My Mother's Baby PictureA few years ago, my mother put together a book for her grandchildren, and in it she told about her family and what things were like growing up. Here is her memory of birthdays long ago...
"I did have one brother -- a "big brother" because he was three years older than I was. He was born on August 28, 1914, and I was born on July 3, 1917, so we both had our birthdays in the summertime. Strange, but I can't remember any birthday cakes! Our very special treat for those birthdays was -- jello! We didn't think of it by flavour, but by colour. We always had a red one, and then we could choose one more, a yellow one or an orange one. And what a decision that was to have to make! We didn't have a refrigerator in our home, or even an old-fashioned "ice box," so how to get the jello to "set" in summertime was a problem. Our father sunk a large crock into the dark, cool, earthen floor of our cellar, where it was not nearly as warm as in our bright, sunny kitchen upstairs. The bowl of jello was placed inside the covered crock, and we hoped for the best. We made ever so many trips up and down the cellar steps to see how it was coming along, and I remember being told that it never would set if we didn't leave it alone!"
Happy Birthday, Mother!
(in the jello colors!)
(in the jello colors!)
11 comments:
What a beautiful baby she was! What a beautiful story . . . what a beautiful life.
I hope my life is as rich as hers. If I can make even a fraction of the difference that your mother made, I will feel as if I've accomplished something important.
Oh, I forgot! Happy Birthday to your mother!
Thank you, Renae!
One day at a time does not seem like much, but when you look back over 91 years... well, it is just amazing to see the wonderful story that unfolds! I guess that is what makes the little choices and deeds today so important.
Your life is already rich, and you have made a big difference, probably more than you will ever realize, to so many people (me included!) Just think of what the decades between now and 91 will bring! I believe the tapestry you are weaving will be beautiful next to my mother's, with a unique pattern of glorious colors !
OH, Jeanette, you made me cry. :-)
Thanks.
Hi you two!
One thing I like about the comment section on this blog is that we all tend to gab together as if we are sitting in your livingroom, J! Other blog comment sections are very interesting to read but it's more like riding in an elevator: everybody sees each other but pretends as if they don't!
I agree with my sis, Renae ... do you know, today I started talking with a client about something from the book of Esther! Now I wonder why that was on my mind!
Well, Kinza made a big dish of red jello for her Grandma today! We just got back from her house, actually. Maybe I should send you a pic for one of your pix o' the day!
Oh, Carol-Ann! Please do! If you can send it tonight, I will post it for the next pic! I'm so glad Kinza made the jello, too!
And there you go, Renae! Carol-Ann read what you wrote about Esther, and then she was talking with a client about it... You will most probably never realize the far-reaching consequences of the work you put into your writing. You will usually never know how the little ripples go out! I am teary-eyed about it...
And I do love our comment conversations myself, C-A!
Interesting thought, J ...
I wonder if, when Mom's Mom was dying and leaving behind a ten-year-old daughter... I wonder if she gave her to the keeping of her Heavenly Father! Although Mom has never been quick to say her father really knew the Lord, she has always seemed to have a different opinion about her Mom. I watched Kinza with Mom tonight and delighted in the thought that one day all these generations of women will be with the Lord Himself! Truly there is nothing in life experience to delight more in than the fact that our names are written in the Book of Life!
Oh, Wow. You two are so encouraging. Now I need to go get a box of Kleenex!
Thank you both so much for your encouragement. I hope I do make a difference. I know both of you are, just as your mother did. :-)
(Sniff)
--r
You are welcome, Renae! I always love it when just telling the truth about someone else is an encouragement to them!
Speaking of Kleenex...I don't know which one of us started this, but now I'm adding to it...Where's my box?...but anyway, I just went to pick up some pizza, and while driving I was talking out loud to me and God, I guess more like thinking out loud. I was thinking about what you said, C-A, about all the generations of our women being with the Lord Himself. I was trying to imagine it, and I just could not. No matter how wonderful things at times are here on earth, there is always some evil earthly thing lurking so that we can't have that completely perfect feeling. Our spirits are weighed down with the problems and wickedness of this world... on and on we go with the heaviness that will be gone when we are in heaven. What will it be like to be without it, even for a minute? I just have no idea at all... I can't wait...
And then on top of that, I was picturing all of us with Coral right in there with us, lovely and unhampered by an earthly body... She will be as regal and beautiful as Queen Esther!
Ha!
You got it, Babe!
I read a book years ago - a fiction book by Randy Alcorn - and he painted a picture of what we will all look like in heaven. And do you know, he had the most beautifully, breathtaking creatures there as the ones who were handicapped here on earth?
I do believe sweet Coral will be right there with Esther. :-)
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