stories and sprinkles

the turning of the seasons...it is well

2011-11-22T18:21:00.000-08:00

I have loved watching the leaves change this year. This is the tree just outside our back window.

I believe the turning of the seasons has meant more to me this year, because its poignant symbolism means more when you have experienced much loss. It is a sign of the fragility of life... the hope in death... the knowledge that what is old is once again made new... the overwhelming sense of God's love as demonstrated by His beautiful creation surrounding me.

I glanced at my calendar this week and noticed my Grandpa's birthday was highlighted on tomorrow, the 23rd. And then I saw that Dave's precious grandmother, Grandma Ruth, who we lost in September, would have had a birthday next week. And I thought of my Bigma who we lost in January 2011. And my heart ached. I miss them so much. I want them to be here for Thanksgiving. I want to give them a hug, and hold their precious hands, and feel their faith and strength.

But the seasons of life have turned.

A poem that was framed on Grandma Ruth's dresser reads:
Nothing ever dies that is not born anew-
The miracles of nature
All tell us this is true
The flowers sleeping peacefully
Beneath the winters snow
Awaken to the sunshine's warmth
When spring winds start to blow,
And all around on every side
New life and joy appear
To tell us nothing ever dies
And we should have no fear,
for death is just a detour
Along life's wending way
That leads God's chosen children
To a bright and glorious day.

As I was driving home from work tonight and listening to the song, "It is Well," the tears were flowing as I prayed.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
- Refrain:
  It is well, with my soul,
  It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Even so....even amidst the death that I see at work, and the loss that I have experienced personally this year, and the loss and sadness and struggle that my precious friends are experiencing right now...Even so, it is well with my soul. The love of Christ in us is palpable. May God fill me with His spirit and the radiance and essence of his love.

The lyrics of "Love is Here" by Brandon Heath are especially meaningful to me.

"Love is not proud
Love does not boast
Love after all
Matters the most

Love does not run
Love does not hide
Love does not keep
Locked inside

Love is the river that flows through
Love never fails you

Love will sustain
Love will provide
Love will not cease
At the end of time

Love will protect
Love always hopes
Love still believes
When you don't
Love is the arms that are holding you
Love never fails you

When my heart won't make a sound
When I can't turn back around
When the sky is falling down
Nothing is greater than this
Greater than this

Love is right here
Love is alive
Love is the way
The truth the life

Love is the river than flows through
Love is the arms that are holding you
Love is the place you will fly to
Love never fails you"

I want this love--God's love, to fill me up every day and flow out of me. I have been tired lately and feeling frayed. I am on my knees in need of God's love and His power to provide strength and grace for the tasks of everyday life.

May we be refreshed by the falling of the leaves, the turning of the seasons and the knowledge and hope of God's love. May the memories of our loved ones lost bring us peace this Thanksgiving, as we give thanks for their beautiful lives and give thanks to Our God, who makes all things beautiful in His time.

Happy Thanksgiving, and much love to you!

my sweet belle and my precious scarecrow

2011-10-31T19:10:00.000-07:00

mary beth's wedding reception

2011-10-31T19:05:00.000-07:00

pumpkin patch 2011

2011-10-31T18:56:00.000-07:00

disney on ice

2011-10-31T18:48:00.000-07:00

dave and i took our nat nat on a little date to disney on ice in october...she was mesmerized and loved every second of it. not a day goes by that she doesn't ask about going back...guess i'll be on the lookout for the next time they come to atlanta!!

sadie love

2011-10-31T18:46:00.000-07:00

this baby boy loves his doggie...not sure sadie reciprocates the love, but she puts up with him... ;)

toilet paper

2011-10-31T18:43:00.000-07:00

this is what happens while i am getting ready for work in the afternoons!!

see what my big sister has been teaching me???

2011-10-31T18:41:00.000-07:00

amelia island

2011-10-31T18:29:00.000-07:00

we were so blessed and fortunate to get to go to the beach again with cece and bobby at the end of september. it was a wonderful week, full of warm sun, relaxation and lots of time with my sweet family...

first day of school

2011-10-31T18:26:00.000-07:00

oh my, i am two months behind...here goes nothing in an attempt to catch up!

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to...

