One summer Brent asked me if I would like to make some wild cherry jelly. Why would he ask me that you ask? He knew I liked canning. He also knew I enjoyed giving homemade jellies at Christmas time. With no hesitation I said yes. He offered to pick them and to help me pit them. Brent trekked off to the back of the property with a one gallon ice cream bucket. About an hour later he returned with a full gallon of pea sized wild cherries. I had a big smile of my face. It was so sweet of him to think of the idea and to me, it was romantic. He always did say I was a low maintenance wife! Living off the land, making do, and not spending much money on food or entertainment appeals to me. We stood in the kitchen and washed the cherries and pitted them. We talked about his adventure. Some of those cherries were high in the trees and hard to get, he walked in bramble, and all that picking only gave us a gallon. We talked about how good that wild cherry jelly would taste. We stood side by side and talked about other things as well. I made the jelly and came out with one case of 12 jars either 6 or 8 ounce jars. I gave a few to friends and we ate the rest. When I pulled out that last jar of wild cherry jelly I remembered what a pleasant time we had. Today I still remember what a wonderful day that was.
Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Proverbs 16:24
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Mowing The Lawn
Mowing the lawn is a pleasant experience for me. The last time I cut grass was sometime during the summer of 2005. We were living at our home on Rankin Branch at the time. We moved in with my father in March 2006. Brent and Sam mowed the lawn. I was to busy taking care of Daddy. Sam has mowed this year. The lawn needed some tender loving care. It was great. When I'm on that riding mower my mind has time to think.
Growing up my father used a push mower to cut the grass. When my brother was old enough he mowed the lawn. I moved away from home having never cut the grass at my parents home. The memories of my childhood came flooding back to me. We had a swing. A metal pipe frame with two swings and a bar to hang from. There were three spots over the years where we burned our trash. I can remember playing on the large propane tank pretending it was a horse. The two maple trees in the front yard were planted when I was 11 years old. I do have a photograph, taken of me sitting front of that maple tree as a young girl. I'll try to find it, scan it and insert it in this post. The old oak tree where we had a tree house still stands. We've had family reunions in the front yard, sunbathed, and played under the gutters when it rained.
When I was 13 I ask my mother if I could have the house when she and Daddy died. She and Daddy remembered my request. My mother passed February 27, 1993. Daddy continued to live in the house. My sister and I decided that Daddy either needed someone to live with him or needed to live in a nursing home. On March 13, 2006 Grace found Daddy laying across the kitchen table. He could not sit down or stand up. Grace called 911. He had not broken any bones, but he was really sore. His dementia was very noticeable. Between the dementia and the soreness of his ribs he had to have someone stay with him. Grace and I took turns staying with him. Daddy had several more falls. The time had come to make the decision of our lives. Brent told me he would support whatever decision I made. Taking care of Daddy at home was what I wanted. Brent, the kids and I moved in with Daddy on March 23, 2006. In hindsight I can see how God was moving in our lives. We sold our home and were now living in a home that was paid for. For 8 months I took care of Daddy until he passed away on November 10, 2006.
My care giving shifted from Daddy to Brent. During all this time my body was going through menopause. The first day of my last period was May 03, 2006. May 03, 2007 I had not had a period in one year. Menopause! It was also the day we found out Brent's leukemia had come back. God's timing is perfect. My husband died, but God was taking care of me and the children. We had a home that was paid for, I was through menopause and Brent had insurance, a pension and social security to take care of us. Brent was always thankful for his job which provided great benefits. With a hospital bill of around $360,000.00 my payment in the end was $808.00.
Thank you for Lord for my husband Brent. Thank you Brent for your love and support. Thank you for your hard work through the years. Thank you for telling me to drive the lawn mower slowly through tall grass at the highest setting so I wouldn't burn the motor or the belt. Thank you for telling me I need to check the oil in the mower. Thank you that I know where to go if I need work done on the mower. Thank you for helping me to understand why I need to save the paperwork on the mower. Thank you Brent for cutting Betty Ingram's yard. She loved you so much. You came at a time when she and Maurice needed you. Maurice couldn't take care of the yard anymore after his stroke. They trusted you. After Maurice died you continued to cut her grass. You would stay afterwards and talk with her and let her cry on your shoulder. She still misses Maurice. When she needed help with things around the house you would help her. Thank you for being an example to the children on the importance of helping widows. Thank you Lord that Brent and I talked about these things. Thank you that I was able to tell him how important he was to Betty.
Growing up my father used a push mower to cut the grass. When my brother was old enough he mowed the lawn. I moved away from home having never cut the grass at my parents home. The memories of my childhood came flooding back to me. We had a swing. A metal pipe frame with two swings and a bar to hang from. There were three spots over the years where we burned our trash. I can remember playing on the large propane tank pretending it was a horse. The two maple trees in the front yard were planted when I was 11 years old. I do have a photograph, taken of me sitting front of that maple tree as a young girl. I'll try to find it, scan it and insert it in this post. The old oak tree where we had a tree house still stands. We've had family reunions in the front yard, sunbathed, and played under the gutters when it rained.
