Influenced by..Susie Kimbrough, Pat Jones, Babara Herring, Libby Brown

First of all I'd like to say I had every good intention of starting to keep my blog very current but I got sidetracked when my hubby came home. It has been very surreal to have him in a war zone one week and on the soccer field the next. I feel like I can finally breathe again...which is what makes me think about these 4 women. I guess really the only word to describe what I learned and still learn from them is PERSEVERANCE. An old dictionary gives the definition for perseverance as this: Perseverance is the continuance in a state of grace until is is proceeded by a state of glory. Pretty profound, don't you think? Each lady has known me my entire life and each one has an impact on my life in different ways. Susie and Pat probably started me out with my love of music. I think I've said before that God speaks to me many times through music...not even necessarily through the words. It is truly a form of worship for me. I took piano from Susie for I think we counted one time a total of 13 years. I'm grateful to her that I can sit down and play now... Would love to play alot more than I do. Pat was my elementary music teacher. I still have in my head like it was yesterday a song from the 6th grade musical..Where There's a Wheel There's a Way. I watched Barbara and Libby keep their homes and family like I wanted to. That's the good thing about small towns...most everyone and their family is just like you. All four of these women in their own way have had personal tragedies to deal with and I've watched them all persevere. Then it makes you wonder..are they really tragedies if you persevere? Maybe we should call them blessings.

Influenced by...Odessa Horton

I'm not sure that anything can put into words what this lady means to my life. Many of you know Dessa, but for those that don't let me set this up for you...Dessa came to "care" for our family in 1967 when we lived in Fayette, MS. I was born in 1969 and we loved to Meadville. Dessa learned to drive, got her driver's license, and came to care for our family in Meadville. I grew up with Dessa. She spoiled me rotten. She cooked anything I wanted. She played barbies in the woods with me. She let me help clean and taught me to cook so many things. I felt there was nothing this lady wouldn't do for me. When our parents were out of town, Dessa would stay with us and sleep in our guestroom and there I was all up in her business. After the lights were off, I would just talk and talk to her. Sometimes I would ask her questions and she wouldn't answer me. Finally I asked her, "Why aren't you answering me? I know you hear me talking to you.." Once she replied, "I was talkin' to God." I guess that's the first time I realized that you can talk to God just like a person....and apparently I was interrupting them. I was only 5 years old when that happened but she truly ministered to me that night.
She has since "retired" from caring for us and my mom has yet to find anyone to match her!! Truly one of a kind. She always was and continues to be a blessing to me and to many..