We need to be more like Granny

You hear a lot of complaining these days about having to prepare all of our meals at home and not being able to get out and “do” things. I hate to admit it, but I’ve been guilty of it, as well. Then when I think about my Granny, I feel ashamed of myself and our society as a whole.

Granny ALWAYS fixed three meals a day. She and Granddaddy just didn’t go out to eat. Every great once in a while, they might go get a hamburger. Occasionally, one of their kids would take them out to eat Mexican food or fried catfish. But I’m talking less than a half-dozen times a year, total! Not only did Granny prepare all of their meals, she always washed AND DRIED dishes after every meal. No letting the dishes air-dry for her! She dried and put away every dish. Then she took the rinse water, which was collected in a plastic (at least in my time) dish pan, and watered her flower beds with it.

Granny never learned to drive. So, if she needed something from the grocery store (which was about a mile from her house), she either had to wait for Granddaddy to take her after work or walk. Needless to say, she made the most of her shopping trips. Other than that and going to church 3 times a week, she didn’t get out much…unless someone was needing to be taken care of (like us when Momma was sick and in the hospital). She didn’t really have much time for getting out anyway. She was busy keeping house, mowing the grass (pretty much for the whole block), tending to her garden, taking in ironing, taking care of grandkids and/or the two foster children she took in. In her “free” time, she was sitting at the kitchen table or telephone desk, with her magnifying glass in one hand and her bible in the other. (She did like to listen to “Swap Shop” on the radio while she ironed!)

I spent a lot of time with Granny. As I mentioned, she often came to take care of us when we were younger and Momma was down. I spent as much time as I could in the summertime at her house. Plus every holiday was spent there…along with all of the other cousins and aunts and uncles. In all of that time, I can’t ever remember her complaining about having to cook all of the time or about not being able to get out and around.

Even though Granny was special to all of our family, she was pretty typical for women in her generation. They worked long hard hours and stayed at home most of the time. They lived for serving others…their families, in particular. They exemplified the Proverbs 31 woman. Even though “times have changed”, people still have the same basic needs and wants. Society may have convinced us that we deserve more out of life than our grandmothers (or great-grandmothers) had, but do we really? Is it really so bad to stay home and take care of our families? Do we really need to spend so much of our time on entertainment and other pastimes? Do we really need to be served, rather than serving others?

This was just running through my mind today as I was cleaning up the kitchen after lunch. Thought I’d share it for your perusal. As Ricky would say, “Take it or leave it. It’s your life. Do what you want.”

teachers of good things

This is such a huge subject!  I'm going to stick with the particulars found in the next verse to make it a bit easier.

That they may teach the young women to be sober:  the word "sophronizo" is translated here "teach to be sober".  It means to make to be of sound mind, discipline or correct (fig).  That seems (to me) to suggest that the older women should take on a maternal role with the younger women, training them in the way they should conduct themselves.  This makes me think of this verse:  Php 3:17  Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

The younger women should look to those who are older as an example to follow and as a teacher.  The older women should take on the role that has been given them to be that ensample and teacher.  There have been two notable women in my life that have served in this capacity.  The first was Granny.  Granny was a quiet, modest, hard-working woman who spent her life taking care of others.  My mind pictures of her show her cooking up everyone's favorite dishes in her kitchen, ironing clothes that she "took in" to help out with their financial needs, out working in her garden or mowing their yard (as well as all the other places in the near vicinity that needed it!), sitting at her "desk" or the kitchen table reading her Bible (even when she had to use a magnifying glass to do so), or kneeling beside their bed with Granddaddy at night.  I can't count the number of times that she came to take care of my brother and myself when Momma was sick or in the hospital.  My favorite memories were going to her house on holidays or during the summer...even living with her for a few months when I first moved out "on my own".  Although she was basically a shy person, it didn't keep her from getting on to anyone (in the family) who needed it!  If you sat at her table, you minded your manners!  She also took in a couple of children (when she was in her 60's) to care for and raise...just because she knew they needed someone.  She loved her Lord, her family, and her fellow man and she showed it in every way she could.  She never had much (in material things), never asked for anything, but gave all she had.  Granny has "gone on" now, but she will always live in my heart.

The other woman who I feel like has always been a Titus 2 woman is Vicki Fields.  I was blessed to get to know Vicki while I was still a teenager.  I needed a place to stay during one of the camp meetings in Colorado, and she graciously took in a stranger and made me part of her family.  She was always someone that I could go to for advice or just to talk to when I needed someone to listen.  She has never been shy about sharing her beliefs and instruction, but has always done so with meekness and love.  I'm so thankful that she now plays the same role in my daughter's life. 

I thank God for the presence of both of these wonderful women in my life!  (I wish I had a picture on my computer that I could upload for Granny, but we don't have a scanner.)