THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO MY MOTHER, Tommie Grace Fields, the "Best Mother in the Whole Wide World,” who is turning 91 years old today!
She has
been called Amazing Grace, and to have packed so much life into 90 years is
really amazing! She started life as a
twin of Tom Grady and was the 9th child born to parents who would eventually
end up with 11 children. (Grandma
Marshall had 2 sets of twins after having 7 children!) Having listened to so
many tales from Mother and her siblings, we know that they experienced the joys
of a large family like most of us can never understand. So it comes as no surprise that my mother had
7 children of her own.
One aspect of
having so many children that amazes me about my grandmother and then my mother
was the ability to make “something from nothing” at meal time no matter how
many were at the table. I cannot imagine
the stress of feeding so many, especially when there was not a stock of food to
pull from. They lived off the land –
there was no running to Wal Mart or Kroger to get ingredients for a gourmet
recipe! My mom had great culinary skills, but most of
the time didn’t have all the ingredients she would like to have so she would
make do with what she had. There was always
a fabulous meal on the table and we would leave full and satisfied. Oftentimes there would be a dish or casserole
that we were not too sure about. If you
dared to ask what was in it... she would reply, "Eat it and hush." Thus became the standard "Eat It and
Hush" title for those mystery dishes.
And the best part was – it was something delicious and we would gobble
it right up. We didn’t have to know the
ingredients; we just trusted that she would always give us what was tasty
and nutritional.
Reminds me of
times when God will allow something to happen in my life and I’m saying, “God,
what is THIS?” And He is probably
saying something like, “Eat it and hush.”
I have the assurance that He is always looking out for my best interest
– “And we know that in
all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have
been called according to his purpose.” Also
we can, “Taste and see
that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who
takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8). When I have overcome and reflect on God’s
goodness even through what I thought was “unsavory,” I can truly say it all
worked for my good. Not that the
individual “ingredients” were pleasing at the time, but the finished product
has made me stronger and I have more faith.
I am so
thankful today for all the life lessons my mother taught me and feel so blessed
to be her child. I am also so thankful to
be the child of a loving God who always works things for my good - and His eternal purpose!
HAPPPY 91st birthday Amazing Grace!!
