Skip to Main Content
Women of the ELCA
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Daily Grace
  • Contact
  • Ministry & Action
    • Discipleship
    • Justice
      • Human Trafficking
      • Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
      • Racial Justice Advocacy
      • Racial Justice Advocacy Network resources
      • Domestic Violence
    • Membership
    • Stewardship
      • Thankofferings
      • Faithful Friends
      • Katie’s Fund
      • Gift Planning
    • Special Initiatives
      • Rachel’s Day
      • Raising Up Healthy Women & Girls
    • Scholarships
      • Lutheran laywomen
      • Lutheran Ordained Ministry
  • Resources
  • About
    • History
    • Executive Board
    • Staff
    • Get Involved
  • Events
  • Belong
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Daily Grace
  • Contact
« Back to All Daily Grace

The gift of grandmothers

9.10.2023
|
Daily Grace

My 98-year-old grandmother, Ora, arrived at our home for a two-week visit. My excitement about her stay spilled over into everything I did during the 10 days or so leading up to her time with us. I cleaned, rearranged, shopped, missed meetings ,and told whoever was around me, even strangers in the grocery store line: “My grandma is coming to town!” I knew I sounded like a 6-year-old girl, but I did not care!

Over the course of the days, I brewed nettle-lemongrass tea for her. I showed her how to make herb butter with fresh nutmeg, thyme, and chives from my garden. Throughout all we did in the kitchen, we sang old church songs, including African American spirituals.

My grandmother’s visit helped me understand that a continuum of values, faith, and well-being flows in our families from generation to generation. This continuity is most often found in the prayers we offer, the recipes we pass along, the food we grow, the refrains we hum, the stories we tell, the tables we set, and in my family, the kitchens we create.

This message is excerpted from “Ancestral tables” by Venice R. Williams in the September 2018 Gather magazine. Today is the 15th Sunday after Pentecost. Today is Grandparents’ Day.


There’s still time to register to attend the Just Love Gathering in Phoenix, Arizona, September 21-24, 2023. Will we see you there?
Copyright © 2023 Women of the ELCA. Inquiries for permission to reproduce should be directed to [email protected].

Share this post

Sign up for Daily Grace

Daily Grace is an on-the-go companion for your journey, offering a faith reflection every day. Encounter God’s extravagant, boundless and often surprising grace by signing up for a daily email message.

Back to home

8765 W. Higgins Rd.

Chicago IL 60631

800-638-3522

[email protected]

Stay In Touch

Sign up for the WELCA Newsletter

Explore WELCA
  • Ministry & Action
  • Daily Grace
  • Resource Library
  • Events
  • Blog
  • News
  • About WELCA
  • Tools For Leaders
  • Publications
  • Donate
  • Shop
  • Photos
Explore Publications

Bold Cafe

A Lutheran perspective for women of Christian faith or any woman who is interested in how faith relates to the issues facing women today.

Gather Magazine

A mix of articles, theological reflections, devotions and stories of comfort and challenge that help readers grow in faith.

Cafe Podcast

Subscribe to our podcast:

Click to subscribe

© Copyright 2025 Women of the ELCA. All Rights Reserved.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
© Copyright 2025 Women of the ELCA. All Rights Reserved.