Word with the Wise Wednesday: My Granny

1.  What important life lessons have you learned so far?
Worrying is a waste of time.  Pray and trust God.  He will take care of you.  Worrying will just ruin your health.  If I can do something, I do it.  If I can't do anything, I pray and leave it in God's hands.  I have never been forsaken and He has always made a way.  Some people think they have to rob and kill, but there is no need for that.  God will take care of you if you let Him.


2.  How is the world different or similar to what it was like when you were a child?
When I was growing up, everything was segregated, but I didn't let that bother me. At that time, it was just the way things were and although I didn't particularly like it, I never thought about it much.  Today there are a lot more freedoms and so many opportunities for young people especially... yet I see so many young people getting into trouble and going astray.  Not all young people are getting into trouble; however, it seems like there are too many that are...  In my day, maybe one or two kids out of the whole community would get into trouble. Now this is happening with too many of our young people and it's really sad.  Many families will not admit that they are at fault, but character development, life training and discipline happens first and foremost in the home.  


3. What advice would you give parents today?

Teach your children about God's way.  You will never regret it.  Also, teach them to respect you.  Don't give them everything they want.  Only give them what matters (your time, love, character and discipline).  Don't let them have their way with everything.  When you discipline your children for doing wrong, it must come from a place of love.  If you do not discipline your children, you are indirectly saying that you do not love them...  Every child is different, but you must love them all equally...  No playing favorites and never praise one child above the other. Also teach them to eat healthy foods because their food choices now will matter later on in life.  


4. What has been one of the hardest lessons you have learned?
That some people are full of envy and jealousy... If they see you doing something positive and making progress, they try to make you stop.  When people like this gave me a hard time, I didn't fight with them.  I just spoke the truth and moved on... Some people are nice and some people are always trying to bring you down.  I never let the negative people bring me down.  I would smile and go right on about my business... I paid them no mind.  


5.  What are your earliest memories?
Let's see... my earliest memories involve cooking.  I can remember cooking my first skillet of cornbread when I was 8 years old.  At age 12, I baked my first cake.  I made it for my birthday and everyone in the community came to get a piece.  I was so happy that other people wanted some of the cake I made.  I was glad to share it and I barely got a piece!

6. What do you want people to remember about you?

That I had patience with my children, grandchildren and great grandchildren... that I helped take care of them, cooked for them and always helped in any way that I could.  

7.  What celebrities did you admire and emulate?

I never did want to be like anyone else.  I just wanted to be myself... I didn't want to cook or sew like anyone else. I wanted to cook and sew just like myself.  I always wanted to be me.  

Here is one of my fav pics of my Granny.  She is second from the left.