Mama passed away last week at the age of 97. There was one thing one could count on from Ms. Carrie: the plain unvarnished truth as she saw it. Her philosophy was “if the shoe fits, wear it.” Her eight children were well aware of this; also her twenty-five grandchildren and in-laws. During her eulogy it became apparent her preacher knew it. It is with his permission I am sharing this story.
Everyone who knew Ms. Carrie should get a chuckle from the plain truth as she saw it. She passed it on to her preacher a few years ago, shortly after he became her pastor. Mama and Brother Robert had a special relationship, which extended beyond pastor and church member. I think he saw her as a surrogate grandmother because of his special friendship with one of her grandsons, John Richard Wilson. We lost Johnny in 1980. Several years later, she met Brother Robert when he began pasturing in Beulah Springs. When he visited Mama, she began questioning his background: age, family, when and where he had first began preaching, etc. Now, Mama wasn't trying to put him in a hot seat; she just wanted to know.
When he told her of doing some of his first preaching at Old Salem her brown eyes snapped and she asked exactly what month and year. When he told her, the truth as Ms. Carrie saw it rolled out.
“My husband and I were there and my goodness, I felt so sorry for you. That was PITIFUL! You were awful!” Mama exclaimed.
Brother Robert batted his eyes and replied “Sister Rich, I thought I was doing pretty good!”
Mama replied, “Well you weren't!”
He did not let this stop his preaching and pressed on; always knowing if he needed chastising after a sermon, Sister Rich would let him know later in the week.
Mama moved to Timberlake Nursing Home in Jasper on August 3, 2002. Her preacher remained faithful to visit her on a regular basis.
February 2, 2008, Brother Robert did himself proud by delivering Mama's eulogy. I can hear Mama saying,
“Brother Robert, you did a fine job. I didn't find a thing wrong with it!”
Thank you Brother Robert for being pastor and friend these past years to our mother.