Mother’s Day 2009

Can you say 1980’s?  The women pictured above are two of the strongest women I have ever known….and then there’s me.  Aunt Jean, on the left, was my father’s sister.  She struck out on her own at 16, leaving on a train.  Later, home in her late twenties, married, then became a widow with two very young sons in her thirties. She never remarried, she reared them on her own. Yet when I was born, she was a business woman, owned a fine home, and had successfully put her two sons through college.  Aunt Jean loved to fish, squealed like a girl when anything hit her line, yet was more known for her sophistication and proper elegance. I was the niece who lived in the same town. The tomboy, the one she had a full time job trying to refine in any way shape or form. From early on I loved to spend the night with Aunt Jean. She had a way of looking directly into your eyes and fully listening. She had the ultimate lady’s bedroom and bath. Her feminism was evident by the beautiful things on her tray in her suite. Looking glass mirrors in silver, prism perfume bottles with the squeeze sprays, delicate cremes and potions. She was proud to be a women and knew how to dress and act like one. She was also unafraid of hard work and as one who was one her own most of her adult life, she knew much about it! She was my favorite cheerleader, counsel, and strength during duress, understanding my woes, directing my paths.

  My mom is to her right. I am wearing a dress, blouse, and jacket she made.  She was a counselor, a leader in our community, and a ever in love with her husband wife to my father.  Both women knew hard work yet maintained home blessings, baking, cooking, sewing, entertaining….both woman knew the meaning of servants for their mission field….everyone in their path.

My Grandmother Geddie is the third woman in my heart. She owns a large portion of real estate in my heart still. She was my mother’s mother. I never knew my father’s mom, she was gone before I was born.  Grandmother Geddie was a colorful character. She taught second grade for over forty years.  She loved children and she loved to laugh.  She sang Jesus Loves Me and I’ve got the Joy Joy Joy Joy down in my heart when she worked in the kitchen. I spent as much time as I could in her home and with her on trips.  She loved God and spoke of Him as though he was her dear friend. She loved food and always like to have some on hand to give away as folks came by for coffee.  Cakes, pies, something…..so you never walked away empty handed.  She laughed and had a very mischievous side to her ….she kept us all laughing regularly.  She loved roses and red…and not in that order. She always was done to the nines when she went to town and she is responsible for my love of shoes, purses, and matching outfits….she is probably also genetically connected to my high energy and mischieviousness.   I am probably most like my Grandmother Geddie….and I am thankful for the heritage of loving people she has given me. Madison is my grandmother in a new generation. As a toddler she raised her hand over her mouth to giggle, just like Grandmother did….she has her eyes and so many mannerisms that you just know its not all environment, her heredity lives on in Madison.

I am the only one left now. My mom, aunt, and grandmother are all in heaven.  On Mother’s Day I am aware of the legacy that has been given to me and for me to pass on to others…..I know I cannot fill their shoes, but I certainly pray that I can affect as many people with my life as they did theirs….for both were known for their life examples through their own lives, their love for other people, their willingness to help anyone on their path, their Sunday school teaching, their kind hearts, and their ministry to the community at large.

God is good and I am blessed! Happy Mother’s Day!