2011-09-04T18:15:00.000-07:00

Happy first birthday to my PRECIOUS baby boy-John, you bring so much joy to our lives and we love you more than you will ever know...red head temper and all ;)- love you baby boy!

my Grandpa

2011-09-04T18:06:00.000-07:00

Calvin Thomas Spinks
November 23, 1920 - August 10, 2011

My Grandpa passed away in August. It has been really hard to cope with this. He was just the most incredible man, and every day, I miss him so much. As I stood in church today, tears were just flowing as I remembered him--his amazing life and his faith in God. I miss him SO much, and will always cherish the person that he was to me and everything that he has taught me. I've included the eulogy that I read at his funeral service below. I love you, my Grandpa-

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi everyone. I’m Kelly Sprinkle, the oldest Grandchild of Calvin Thomas Spinks…my precious Grandfather—who was one of a kind. I have the honor of reflecting on his amazing life today, and I am so very thankful to have had the world’s greatest Grandfather. On behalf of my family, we thank you for being here today to celebrate his life with us—your presence is such a testimony to who he was.

This past year has been difficult for my family. Losing Bigma in January…and losing Grandpa seven months later. As Grandma and I were sitting by Grandpa’s Bedside the other morning, she reflected on the fact that we’ve lost “two beautiful lives.” And truly, my Bigma and my Grandpa were beautiful people. Heaven is certainly rejoicing to welcome my Grandpa Calvin.

How do I capture 90 years of a beautiful life—the life of a man who loved God, family, church and community and gave so much of himself to others. The man who was always there for me…always wore a button down shirt…and always stood for what is right?

Micah 6:8 says…

And he has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk with your God.

Grandpa’s life is a walking, living, breathing lesson for us all on how to walk with God. So I’d like to remember today what my Grandpa has taught us, quintessentially titled…

“Letters and Lessons from Grandpa”

Lesson One: He taught us to always learn. “We never get too old to learn…” he said to me in a letter on my wedding day. “So always keep your mind sharp,” he said to me. He was the smartest man I know.

Lesson Two: He taught us how to honor marriage. Oh, the love he had for Grandma….

In 1995, Grandpa wrote this poem to Grandma, entitled:

Walking Through Life With You

Does fate bring two people together
In searching for a partner in life;
Someone to share happiness and trouble
Whether going through joy or strife?

The one I found is the only one
Who could fill the bill for me;
Wife and Mother gracious and kind
For all the world to see.

If by some wave of a magic wand
I were allowed to begin anew,
I'd still choose the little girl next door
And walk again through Life with you.

And his love was reciprocated by my beautiful Grandmother. In her, I see the strength gained from a lifetime of marriage with her best friend. How courageous she has been in these past few months, weeks and days. How solid her faith has been, and what an inspiration she has been to us all. The love that you and Grandpa share is inspiring.

Lesson Three: He taught us to laugh. His wit and sly humor could not be found in another. He always tickled me with the way he would slip a little humor into any conversation. In a note he wrote to me after Natalie’s birthday party, he said, “Things got a little Raucous at times for Grandpa, but it was Natalie’s birthday and that is just how it is supposed to be.” J An excerpt from a poem he wrote to Katy and Lonnie reads, “Katy will preside over the x-rays. She will know what you’ve got inside. Hold on to your pocket book folks, that girl will take off your hide.” He was able to make you smile in the midst of any situation.

Lesson Four: He taught us to be courageous. I describe my Grandpa as stalwart and lionhearted. He faced his terminal diagnosis with grace and courage. He served in World War II. He lived through the Great Depression. He was of the “greatest generation.” He was so brave. He stood for his convictions. He wrote letters to the editor. He spoke his mind.

Lesson Five: He taught us to work hard. He worked hard for MANY, many years. He was still going into the office just before he died. In a letter he wrote me, he shared that in whatever field of work we are in, we have the opportunity to help others. He believed in this, and worked hard every day to ensure that others were helped…

Lesson Six: He taught us to cherish our history. He conducted priceless research for our family and compiled our history and our family tree. I wish I would have transcribed every single story, every single moment that he shared with us, because they are all such precious jewels. I am grateful for his passion for history and know that we will continue to cherish his work.

