Mildred's Joy

When I met Mildred, she was sitting on the front porch of the house her betrothed, Louie, had built for her seventy years before.

A widow then, Mildred took care of herself and her home. She hand-stitched quilts, crotched afghans, and reaped from her garden. She canned food and stored things up for winter.

Mildred couldn’t understand why her family spent so much money to put in running water for the kitchen and a bathroom. She told me, “That old well was enough. It’s just me. What do I need?”

Her son drove her to a small whitewashed, Baptist church each Sunday. She proudly told me how she’d gone to that church every Sunday since she married Louie and how they’d raised their children there.

She didn’t speak any fancy words about religion. She praised God in all His creation and thanked Him in simple words of joy. She didn’t have much, but she laid one of her treasures, a beautiful hand-stitched quilt, on the rough wood porch as a “pallet” for my infant daughter.

I soon moved from that quiet part of Louisiana, but Mildred and I wrote to each other for several years. The last letter I received was from her son as Mildred had gone to be with the Lord. He had read my letter’s and thanked me for the sweet friendship.

Mildred edified the simple life of a strong faithful child of God. I didn’t see that in 1981—nor tonight until the words appeared before me on my computer screen. Mildred’s joy was in the Lord. Her strength came from Him.

In this time of health issues for myself, I have been praying for strength. How wonderful that God reminded me of Mildred at such a time as this.

“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength’” (Nehemiah 8:10 NIV).

In Christ,

Berta

Friends, remember to share with your friends. People are being blessed around the world for God. I am so thankful to be a broken vessel in the hands of a loving God. May He bless you.