During my stay in Greenville, SC I had the opportunity to visit with a dear woman who is a resident at a local retirement facility.
Mrs. Oliver is a dear, sweet woman who is 93 years old. She suffers from a little bit of memory loss, but who wouldn't after 93 full years of life! Mrs. Oliver wanted someone to write down some of her stories before she is no longer here to share them. She said, "I don't want my stories to go with me." Each week we would sit and she would tell me about her life, husband and memories of her sweet hometown of Abbeville, SC. We shared laughter and tears as I took copious notes during each visit not wanting to leave out any details.
There is something special about the wisdom of the elderly. To be able to look back on your life and take stock in all of the blessings that God has graced your life with is an amazing gift. Here is one nugget of wisdom from Mrs. Oliver.
"I have always been drawn to pictures of the harvest. I think that the story comes from my mother. She painted this picture for me with her words. When we would pass by a harvest field she would tell us it is how we as humans are working in a harvest, God’s harvest. We should be His reapers in his harvest. As I think more on this I think of the sower who may never be seen again. He plants the seeds in the soil then the reaper comes along and is seen reaping in the field. The reaper receives all of the praise while he may not have been the one to do all of the work. We may just be the sower of seeds in our lifetime. I hope and pray that maybe I can enrich somebody’s life for Jesus during my lifetime."
I can say that she has enriched my life in such a unique and special way. At the end of my time in Greenville I typed up all of my notes in paragraph form, printed them and gave them to her. As I read her stories to her that day her response was one of true joy.
Carey, Janelle and Ann out to lunch
My neighbor Janelle is another person that has blessed my life richly during my time in Greenville. Anne and I would walk the dogs with her every morning. Janelle is the most hip 82 year old I have met. She has her own Twitter account and is not afraid of technology and learning new things. Her love for the Lord and her husband have been a tremendous example and blessing to watch.
Today I thank God for my time with Mrs. Oliver and the gift that she has given me in her stories, wisdom and perspective on life. I also thank Him for a sweet neighbor, Janelle, who so eagerly shared life and laughter with me in such beautiful ways.
"Is it only when our lives are emptied that we're surprised by how truly full our lives were? Instead of filling with expectations, the joy-filled expect nothing - and are filled."
~ Ann VosKamp
As these women look back on lives and take stock in the things that really matter in life they are able to pass on such wonderful pieces of advice to us, the younger ones on this life journey.