Lesson Seven: He taught us to uphold our family and love each other. He was the patriarch of our family. He loved each of us so much and walked our dogs and put gas in our cars and gave us toilet paper at Christmas and always left us little notes wherever he had been saying, “Grandpa was here.” He loved his wife, Roy, Gail, Tracy, Daddy, four grandchildren and our spouses and 3 great-grandchildren so much. A dear friend wrote to me:

“He was a sweet gift, Kel, a blessed one to your family from the Lord. Let’s thank God for thinking so much of you and your family that He would loan your Grandpa for all of these years. What fruitful seeds Mr. Calvin sowed amongst his offspring!”

And he was everything to all of us, and will continue to live on in us as we love each other the way he taught us to…

Lesson Eight: He taught us to be generous. He and my grandma gave so much to us and to others. In a little note I found, Grandpa wrote “Just a little something to help out until things get better. They will get better for God is good.”

Lesson Nine: He taught us to live a good life:

I love this quote by Abraham Lincoln: “And in the end, it’s not the years in a life, it’s the life in the years.” Oh, my Grandpa did not waste a minute, but lived life with love, humor and compassion.

Lesson Ten: He taught us to love the Lord with all of our hearts. And above all else, Grandpa gave thanks to God, His Creator and Savior. When he learned of his cancer, his first words to Grandma were, “God’s been good to us.” He was active in church, a man of God’s word and glorified God with the way he lived his life.

Oh, how I could go on and on about him. I could tell your hundreds of lessons I’ve learned from my Grandpa. But he might shake his finger at me and tell me that I was talking too much, so in that, I’ll honor him too!

I compare my Grandpa’s life to the book of Proverbs—full of wisdom and truth.

Proverbs 1: 8-9 states:

“Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction
and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
They are a garland to grace your head
and a chain to adorn your neck.”

So may the lessons that Grandpa taught us be like a garland to grace our heads and chains to adorn our necks. May we carry his legacy of love and faithfulness on. I reflect on my grandfather’s life today with a conviction of spirit. I am convicted to honor his memory and to love and serve others and my Father in heaven just as Grandpa did.

Oh, how we will miss you Grandpa. But we rejoice because your spirit lives.

In Job, it states:

“I know that my Redeemer lives,

And that in the end he will stand upon the earth.

And after my skin has been destroyed,

Yet in my flesh I will see God;

I myself will see him

With my own eyes—I, and not another.

How my heart yearns within me!”

And so, my Grandpa, you have fought the good fight, you have finished the race, you have kept the faith. I will miss you with all of my heart.

Thank you for loving my family during this difficult time and for celebrating Grandpa’s beautiful life with us. I hope you’ll carry on the lessons from Grandpa, too!

congrats patrick!

2011-09-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

my cousin, Patrick, tied the knot in August! congrats to Erin & Patrick-we're so excited for y'all! below is a pic of my uncle roy and patrick...

happy birthday molly!

2011-09-04T17:55:00.000-07:00

we were so excited to have our sweet niece and katy and lonnie come stay with us on molly's 2nd birthday. we had a great day celebrating...going to the children's museum and going out for pizza! happy birthday sweet girl, we love you so very much!

Country Roads...Take me Home

2011-09-04T17:40:00.000-07:00

In July, we enjoyed taking a little adventure with my Dad to visit his brothers and sisters in Virginia. Dad is originally from Bluefield, West Virginia. Honestly, we had the best time. It was so nice to be in the cooler mountain air, and to enjoy seeing my aunts, uncles, and cousins. We all stayed at Aunt Anne's house on the farm, and the kids absolutely loved being at her house and seeing the animals. Woodward family...we hope to see y'all again very soon!

little mister...

2011-09-04T17:34:00.000-07:00

Oh, little boy, you are into EVERYTHING. if i turn my back, you are on top of the table these days. you enjoy getting into baskets, climbing, and dumping the cereal all over the kitchen floor. And boy oh boy, do you love cars. BRRRRRMMMMM.

this land is your land...this land is my land!

2011-09-04T17:20:00.000-07:00

Very behind on posts...here's a few photos from the fourth this year!

little giggles

2011-08-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

captured these laughs in the car while we were at the beach! hope it puts a smile on your face...

day at the aquarium

2011-07-12T07:48:00.001-07:00

gam and pappy took us to the aquarium in july...it was especially nice to escape the hot summer days, and even nicer to spend the day with my precious family! thank you gam and pappy!

more beach fun...

