Vendor Writing

A Tale of Two Grandmas

BY NORMA B.,CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

From the start, I should say that my dad’s mom was known as “Grandma” and my mom’s mom was known as “Meme.”

The story goes that my mom’s mom wanted to be called Memaw but her oldest granddaughter Cindy kept calling her Meme and the 12 grandchildren that followed did the same.

Meme and Grandma’s paths crossed for the first time in Ashland City. My Grandma was a transplant from Alabama, brought there by marriage to my Pop. My Meme was born and raised there. Her family even had a local area named after them — Pace Hollow — though the last time I visited it wasn’t much to speak of.

They each had six children, and the similarities end there. They were as different as night and day! My Grandma had four boys and two girls. My Meme had four girls and two boys.

My Grandma was a farmer’s wife. Do you remember on the old tv show Hee-Haw how they would say, “Hey Grandpa what’s for supper?” and he would always answer with a menu that Many days I go to work, I’ll have good days. When I do, on the way home, I will take five bucks and give it to the less fortunate that day. Giving is a good thing. God said, “the more you give, the more you receive.” He wants us to give from the heart. He also says that when we give, we shouldn’t be demanding something in return. I understand to the effect that when we act this way, our giving is pracwould make your mouth water? That’s how it always was at Grandma’s house. You always knew what was for supper by what she pulled out of the garden early in the morning. If it wasn’t the gardening time of year, she always had the things that she had canned or frozen from the garden the previous year. Yum!

You’ve heard the expression, “made with love,” well, everything always was, and sometimes it was almost too pretty to eat!

My Meme wasn’t as accomplished in the garden or the kitchen. She was very good at making shoes. She worked at Genesco for as long as I can remember, and was certified in every aspect of making shoes.

She used to joke that everything she cooked tasted like shoe leather, and that wasn’t far from the truth. (And we always hoped that she wasn’t watching Perry Mason, Wild Kingdom, or Dan Rather’s evening news, otherwise dinner was sure to be burnt!)

On another front, when it came to sewing my Grandma tically void– as if we never gave. I had a person in the past to help me out with my bills and it got to the point where this person wanted me to somewhat jeopardize my relationship with Christ, my savior. Not in a bad way but, we must respect and consider others’ feelings even though you are a giver. And it’s like, they call the shots whether it’s convenient to you or whether you can make schedules fit, but could make some of the most beautiful quilts you’ve ever seen! My Meme didn’t take up sewing until she retired from Genesco. She used every scrap of material she could find. Nothing ever went to waste, and while I can’t say her quilts were beautiful (to be honest, they were anything but) they sure were warm!

I can’t sew in spite of my Grandma’s efforts to teach me. (When I broke my right arm in first grade and became left handed she said that made it virtually impossible for her to teach me.)

How sad, things like that are becoming a lost art.

Still, I like to think I have the best of both of them in me, somewhere. I can cook (thanks to my ex-husband, but that’s a story for another day) though not as good as my Grandma, and I’ve burnt my fair share of dinners like my Meme.

What’s the point of all this? I think it’s important to celebrate all things that make you who you are as a person, and they certainly played a big part in who I’ve become.

Giving From the Heart

BY JOHN H.,CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Many days I go to work, I’ll have good days. When I do, on the way home, I will take five bucks and give it to the less fortunate that day. Giving is a good thing. God said, “the more you give, the more you receive.” He wants us to give from the heart. He also says that when we give, we shouldn’t be demanding something in return. I understand to the effect that when we act this way, our giving is practically void – as if we never gave.

I had a person in the past to help me out with my bills and it got to the point where this person wanted me to somewhat jeopardize my relationship with Christ, my savior. Not in a bad way but, we must respect and consider others’ feelings even though you are a giver. And it’s like, they call the shots whether it’s convenient to you or whether you can make schedules fit, but don’t expect a man who loves the Lord to stop serving. By doing so, you are stepping far out of your boundaries. Some don’t think so because it’s just how many think. God’s not a part of them as they pretend.

You see, what many don’t understand is “the giving of God’s word.” And when you ask me to give up God’s time, we’ve got a big issue. God doesn’t break his promises, why should we?