The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Most new translations of the Bible use the word “LOVE” in place of charity. When I think of Shirley the Wife, the mom, the grandmother, and the friend the word CHARITY seems to be the appropriate word. Because charity is not just saying you love someone or something; charity is putting that love into action. And those of us who know Shirley know that that is what she did.
I met Jerry and Shirley somewhere near 30 years ago. Me and Jerry both played Music and we met through my uncle who also played. There have been quite a few marriages that have broken up because a spouse played in a band, but that wasn’t the case here. Shirley was proud, Jerry, of every note you played: the good and the bad ones. Somehow, I think all she heard were the good ones. When other wives or girlfriends would have been disgusted with a husband in a band, Shirley was quite the opposite. She would help take equipment in and out and looked forward to the next show. Jerry, I remember when you were starting the EMT program. I remember how proud she was of you. And, though she was also in the program, it was always you that she would tell me about. In anything you wanted to do she was there ready to lend her total support and help. She would put herself second. She didn’t just say she had love; she acted on that love.
Now, if you think she was a proud wife, she was an even prouder mama. I had never met Teresa until last Thursday, yet I knew what she looked like, I knew when she was born. Shirley would always let me know what the kids were up to and even though she knew I had never met Teresa, she let me know about her.
I remember a few years back when Gerald was in a band called “man day huge” Shirley was the proudest of band moms. She would always let me know where they were playing and give me a band poster. Mama Jagger was no prouder of Mick and the Rolling Stones that your mom was of you and your band. She wanted everyone to know where you were playing so they could go hear.
Earl was off in the marines and if you had listened to Shirley you would have thought he was the next General Macarthur. We would stop in Food Lion and talk forever and then she’d show me the pictures of you in the dress blues. I remembering thinking back to when you were a younger little red headed kid without any front teeth and thinking what a fine young man you had grown into being. And it wasn’t because you had a mom that just said, “I love you.” It was because you had a mom that acted on that love. It was your mom’s charity.
I don’t think she wanted to choose which path y’all took, but she wanted y’all to be the best that you could on the path of your choice. And I believe that she would have sacrificed anything she could have to see that you had whatever it took to carry you down your paths. She was willing to act on her love for you.
Around my house we have a running joke that my dad is the only granddad in the world. Well, if that is so, then Shirley is the only grandmom. I do hope as you kids get older you make sure these little ones know how much their grandmom loved them. I remember a time, I think it was last winter, and one of the boys or the boy’s wives got sick with the flu and Jerry and Shirley got to keep the kids while they recovered. I hope that she prayed for a speedy recovery, but I know she cherished every minute she had those kids.
In the almost 30 years that I knew Shirley I never once had a cross word with her. I was in her house quite a bit and can’t say that I ever heard her say a cross word. She lived in a house with three males: A guitar player, a bass player, and a drummer. But, I never heard her say a cross word. All I remember is her being supportive of them: her putting her love for them in action. I cannot remember a time of Shirley telling me what she was doing, it was always Jerry and the kids and in later years the grandkids: she put her family before herself.
A.L. Frink wrote: The rose still grows beyond the wall. Scattering fragrance far and wide, Just as it did in days of yore. Just as it did on the other side, Just as it will forevermore.
The verse that Paul wrote to the church in Corinth says that love remains. Through each of you your mom’s love will continue on this side while she continues it on the other side.
Around the world of blogdom tonight:
Trey Morgan is fasting
Tim Waldrop is going to be in Mexico; keep him in your prayers
Neva Cooper has a perverse Peace
Matt Dabbs takes a new look at an old Psalm
I have asked in the past for prayer for a friend of mine named Kathy who had gone into rejection from an organ transplant. I am happy to say that she is no longer in rejection! My mom will be having eye surgery on Monday July 9; Please keep her in your prayers.
Until next time May the Good Lord Bless and Keep you: All Y’all!
Bobby
Chaplain Bobby Cohoon
North Carolina, USA
cohoon@embarqmail.com
bobbycohoon