Last year I painted my deceased grandmother as a gift for my grandmother's daughter, my mother. While I was painting, I kept thinking what a remarkable woman my grandmother was; remembering the old fashioned traditional values she imparted, by her example. I would guess that she was considered "poor" all of her life. Her own mother died when she was nine and her father did not remarry. Like many children of that era, she took on responsibilities that now we would consider burdens, an interruption of childhood. My husband believes that little girls of her era had, by nine, learned all they needed to know to run a home. Imagine.
My grandmother, Mama to all, married young and had seven children. She was an extremely devout Christian, of Pentecost faith, and strictly adhered to the teachings of her faith. She covered her arms, never cut her hair, never wore jewelry or make-up. She was completely without artifice in her grooming and personality. Mama was exactly as you found her - always Mama. If you were at Mama's any Wednesday evening, Sunday morning or Sunday night - you were scrubbed and off to church with her. If there was a revival going on, you attended those as well.
Mama sewed most of her children's clothing, including sweetly embroidered layettes for her sons and daughters and first grandchildren. She was one of many women who delighted when feed sacks began to be printed with small calico designs and made good use of them.Her beds were spread with wringer-machine washed hand-ironed sheets and quilts stitched with her fingers. Mama was up early to milk the cows, gather the eggs and cook a huge breakfast for her large family and any of the grandchildren or friends of the family who might be visiting. She planted, worked and harvested a huge garden each year (a man-sized garden) and "put-up" the bounty, canning for the winter.
Mama was also the most wanted midwife and vet in the country and pulled a many a calf. Honest, she was a marvel and all of her children just took it for granted that there was nothing she couldn't do and do well.What she expected of us was rather simple: To do our part and to love and help one another. Mama would have been bewildered by modern terms such as "dysfunctional families". It wouldn't have made any sense, because to her, a family had to function.
I don't ever remember Mama raising her voice at any of us. But if she did feel we need a scolding, we might notice that she pressed the biscuit cutter a bit harder and quicker - as an emphasis to her words.
The lessons I learned from my grandmother, I hope, have carried over into my life to be passed on to my children and they to theirs - Live, Love, Work & Pray with Joy.
Our meals were always a time of thanksgiving. I can close my eyes and almost hear Mama saying grace, "Dear Lord, we thank you and ask for your blessing on our bounty. Thank you and bless these children -- Marie, Berlie, Bonnie, Margaret, Jimmie Don...".
This Thanksgiving, I wish for you all bounty to bless and a roll to call.
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