2011-07-12T07:45:00.001-07:00

A few of Gam's pictures from our week at the beach in June... Can we please go back??

sweet babies

2011-06-17T19:15:00.001-07:00

paradise 2011

2011-06-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

oh, last week at the beach was the best week ever. we had a fabulous time...and i'll let the pictures speak for themselves...oh, santa rosa beach, i miss you!!

can't wait to be back next year...

memorial day...

2011-06-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

little swimmer...

2011-06-17T18:15:00.000-07:00

nat nat took some swimming lessons in april/may...and john john came to watch...

8 months

2011-05-10T08:01:00.001-07:00

little man, you are 8 months old. 2/3 of a year. it is hard to believe, john harman. you are the happiest little thing, and are officially a busybody. you are into EVERYTHING. i wasn't quite ready for you to crawl, but you sure were ready. before i can turn around, you have pulled up on something and trying to reach for the next highest object. you have found your little voice, and sound like tarzan in the car sometimes. you still love your bottle, but can pound some "puffs" these days. you and your sister are a hoot, you wrestle in the shopping cart and you give her lots of hugs and kisses. you will pay her back one day for all of her roughness with you, too, i am sure! you are an early riser, but you awaken happily, and i walk in to find you standing in your crib begging to get out! you light up our life and are such a happy baby...we are so blessed by you, john harman...love you, little man.

little man...on the move!

2011-05-10T06:39:00.000-07:00

Mama's Day

2011-05-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

"Mama"

Oh, how I love to hear that word. I never, ever knew that you two little bits would be the greatest blessings of our life. I am crazy about you, my Nat and my John, and you will never, ever know how much joy you bring me. So on this Mother’s day, it was the great blessing of being your Mama that made me as happy and grateful as a girl could be. Oh, y'all are just too cute!!

I have learned so much from my “mama’s” along the way, and I think it’s good to write it down…just in case I forget.

Sometimes days are a little bit tedious, so I need to remember the wisdom I’ve learned from my Mama and her Mama and her Mama.

From my Bigmama…I learned about having a big heart!

I learned to work hard and appreciate the simple things. Our Bigmama, she was so strong and so talented. As I’m mowing the grass or pulling weeds, I think about her. Her strong hands and beautiful gardens and human kindness. She loved us so much…oh how my heart longed to hug her and sit next to her and hold her hand on this Mother’s Day. I miss her so much.

From my Grandmama, “Ma Ma Ma,” I’ve learned to always seek to be content.

In her precious letters to me, which I cherish very much, she often reminded me of this verse in Philippians:

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

My Grandmother is so compassionate, patient and giving. I have learned a great deal about being a Proverbs 31 woman from her. Oh how precious you are to us, Grandma...You are so amazing...

From my Mama…our Gam…I’ve learned to seize the day! Sing songs, dance a jig and make a mud pie. “This is the day that the Lord has made…let us rejoice!” My mama is always hopeful, optimistic and kind. She is creative and loving, full of joy and good advice. I’m so grateful to have her to lean on, and I’m so thankful that she loves us so much (and my pink ladies won’t be surprised to know that she still calls me at 7:00 a.m. every day!). Mama, I am SO GRATEFUL for you and all you do for me...i love you so!

There’s a blog I love to follow (http://thegypsymama.com), and the writer captured being a “mama” so perfectly:

Motherhood should come with a cape, a tutor, a counselor, a massage therapist, a lifetime’s supply of chocolate, Kleenex, and therapy. Or girlfriends who’ve already been there, done that. It should come with a choir that bursts into gospel praise and chorus as the sound track to the every day moments that so few get to witness – first breaths, steps, loves, and words.

It should come with a manual. A thick one and also a Cliff’s Notes version.

It should come with a sense of humor.

Motherhood should come with a twinkle in the eye and a warning. A warning that you will never be the same; that before it’s over your heart will have cracked into a thousand tiny splinters of love so profound your body can barely contain what your soul is experiencing. That you will hurt in ways no one could prepare you for and ache with a vulnerability no one can protect you from.

And that as hard as it is, you would sign up to do it all over again without a second’s hesitation.

