Sunnyside Ladies Newsletter ~ May 2008

Introducing the speaker for the evening: Jo Proctor ....

a vibrant energetic lady from the Hazeltons, who came here thirty-eight years ago on her honeymoon. And did she say the honeymoon never ended!!!!! She is a teacher of English, Home Economics, has a Reading Consultant certificate, was a leader of a young people’s group for many years, the Pathfinders of the SDA church. She married a teacher also, they have three children together and three grandchildren. Her interests are in outreach, reading, people watching, travel, planning activities.

She has an exciting story to tell of her mother who graduated and married at the young age of eighteen. One time her husband put his head out the window and she rolled the window up on his head! Her mom sewed, drycleaned professionally, lived during the war and prohibition and on occasion hitchhiked – as in a 400 mile trek and over a rollercoaster track to another part of town to Chicago, (you will have to talk to Jo to get the story straight).

She brought her children to Sunday School and later on became baptized into the Adventist church in 1958. Her parents also were divorced and remarried. Her mom often sang the favorite hymns and did programs for the folks in nursing homes, writing poetry also. Now Jo’s folks have passed away recently and we are remembering the times together. Jo remembers her mother as a nice lady who taught her to be nice to people and that even though strange things happen GOD still goes with you.

Many of us sitting here in the living room here have parents who are gone now and have memories of them as being a colporter, picking cones, never afraid when they are around, playing mudpies in the woodpile, teaching us how to cook, putting on a tight girdle in those days!!!! One even said the older she got the more she realized how smart her mother is. The other does not have bonding memories as her mom passed away when she was a young child. The memory will always be of a mom who was kind and loving....so here as we celebrate mothers on this day are a few poems pictures etc...

Jo and Laura got together and found a couple poems that is the heart cry for every parent…….

A Mother’s Prayer
By Calvin Hart

Warm as sunshine, sweet as honey,

Filled with love and care,

Tears of joy, tears of pain,

Describes a mother's prayer.
A plea for mercy, a cry for help,

A thanks for blessings received,

A prayer for a guiding hand,

For those we have conceived.
A prayer of joyous elation,

For the gift of a small precious life,

A prayer of suffering and sorrow,

For the accompanying pain and strife.
A mother's prayer is honest,

With devotion, so strong and sincere,

Borne on the wings of the angels,

Out to Father's listening ear.
Tears of joy at a new baby's birth,

Tears of joy at watching them grow,

Tears of worry, that never will cease,

When into the world they go.
Flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood,

My life's greatest joy and pain,

Who brings the sunshine to my life,

As well as the dark clouds of rain.

Few others petitions, that rise up to Heaven,

Can even come close to compare,

To the strength of love, and intensity,

That is found in a mother's prayer.
Fear not mothers, for your prayers are heard,

And are precious in God's Holy sight,

Find comfort in knowing,

He stands by your side,

And His wisdom is just, and right.
Be honored mothers, and continue to pray,

For yours is a special place,

Chosen to be the creators of life,

By God, in His wisdom and grace.