My wife’s grandmother has long been a model for me. Actually, this lady had many qualities to admire, but there is one in particular that was a stand-out: the woman never complained. She liked everything.

Take her to any restaurant, serve her anything, and she’d like it. Take her to a play, a concert or a church service and she'd like it all. But more than just liking it, she really enjoyed it, whatever it was. She liked anything and everything. She was happy with whatever she had or experienced. It was amazing.

I remember taking her to the Praisefest sponsored by area churches held here annually in our community to benefit the local Food Pantry. There has always been a great deal of variety: loud songs and quiet songs; rock and southern gospel; pianos, drums and everything in between. She liked it all. I loved watching her smile and genuinely enjoy every person and every song.

Ever since I realized this about her, I’ve watched to see how she responds to things. I still to this day don’t know what she ever disliked. (I’m sure there had to be something but I could never figure out what it was.) Every chance I got, about anything and everything I’d ask, “How was it, Grandma?,” not because I didn’t know the answer, but because I loved hearing it. “Good,” she’d say every time with genuine smile. “I really liked it.”

There are plenty of complainers in the world, but not enough of us are like her. She seemed to me to be a happier person because she liked everything. I don’t know if she had to work at it, but it seemed to come naturally to her. I want to be like that. I want to be the sort of person that likes everything and everybody. The world doesn’t need any more grumps. (I hope I'm like her when I'm an old man. I want to be the happy old man everyone likes to be around, not the grumpy kind. And you all know exactly what I'm talking about.)

I think the key in finding good in everything is being content with whatever you are given. “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Timothy 6:6).

“Be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5) When we trust God we are better able to appreciate everything as a gift from him.

The dear lady I'm talking about went home to be with Jesus yesterday. I will miss her a lot.

The Bible says, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe” (Philippians 2:14-15).

Evelyn shone brightly. May we all follow her example.