Happy Mother's Day, y'all.

easter bunnies

2011-05-09T19:23:00.000-07:00

a few pics of my little bunnies and our sweet family on Easter Sunday...

(above, i caught her pinching his ear...she has a thing for his ears...)

tanglewood miniature farm...

2011-05-09T19:05:00.000-07:00

about a month ago...nat, john and i headed off with my sweet friend michelle and her girls and miss flan on a little jaunt to tanglewood farms in canton, georgia...the girls had a blast and i think baby john enjoyed it too...

came and went...

2011-05-09T18:56:00.000-07:00

number 31 came and went before i could blink my eyes. i had a great birthday...you see, I got to celebrate with Barney (and my sweet family...the best gift of all)...here are a few shots from the day!

easter babes

2011-04-29T05:21:00.000-07:00

oh, the days of april passed by way too quickly. i still have a lot of "journaling" and events to catch up on...but for now, this little pic of the easter babes will have to bide me a bit more time on this little blog of mine. my busy boy is trying to pull up on a chair...better go get him before it topples over...more to come....

love,
me

Happy Birthday to my Grandma!

2011-04-05T18:53:00.000-07:00

My beautiful Grandmother, also known as Grandma and "Ma Ma Ma," turned a very young 83 on Monday! We enjoyed traveling down, spending the night in the LG, and spending some time with my precious family--especially spending the day with Grandma on her birthday. Grandma, you are an amazing light in our lives and we are so blessed by you in so many ways. We pray that the year ahead is full of hope and happiness!

getting ready to blow out the candles!

the cousins having fun in the powder room :)

little man was showing out for Grandpa

Molly kept saying "Hold John", so we let her hold him! He is practically as big as Molls...

My beautiful Grandmother

the girls decorated eggs at Gam's on Monday morning...very focused...

We love you so much, Grandma!

Baby Boy's Baptism

2011-04-05T18:38:00.000-07:00

My precious John Harman, you were baptized on March 27th, and what a special day it was. Surrounded by your family, you were dedicated to the Lord and we committed ourselves to raising you in a home where our first aim is to serve and honor the Lord. I am truly humbled and blessed to be your mama, because you are the sweetest and most precious little boy to me. God has given us such an incredible gift in you, sweet boy, and I pray that He will give us the wisdom and strength to be the best parents we can possibly be for you.
I pray for you, sweet John, that you will know Jesus and that He will be your Savior:
"And I will pray to the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever--the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you." [John 14: 16-17]

Love you so, sweet baby boy....

Tea Time

2011-04-05T18:00:00.000-07:00

Several weekends ago, Natalie, Cosette, Michelle and myself ventured to Tea Leaves & Thyme in Woodstock, GA for morning brunch and tea. Another precious friend of mine gave Nat a gift certificate to this little jewel of a restaurant back in December, and we were excited to finally use it! Natalie and Cosie had tons of fun dressing up, wearing hats, sipping hot chocolate and eating yummy treats!

happy birthday to you...our Gam!

2011-03-30T05:11:00.000-07:00

We love you so very much and pray that you have a wonderful day! We can't wait to see you very soon!
Natalie says: "Happy Birthday to you...I love you GAM"

happy birthday to you...our pappy!

2011-03-28T19:09:00.000-07:00

happy saint patty's day!

2011-03-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

two peas in a pod

2011-03-28T19:01:00.000-07:00

natalie LOVES her little brother...and no one can make my sweet boy laugh like his sister...

six months old!

2011-03-21T20:07:00.000-07:00

oh my precious angel, are you really six months old? these are a few pics from your six month birthday that i'm just now getting onto the blog (2.5 weeks late!). you just don't know how much joy you bring to my life, sweet john harman. you are such a happy boy, and you make your daddy, your sister and i laugh every day. you are loving sitting up, talking, laughing, and certainly playing with toys. you LOVE to be outside and literally pitch a fit when you have to come back inside. you love your sister more than anything! your red hair is just the cutest thing on earth, and everyone comments on how cute you are everywhere we go! i love you so much, sweet john. you are such a blessing in our lives...

we miss you, grandma ruth!

2011-03-21T20:02:00.000-07:00

every year, dave's sweet grandmother (grandma ruth) comes to atlanta for a couple of months for a visit! we enjoyed having her here so much and were so sad to see her go back home to ohio in early march. we miss you, grandma ruth!

happy birthday baby grant!

