Wednesday, July 01, 2009
They Call Her Blessed
This is a re-posting of an article I wrote for Mother's Day 2003. Mom really appreciated it and had asked that it be included as part of her funeral service. As things transpired, it wasn't, there was, in our family's opinion, a much more appropriate statement needed.
In tribute to Mom, on this what would have been her 81st birthday, I'm again offering it for review. Mom, as the first time, this is offered in love to honor, and now remember, the person you were.
Nearly 75 (can you believe it!) years ago a little girl was born to T.O and Edna Evans in the small southern village of Darlington, South Carolina. She was the 9th (I think) of what would be 12 children to this Pentecostal Holiness preacher and his wife. They supported his ministry and their family by farming cotton in the post-depression and World War II south.
This little girl, Mildred they called her, found joy on the farm as she grew and matured in the shadow of her strong willed father, nurtured by her gentle mother and guided by her sister Ruth. Millie loved to please her brothers and believed anything they told her, even to the point of jumping from the hayloft, flapping her arms as she tried to fly like her brothers told her she could.
Her childhood was filled with days in the fields, evenings playing with the imaginations of a farm child, cold nights warmed by hot bricks, and field trips which included natures call to the outhouse out back. The kitchen was filled with the aromas of the farm bounty and the tables filled with the wonders of the visitations of traveling preachers and missionaries. As she grew up, she grew strong in character and will and when the time came she was sent to school in Greenville. It was there she met her love, her promise, in the person of Bill and in time they were married.
After the wedding in June 1950 they headed out into the ministry armed with the surety of their calling and the adventure and abandon of youth on a mission. In just under 10 months, despite the best efforts of "the book", their first born, Billie came into the world. As they continued to minister and travel, a few short years later a second, Steve came along and they decided that a family needed a place to call home so they entered the pastorate, ministering first in Oklahoma, then Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and back to the Carolinas.
As life and God carried them on, she grew strong in her faith and sure in her virtue. A third son, Dan came in Oklahoma, and a daughter, Jana, in Illinois. Through the struggles of life, the loss of her beloved parents and in-laws, the financial setbacks, the toil and joy of raising a family, she never lost her trust in God, her determination and strength of will.
The loss of her first born, Billie, was heartache. Yet still in that heartache, she saw God's love and lessons to be learned and lessons to be shared. Neither gall bladder nor oral surgery would take her smile. A heart attack and subsequent bypass surgery would not diminish her love of life. Knee replacement would not stop her from running the race of life and eye surgery did not diminish her ability to see the best in others.
As she raised her children, she always loved them, even when they failed to follow her guidance. As they struck out on their own, she continued to love and support, encourage and comfort as they to struggled with life, trying to find themselves and finally finding God on the road to destruction. Lifting them up in prayer, counseling and supporting and loving and admonishing as they married and failed in marriage. Married and won in marriage then lost in death that beloved spouse. They struggled with the imponderables of life and living and not just knowing about God, but knowing God…and truly finding Him. Her children knew that Millie would always love them, and pray for them, laugh with them and cry with them. Give, and sacrifice, and hold and support and never fail to be honest with them, even when it hurt. Because even in the hurt, there is love.
Even now as she approaches 75, Millie is still giving to her family. She works so that the healthcare costs don't ravage the retirement of her beloved and herself. She, in spite of her own bodily struggles, gives more than she physically has to help and care for her children and grandchildren. Does she complain? Perhaps some, but rarely to anyone other than her Lord. She simply puts on a smile and keeps moving forward, loving and living.
Has she lived a wonderful, exciting, successful life. Many would look and say, "not really." But they don't measure with the same stick as her friends, family and most importantly her Lord. She has the joy of a life well lived, she has four children who love the Lord and honor her, one who has attained the goal. She has a husband who worships her, loves her, adores her and would give all he has and all he is for her. In the words of Solomon in Proverbs 31:
10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Mom, the words of Proverbs were written about you. No, you are not perfect in all things, but you are perfectly...MOM.
"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson
Labels: character, family, hero, Millie, Mom, prayer, tribute, values
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Heros...
