CONSIDER HERITAGE-SHARING

Of all the influential women in my early years, several stand out. Mother, enough said. Gena, a grandmother who nurtured my love for reading at every turn. Mrs. Munday, my 4th grade teacher who helped me, a crying 10 yr. old, with "complicated" division. Christine, my across the street neighbor, who was like a grandmother to me.

But...it was my maternal grandmother, Mama Davenport, who was my spiritual mentor, before I even knew what that was. With her gnarled arthritic hands clasped in prayer and her humming in the kitchen as she stirred up stewed tomatoes in her white enamel saucepan with the red rim, her quiet gentle spirit spoke volumes. Her willingness to "walk" up that 2nd street hill to church every Sunday because she didn't drive and Dang-Dang would not take her. 

I've not known many women I could label as "never complaining," but Mama was a the top of that list. (1Timothy 6:6)

Her well worn Bible is one of my treasures and her underlined verses have offered much insight in to her suffering and her trust in the Lord. My other treasure is my heritage snowball bush.....

...which had its beginnings from her childhood home in Hampton Station, Kentucky. From there to Clarksville, TN, to my parents' home in Hopkinsville, Ky to my home in Memphis, TN, the bush is a living legacy of a small graceful woman who was and still is in many ways, my spiritual mentor.

A snowball  bush that has been propagated and cultivated throughout Memphis and to our son's home in Texas and most recently to our daughter's home in Richland Estates.

Not only do I love that this bush will be cultivated with love and spiritual memories, I love it that Molly and Corey's dog who is checking it out is named Millie. Millie was Daddy's pet name for mother. If he was getting really sassy he would call her Millie Lou.

What a legacy of love came to my mind as I typed. What a great heritage I have been given.
My "heritage snowball bush" is but a reminder to open her Bible and consider the best underlined passages to  share---not only with my children but also with my "grands," (Proverbs 13:22) as the heritage of the upright will abide forever.(Psalm 37:18, AMP)