2011-03-21T19:58:00.000-07:00

gym dawgs!

2011-03-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

my goodness, i have so much to catch up on...life continues to go by at a faster pace than i can keep up with! i feel like i'm always running to catch up, but i'm certainly enjoying the sweet and precious moments of my little bits every day! toward the end of february, i met up with my besties from A-town to go to the gym dawgs meet! nat nat and i had an awesome mommy-daughter day...exploring the town, playing at the park, eating ice cream, and seeing sweet addison leigh! the girls were enthralled with the gymnastics meet and i enjoyed seeing my precious friends just as much. thanks, whit, for organizing this fun gathering!!

best....laugh...ever

2011-02-27T18:12:00.000-08:00

little miss

2011-02-27T17:59:00.000-08:00

love this butterfly princess so very much!

two little helpers

2011-02-27T17:55:00.000-08:00

delivering valentine's to the neighbors a couple weeks ago!

purple princess

2011-02-13T18:49:00.000-08:00

this is apparently what happens when mommy steps out of the room for a minute or two to change baby brother's diaper...purple marker all over tummy and face. i tried so hard to keep a straight face, but busted out laughing instead =)
what am i going to do with you, my precious princess? i love you so, nat nat.

doodle bug

2011-02-13T18:43:00.000-08:00

beautiful day

2011-02-13T18:33:00.000-08:00

five months old!

2011-02-13T18:28:00.000-08:00

punkin was five months old on february 3rd! little man, you have my heart...please stop growing up so fast!!!

Bigma

2011-01-24T06:41:00.001-08:00

My Bigma, Audie Nixon Muse

"so go down graceful...sleep with the angels....and wake up whole again" (bebo norman)

1/9/1909 - 1/18/2011

My Bigma

(from the service celebrating Bigma's beautiful life, 1/22/11)

Hi, I’m so proud to be Bigma’s great granddaughter, Kelly Muse (Woodward Sprinkle). I wanted to say a few words today because I’m so blessed by my Bigma and all that she has taught us…and I’m so proud of her.

As I sat down to try to put into words all that Bigma means to us, I realized that this is an impossible task.

How do you capture 102 years of an amazing life lived?

My Bigmama went to meet her Maker on Tuesday evening, but thankfully her story doesn’t end on Tuesday. Her 102 years will continue on. As she rejoices in heaven, we carry her love with us in our hearts.

And so today, we cherish and remember her sweet, gentle spirit, her faith in God, her love of life, her pureness of heart, and her goodness.

Today, we celebrate her love for her family—her daughter (my sweet & beautiful Grandma) and my Grandpa, her grandchildren (Roy, Tracy, Gail & Woody), her great grandchildren (Patrick, Jennifer, Katy and myself), her brothers, sisters and nieces and nephews and extended family.

We celebrate the love she had for her three great-great grandchildren who she completely adored—loved holding them, making them smile and laugh, making sure socks were on their feet! “Does that baby EVER cry?,” she always asked us—but that was Bigma—seeing the best in all of us.

We celebrate her friends and her Sunday School class.

We celebrate my Grandma’s friends, who always brightened Bigma’s day.

We celebrate her green thumb and beautiful gardens.

We celebrate her many talents, fierce independence and amazing strength, dignity and strong character.

We celebrate her beautiful soul and humble nature.

We celebrate her industrious abilities—her ability to fix and to do pretty much anything, including, as Jennifer reminded us the other night, pulling our teeth!
But, you see, that’s just the perfect example of Bigma, because not only would she be brave enough to pull our teeth, but then she would fix our little wounds, she would sew a little pillow just perfect for that tooth, and of course, she would make sure the tooth fairy came to visit.

The furniture she built and restored, the beautiful dresses and quilts she made, the hundreds of clothes she hemmed and fixed up for us, the letters she wrote.

We cherish all of these things.

But there’s one thing we cherish most of all: her faith.

In Psalm 145 it talks about the passing of faith from generation to generation.
3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
Two Sundays ago, on her 102nd Birthday, as we were packing up to leave that day, Bigma said to me: “You know, my favorite thing is just watching how much you all love each other.”