When I was 13 I ask my mother if I could have the house when she and Daddy died. She and Daddy remembered my request. My mother passed February 27, 1993. Daddy continued to live in the house. My sister and I decided that Daddy either needed someone to live with him or needed to live in a nursing home. On March 13, 2006 Grace found Daddy laying across the kitchen table. He could not sit down or stand up. Grace called 911. He had not broken any bones, but he was really sore. His dementia was very noticeable. Between the dementia and the soreness of his ribs he had to have someone stay with him. Grace and I took turns staying with him. Daddy had several more falls. The time had come to make the decision of our lives. Brent told me he would support whatever decision I made. Taking care of Daddy at home was what I wanted. Brent, the kids and I moved in with Daddy on March 23, 2006. In hindsight I can see how God was moving in our lives. We sold our home and were now living in a home that was paid for. For 8 months I took care of Daddy until he passed away on November 10, 2006.
My care giving shifted from Daddy to Brent. During all this time my body was going through menopause. The first day of my last period was May 03, 2006. May 03, 2007 I had not had a period in one year. Menopause! It was also the day we found out Brent's leukemia had come back. God's timing is perfect. My husband died, but God was taking care of me and the children. We had a home that was paid for, I was through menopause and Brent had insurance, a pension and social security to take care of us. Brent was always thankful for his job which provided great benefits. With a hospital bill of around $360,000.00 my payment in the end was $808.00.
Thank you for Lord for my husband Brent. Thank you Brent for your love and support. Thank you for your hard work through the years. Thank you for telling me to drive the lawn mower slowly through tall grass at the highest setting so I wouldn't burn the motor or the belt. Thank you for telling me I need to check the oil in the mower. Thank you that I know where to go if I need work done on the mower. Thank you for helping me to understand why I need to save the paperwork on the mower. Thank you Brent for cutting Betty Ingram's yard. She loved you so much. You came at a time when she and Maurice needed you. Maurice couldn't take care of the yard anymore after his stroke. They trusted you. After Maurice died you continued to cut her grass. You would stay afterwards and talk with her and let her cry on your shoulder. She still misses Maurice. When she needed help with things around the house you would help her. Thank you for being an example to the children on the importance of helping widows. Thank you Lord that Brent and I talked about these things. Thank you that I was able to tell him how important he was to Betty.
Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.
1 Timothy 6:17-19
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Light To My Path
God's plan for Brent's life on this earth was completed on Saturday, May 05, 2007 at 11:55 AM at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. He was 49 years old. We would have been married 26 years on May 16, 2007. I could ask, "Why God?" "Why did you take my husband from me, and the children's father." The answer is because God said, "I am."
December 28, 1996 Brent and I had a still birth daughter, Katherine Irene Shirley "Katie" Davis. Brent took the news extremely hard. He did not want to talk about it. Every time he did he would get a terrible headache. He would ask God why did he take Katie. He just could not understand.
Brent was diagnosed with CMML leukemia on Monday, June 26, 2006. Of course, we felt as if we had been hit with a two by four. There were so many questions we wanted to ask the doctor, but did not know where to start. Brent did ask the question, "Why God?" Brent told me that God's answer to him was, "I am." He accepted God's plan for his life. He said that whatever God chose to do with his life he would accept. He did not want to leave me and the children but he knew God's plan was perfect for us.
From June 26, 2006 to May 05, 2007 Brent enjoyed as many moments as he could. He continued to play bluegrass music, spent time with me and the children, went fishing with his friend Larry, and talked with his family and friends. Depression would hit him some days but it did not last long. He lived each day that God gave to him.
Now, I wake each day knowing that God gave me a new day. Brent would want it that way.
December 28, 1996 Brent and I had a still birth daughter, Katherine Irene Shirley "Katie" Davis. Brent took the news extremely hard. He did not want to talk about it. Every time he did he would get a terrible headache. He would ask God why did he take Katie. He just could not understand.
Brent was diagnosed with CMML leukemia on Monday, June 26, 2006. Of course, we felt as if we had been hit with a two by four. There were so many questions we wanted to ask the doctor, but did not know where to start. Brent did ask the question, "Why God?" Brent told me that God's answer to him was, "I am." He accepted God's plan for his life. He said that whatever God chose to do with his life he would accept. He did not want to leave me and the children but he knew God's plan was perfect for us.
From June 26, 2006 to May 05, 2007 Brent enjoyed as many moments as he could. He continued to play bluegrass music, spent time with me and the children, went fishing with his friend Larry, and talked with his family and friends. Depression would hit him some days but it did not last long. He lived each day that God gave to him.
Now, I wake each day knowing that God gave me a new day. Brent would want it that way.
Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.
Lamentations 3:22-23
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