Last night I had dinner with a hero. A co-worker, Ellie Celeste, had her “coming out” of sorts, 2 days after returning home from her hospital and rehabilitation for the 2nd time. Eighteen friends gathered to celebrate with her and celebrate we did. But first, some background.
Ellie is a sixty something lady, originally from New York City, who loves horses, dogs and people. Not always in that order. For years she has bred and trained horses, mostly Lipizzaners, some of which have made their way into well known shows featuring these beautiful animals.
Additionally, she operated stables and a carriage ride business in New York City, and after moving to Florida about 10 years ago she again boarded horses and offered riding classes for kids, specializing in therapeutic riding. Her dream was to do this full time when she retired from the Postal Service.
That all changed on February 16, 2008. On that day Ellie was returning from the Lady Lake Post Office about noon after conducting a test on the mail. Traveling across Florida on Highway 42 east of Weirsdale, a trip she had made many times, Ellie was ever alert.
Though this route is the shortest path from her home office in Daytona Beach to Lady Lake, it is also wrought with potential peril. Twisting through the rolling hills of central Florida, Highway 42 is loaded with blind turns, unseen roads and driveways emptying into it and traffic snarled by the slow pace often punctuated by impatient drivers taking terrible chances.
This particular February Saturday was bright and sunny; the temperature was in the low 70’s, the rolling countryside covered with scrub oaks in their winter dormancy punctuated with the deep greens of pine and cedar. It was a perfect example of Florida’s best time of the year. As Ellie drove she thought of her plans later that day. Caring for her horses, riding classes, it was a great to be alive!
Little known to Ellie, at that moment, Jeremy Halfacre and his passenger Ray Jenkins were racing her way. Halfacre was at the wheel of a borrowed lease car which he wasn’t authorized to drive on his suspended license.
Halfacre had minutes earlier rolled through a stop sign in Eustis. A sheriff’s deputy, observing the violation, gave pursuit until he saw the reckless manner of Halfacre’s driving. Little did the officer know that in addition to the minor traffic violation, Halfacre was wanted on a drug charge, that’s why he sped from the officer’s pursuit.
Halfacre merged off of County Road 450 onto Highway 42 and was headed her way at over 90 miles per hour. While the officer had long since stopped his pursuit, the driver of a forest service truck, listening to the officer’s exchange with his dispatcher, observed Halfacre’s car as it passed and followed at a distance to keep him in sight.
Halfacre, thinking he was still being pursued, sped away, swerving in and out of traffic. He came up behind some motorcyclists out for a leisurely ride and cut into the oncoming lane just as Ellie’s car rounded the curve. Halfacre swerved and his car, sliding sideways at 70 miles per hour, slammed into Ellie’s postal car at a combined impact speed of 130mph. Jenkins was killed instantly.
The impact crushed the 2006 Chevy Malibu Ellie was driving, ramming the steering wheel into her chest, breaking 3 ribs and puncturing her lungs. The seat frame slammed into her spine fracturing it. As the floorboard collapsed, her legs had nowhere to go and the bones in her legs and her knees were shattered, her right femur breaking through the skin and jamming itself into the console.
Glass from Jenkins’ car and her windshield peppered her with lacerations, embedding itself such that months later Ellie was still finding pieces rising to the surface of her hands, arms and face. Through it all, she remained conscious and alert.
If not for the air bag, Ellie would have died. There were times in the coming weeks when she wished she had, but right now she was trapped and just wanted out. The forest service employee probably saved her life by staunching the blood flow from torn arteries.
Miraculously paramedics were nearby the location of this deeply rural accident scene and they rushed to provide immediate care while other emergency workers raced to dismantle the Malibu with the “Jaws of Life.” The doors and roof had to come off the crushed car before Ellie’s mangled body could be extracted and air lifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center.
While the doctors at ORMC worked feverishly to save her life, Ellie lay in a semi-conscious state and down the hall, the man who had inflicted this insult to her body was himself receiving medical care.
Come back in a few days for the rest of the story.
"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson
Labels: accident, Ellie, emergency, hero, jaws of life, Orlando Regional Medical Center, ORMC, postal, Postal Service