Oh, my precious Bigma, don’t you know that we learned it from you? That this is the greatest legacy—the amazing love that you had for us that impacted our lives in ways impossible to describe. This is the greatest legacy, Bigma—your faith in God that you passed down from generation to generation.

It was so hard to watch Bigmama get sick over the past week. When I got home on Wednesday morning, my Natalie Muse asked me, “Is B’ma all better now?”
“Yes, she is completely healed—in heaven with Jesus, “ I was able to say with full confidence and faith. She is all better now.

So on behalf of my family, we thank you…we thank you for loving our Bigma…because don’t you know, she was a Bigma to so many of us!

May we wake each day that God gives us and live by her example—may we continue to love one another just as Christ loves us.

We’ll celebrate Bigma’s legacy of love today, and praise God that He has inherited a precious and beautiful servant into His Kingdom. We are immensely and immeasureably blessed by you, Bigma.

A dear friend wrote to me this week:
How God has blessed you and your family with a matriarch that has led you on a path that I am confident is so pleasing to Him. How gracious and loving He is that He has given your beloved Bigma the gift of years to nurture and love multiple generations. That He would see fit to have her welcome those precious great-great grandchildren into a family that honors Him and so deeply loves one another. These are difficult days but let us praise an omnipotent, loving and caring God for Bigma's 102 years with us. How comforting is it that He has Bigma's name written on the "palm of His hand?" Surely she is "the apple of His eye." Her hand and example are both far-reaching. You, my dear, are the very sweet fruit of Bigma's hopes, prayers and her very faith.

Each of us here today are the fruit of Bigma’s love and faith.

If we continue to love one another, this will make Bigma so proud.

As I close, I want you to know (my Bigmama) that you will always be with me, and with us. We will miss you so very much, every day.

In one of my favorite poems, EE Cummings writes:

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in
my heart) I am never without it (anywhere
I go you go, my dear…

So, my precious BIGMA, I carry your heart with me, I carry it in my heart.

Thank you.

be still...

2011-01-13T18:08:00.000-08:00

For most of the week this week, we were cooped up here in the good 'ole ATL due to the snow and ice storm. I enjoyed the time at home, yet slowly but surely, was going stir crazy. I didn't go beyond the confines of our neighborhood from Sunday until today, when I went back to work. I've never stayed at home for that long without going anywhere, I don't think. But I was ready to get out. I was ready to go to work. This week was kind of like the vacation that I didn't ask for.

And so, I had a little time to think.

I got an e-mail from a friend at work earlier in the week. "Sometimes it is good to just sit still, Kel." And how right she is. I needed to hear that--I needed to grasp the value of "being still" (psalm 46:10). This was my lesson this week.

Go, Go, Go. That's how things usually are for our family. We're on the go during the week, especially now that I've started my new schedule and I'm working evenings at the hospital while Dave is working days. We're on the go on holidays, because we're traveling back and forth from LaGrange to Atlanta. Dave refers to me as the hummingbird sometimes, because at night, I buzz around trying to straighten everything up...sometimes he tries to impose a cut-off time when I have to sit down on the couch!

I always feel like I have to entertain the kids. What can we do next? Where can we go next? Are they bored? But it's okay to just be still with them too. It's okay to just hang out, cuddle, and not do too much. It's okay to just take a walk and not have to say much. It's okay.

This week, I had a chance to cuddle a little more with my baby boy. I had a chance to sit with my husband in the evenings. I had a chance to take long walks with my Nat Nat in the beautiful snow. I had a chance to be thankful for my warm, safe house; for my healthy children; for my paycheck and my health insurance, my car and my nice, warm boots. I had a chance to be thankful for this life I live...

Watching the tragedy that unfolded in Arizona on Saturday completely broke my heart. It takes my breath away to realize how quickly life can be over. And then I run into blogs like this one. It brings me to my knees, and as I offer up a prayer for that sweet little life, my heart breathes gratitude to God for my many blessings.

My sweet Bigma is in the hospital tonight and so I pray for her. For peace and hope and healing for her.

Tonight, I must remember that it is good to be still, to just BE STILL. To quiet my heart. To listen and take in. To offer praise to the One who gives so much. To offer gratefulness to the One who makes this life worth living. Be still, Kel, enjoy being still.

Psalm 32: 6-8

⁶ Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
⁷ You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.