so loved by Nana Micky. She was always quick to play games, she taught us how to cook and bake, she drove us all around San Diego doing all sorts of adventures and most importantly she taught us about Jesus. As I got older she really took the time to know and pour into me. She was a pillar in my life. I could always count on a sweet card or note in the mail every couple of weeks, something that I am really going to miss! It is a rare thing to be able to say that you got to have your grandma for 31 whole years. I am so thankful for this amazing gift!She was fiercely funny and had the best wit! I admired her outlook on life. She did not mess around with stress and negative thoughts. She shared with me a phrase that I loved and really thought so much of,”why would I think like that?!”And lastly but absolutely not least she was fierce in her faith! I have one of her many Bibles here, I think one her main ones and let me tell you this is an absolute treasure. It has definitely been loved, it has been studied and it has been mediated on. If you turn to any page it is highlighted with special notes and insights. It grew her love for the Lord and the confidence she had that He loved and continues to love her! For this reason, she was the woman that she was, a strong woman of faith and an example not only to her family but to pretty much everyone she came into contact with. Inside the front cover she wrote Micky’s verse Colossians 1:10 which says, “that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Yes, I think so. That’s Nana Micky’s verse. I am so ecstatic that you are with the Lord. But I do have to say that on this side of eternity, I sure am going to miss you! Love you! Denay- her oldest grand daughter