Mama....she lives in each of us
For the past 57 years, I have been
blessed to have Shirle Sue Perry Millstead for my Mother. I say blessed because I cannot remember a
single time during those 57 years that I did not know of her Godliness and purity
of heart toward me, my siblings, our father, and you, too, if she knew you.
My brother Jay quotes frequently “to whom
much is given, much is expected” and I think he has this as a favorite because he
understands that each of my siblings has been given much in the gift of our
Mama.
If you look closely at each of her
children, you will see her in us….
Chuck is our stalwart oldest. He made Mama a Mama and shared with her all
the firsts which come from having that first little bundle. The
Mama I see in my brother Chuck is his ability to “round the troops” of his many
siblings with insight and wisdom which comes from being the oldest. He, more than any of us, has spent the most
time being our Mama’s son, and you can see already his rising in the family and
ensuring we honor her vision for us. Chuck
often goes about quietly doing/achieving/being and magically turns up with
amazing awards, accolations, and kind comments from others about his great work
ethic similar to our Mother’s. He is his
Mama’s son.
Jim a/k/a James is Mama’s son whom she
named after her beloved Daddy and oldest brother. Jim is our wise scholar and sibling-friend. He and our mother have a special bond
regarding physical health and I genuinely believe one of the reasons our mother
is in such good shape is because of her shared love of walking and weight watchers
which she shares with our brother, Jim. The
Mama I see in my brother is desire to stay very close to God not only by
reading His Word daily, but by applying it to his life. Note writing to Jim is what handmade wash
cloths are to our Mother. I suspect if
you’ve known him long, you have been blessed by a Jim note. He emulates our Mother in this loving gift-giving. He is his Mama’s son.
Jay is our “lively and quick/kind and
gentle” brother. Jay was named by our
Daddy, but I think that Daddy named him this because of these traits he saw in
our mother. If you don’t know this, our
Mama is a “mud dobbing, horse riding, card shark playing daredevil”. Mama has hit a hole in one, given many wonderful
speeches, and has shaken her booty in ways we cannot share here. That same love of travel, adventure, and fun
is what I see in Jay that I know comes from our mother. Jay uses words to share his excitement just
like our Mama and when he is excited, he makes the whole world come alive, just
like our Mama makes her children’s lives alive by her sharing with us. He is his Mama’s son.
Jill is the reason our parents have
lived to their eighties, I am convinced.
While I know the truth is that “with all of these brothers, can’t you
please send me a sister” was my constant 12-year old prayer to God, I really
think he sent Jill to us to be the light of fun and joy which our parents have
as they enter into this season of life.
Mama and Jill have many things in common: they love people, they love parties, they
love themed-anything, and they especially love monogrammed everything. Jill can whip up a party/BUNCO/celebration
which lights up the heart of our mother like no other person can. Our parents are in good hands being the neighbors
of our sister. We know without any doubt
that if our parents need anything, Jill and her family will take care of it and
that it will be done to perfection because that is her gift. She is her mother’s daughter.
Erwin, Bruce, and Tashula are God’s gift
to our family by filling our Mother’s heart. Each of them has loved our mother in exactly
the way she has needed to make her life full and complete and I know it is no
accident that they became our brothers and sister so that our Mother could
spread her ever-flowing love to them. They
are our mother’s sons and daughter.
Daddy.
What to you say about a Daddy who has loved our mother in the presence
of his children for over 61 years? There
is no greater love a Daddy can give his children than to love their
mother. Daddy, you have done that, and
it has made all the difference to us, your children. You are our mothers’ precious husband.
Finally, to my Mama….you and I know the
ways in which I am like you. We know
this because we have talked about all of it these past 57 years. Your love for me is second only to God’s and
for that, there are no words except “I love you as only your oldest daughter
can”. Thank you, thank you from all that
is in me for loving me, for standing behind me, beside me, and in front of
me. What a blessing, privilege, and
honor to be called Shirle Millstead’s daughter.
ILYAOYODC,
Mama
