A Tribute to Millie Barbor

JerBear and Millie have known me since I was about 4 years old and have adopted me as their own grand-daughter - for which I am extremely thankful.

I want to share with you my final visit with Millie, but first a little back story.

For my sixteenth birthday, I had a blessings shower where many women who had been investing in my life were to bring a symbols of God’s goodness and share the story for which that symbol represents. 

Millie’s symbol were two dozen pink roses.  I remember her handing them to me, looking me in the eyes and thanking me for praying for her grandchildren when I was a young girl in their Life group.  I was sixteen years old. And I respected Millie so much, yet she was thanking me for something I did when I was a child.  I still have her pink roses dried in a glass jar on my dresser.

A few weeks ago I went to visit JerBear, Millie and Sandy.  And now it was my turn to thank Millie.

JerBear let me sit, talk and pray with her and I had brought her a dozen pink roses this time.  We trimmed the stems together and talked about God’s goodness in our lives.  About the dozens of Raggedy-Ann and Andy dolls I have in my house because of her. And then I told her the story of my sixteenth birthday and the roses that she gave me.  How much it meant to my sixteen year old self to receive such a beautiful gift of gratitude. I picked up a pink rose and I placed her hand on it and I began to thank her.  For her prayers, her notes to me in college, her checking in on me at our Life group meetings, her sweet hugs every Sunday, for having such fabulous brouches on her lapel.  But most of all for her legacy of kindness. 

I picked up Millie’s hand and had her feel the petal and smell the rose.  I asked her, “Millie, do you remember the pink roses that you gave me?” She lifted up her head and placed it back down and tried to speak- as if she did remember. 

My heart was over-flowing with thankfulness to share that moment with her.  

I’m thankful to have been a witness to Millie’s God-seeking life.

I’m thankful that pink roses with always remind me of Millie.
I will rise up and call her blessed.

Proverbs 31:10-31: The Wife of Noble Character 

10 [a]A wife of noble character who can find?
    She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.