Everyone in Atmore, Alabama knew Naomi Biggs was one of the best cooks around. The large boarding house she owned and operated for many years was a revolving door to everyone, especially when she opened her dining room on week days for folks from local and surrounding communities.
The old saying the “way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”, could be true of many of us; especially when the food is dished out with the kind of love our Grandmother showed. In my mind’s eye I can still see this joyful lady greeting her noon guests as if they were family. To Grandma Naomi, it was all-ways . . . all about family.
Some of the finest, and most delicious southern dishes a heart might desire filled her two long dining tables….And you could always help yourself to seconds. That is if there was anything left!
I remember how quickly Grandma could whip up a large batch of biscuits, bake to a golden brown, and serve them with a contagious laughter that sent your heart soaring.
Those biscuits were like thrown bread from heaven!
I remember watching Grandma take a cold biscuit, bore a hole in it and fill it with sorghum syrup. By the time it reached your reaching hands it was oozing pure sweetness! One taste and you were hooked for life.
Grandma was a church lady and loved Jesus, but was never preachy. Though she couldn’t read the Bible, she lived it. Truly her life bore the resemblance of the Savior…. And the fruit of his Spirit the Bible talks about.
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Galatians 5:22,23
Dear Father in heaven, how grateful we are for the godly grandmother you gave us. May the memories of her life continue to be a source of encouragement and hope for all those who knew her. Give us the faith to walk in the steps of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and live a life of love as grandma so faithfully modeled before us. May we too be found faithful! Amen.
—————————————————————————————————————-
To be continued….
Dear friends and family, My sister Dorothy Jean and I are endeavoring to post a series about the life of our beloved Grandma Biggs. Jean has become quite the artist, both with water color and just recently sketching. She has been my constant encouragement and inspiration to publish some of the things I’ve written over the years. Thank you dear sister. To God be the Glory as our lives tell His Story!
Tell your children about it in the years to come, and letyour children tell their children. Pass the story down from generation to generation. Joel 1:3
It’s that time of the year when memories of Christmas past warm our hearts as we recall those childhood days when going to Gramma’s house was part of our family tradition.
The following revised poem was written by my sister Cathy the day our beloved Grandmother Biggs left us and went to her home in heaven.
I saw you just the other day, on Christmas. Your face alight with joy at having your children all around you. I saw you busily working in your big old house; preparing food, loving life. Those times always made you the happiest, yet you were always full of the joy of the Lord. Oh how we loved hearing your precious gift of laughter. Such a sweet lady. We were honored to be near you. I saw you greeting me at the door, hugging me so warmly. Only grandmothers can hug like that.
How sweetly those days have flown into years. How quickly those years passed by me. Though now your home is in heaven with our wonderful Savior, on this earth you will always live in the seeds you have planted in my heart.
If I could take a walk with you I’d take your hand and pray; for God to pour His love in you with each new passing day. I’d pray for overcoming hope, to heal and make you whole. a hope both steadfast and sure, the anchor of your soul.
I’d pray for overcoming faith that comes from deep within, and thrives in repentant hearts when souls are born again. I’d pray the Savior’s love will mend, restore, release… the joy that rises up to sing the praises of our King.
Posted in Poetry | Tags: #Poetry, Faith, hope, love
Be encouraged dear pilgrim. Our loved ones are just beyond the veil, surrounded by the cloud of witnesses who have gone before us. They’re singing the Song of our Redeemer, and they’re waiting to welcome us home.
And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Come up here’. Then they went up to heaven in a cloud and their enemies watched them. Rev. 11:12
Glenda Mills 