This what I shared at Betty"s Memorial Service. Several people asked me for a copy so I am posting it here. Feel free to share. When it came time for us to plan this service, I thought of a European cathedral with a grand pipe organ where each of her organ friends could play one … Continue reading Betty’s Cherry Tree
Family
These Hands
These hands… have played the great organs of Europe. have knitted Christmas stockings for an entire family. have baked banana, zucchini, and cranberry bread for the multitudes. These hands… have edited hundreds of newsletters. have played hand bells and numerous other instruments. have sewed clothes and embroidered pillowcases. These hands… have directed children’s choirs. have … Continue reading These Hands
Scraps of Paper
I have spent the past two days going through scraps of paper in my Aunt Betty’s house. As she moves closer to the fullness of life beyond this temporary body, going through her things seems an invasion of privacy. Yet, I have learned a lot in these past two days. Going through scraps of paper … Continue reading Scraps of Paper
Aunt Betty
When I was a little girl, my Aunt Betty used to take us to the symphony. She is a music lover who wanted to pass her passion on to the next generation. She did that for my brother, sister, and me, since she never married or had children of her own. We were her charges, … Continue reading Aunt Betty
Celebration!!
It makes sense that I would be awake at 2:30 a.m. this morning. Unlike other mornings, when insomnia keeps my mind turning, this day brings memories of my fourth birthing day. The first contraction was about this time and with it came the rush to get from Clermont to Dunwoody Medical Center. Bill was … Continue reading Celebration!!
The Gift of Words
This is an excerpt from a piece I wrote last at Christmas last year for Two Drops of Ink: A Literary Blog. As we prepare gifts this season let us not forget, words are powerful, can be given to everyone on your list, and...they are free! You can read the entire piece here. I am … Continue reading The Gift of Words
A Frightening Moment
A beautiful fall day calls for…housework, right? Maybe. Just a little. Then a drive through the brilliant glowing mountains, as a reward. Bill was changing lightbulbs on the outside of the house in preparation for the darker evenings. I was inside working to ready the guestroom for any visitors coming our way. Bill was on … Continue reading A Frightening Moment
A Lovely Surprise
At my alma mater, Berry College, we have a tradition called Mountain Day which is sometimes difficult to describe. When asked, “What is Mountain Day?” I usually just say it’s like homecoming, because it is easier than giving a full explanation. Martha Berry, the school’s founder, had her birthday on October 7. The celebration all … Continue reading A Lovely Surprise
Enchanted Moment
It was an enchanted moment…a gift. And I nearly missed it. My brand-new husband peeked out of the curtains of our honeymoon suite. “Shell, get up and come look at this. It’s a gift!” I was snuggled deep into the covers. My eyes were shuttered closed and happy to be that way. After months of … Continue reading Enchanted Moment
Guest Blog
Today I have an important guest blogger, my husband Bill. He has a story to tell that is important. In fact, it is one of the things that has been swept under the rug at our house for years, as we have been in survival mode. It is where so much of our lives together … Continue reading Guest Blog