February 12, 2013

Mamaw's Embroidery


This week I want to showcase some of my Mamaw's keeps.

For you non-southerners, a Mamaw is a grandmother. ;)

My Mamaw's name was Billie Pauline.

Sometime before marrying my Papaw in the summer of 1930, she made this pillowcase.
It sat on my Papaw's bed in their home...my second home.

I spent a large part my childhood there.
I loved to fall down upon the quilts she'd made and
read the books in the shelves.
The breeze blew in thru the open windows and the hours flew by too quickly in that little back bedroom.

I asked a lot of questions.
One particular question raised her eyebrows higher than usual.

It was a hot summer day and I was walking
on the curb in front of the house.
I liked to walk on the curb and see how far I could go before falling.
I stumbled and fell into a sticker patch.
Stickers... nature's revenge against mankind.
While I was squealing and hopping on one foot, Mamaw came outside with the tweezers.
You can't just pull those things out with your bare hands.
Your hands will bleed.
They really hurt.  I mean, seriously.  
Grown men invent new cuss words when impaled by the stickers.

As Mamaw removed the horrible things,
I demanded to know why God made stickers.
I told her that I thought God must be a very mean man to make the world full of stickers.


That's when the eyebrows happened.

She looked at me for a minute and then let out a sigh.
She told me that God had a purpose for everything on earth.
That she'd told me not to walk that curb a million times, because I was going to get run over in the street.
She said I'd best be reminded of that with those big green stickers in my foot.
And I was.

Sometimes we don't understand why we must go thru painful experiences in order to learn.
Stickers are everywhere and they take many forms.
Even human.
I'm just glad to know there's a plan.

Well done, Billie Pauline.
Well done.







34 comments :

  1. thanks for sharing this wisdom. kinda broadened my heart a bit today. :)

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  2. Love that embroidery and you were a lucky girl to have a Memaw like that! She was sure right.....human stickers can be the worst can't they?

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  3. Precious memories! I would have lived with my favorite grandmother, "Mama", if I had been allowed to. She passed away in the 60's and I miss her every day. She taught me the Lord's Prayer and always said that "Thy will be done" was the most difficult to pray and really mean it. I've never forgotten that!

    xo
    Pat

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  4. Love your story Tina and I LOVE Mawmaw's pillowcase. I've been in a 'vintage embroidery' thing the last few weeks and this fits in there perfectly. So sweet -- and ouch. :)

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  5. The sticker analogy from Mamaw actually makes me feel better. Because so often I just don't understand a lot of what goes on in this world!

    Billie P. was wise! My granny died when I was 13 and she had SO many grandkids that I didn't get to see her as much as I would have liked.

    Your story of being in her home was like reading a beautiful passage in a great book.

    Loved it!

    xo

    TOT

    PS: Stickers were the bane of my existence as a child, seemingly everywhere! Now..even with the kids in our family- never see them? Round up?!

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  6. Best thing I've read all week! Tell us more, tell us more! Oh, I just love a mamaw who knows how to teach a lesson with with that kind of wisdom. I hope I can be like that one day.

    Did you ever read any of the Uncle Arthur's Bedtime Story books as a child? They are full of stories of lessons like your mamaw taught you.

    Thanks for such a sweet post!
    Liz

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  7. Aw I love this post! That embroidered saying is such a great keeper. You've reminded me how I loved to lay on my grandmas bed and look at books and listen to the goings on in her house. I can smell it even now!

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  8. You say Mawmaw, I say Baba. I thoroughly enjoyed your remembrance of a simpler time and the embroidered pillowcase is the perfect illustration for your post. You are a wonderful storyteller, Tina, and I could almost see you balancing barefoot on the curb!

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  9. I tried my best not to wear shoes from the day school was out in May till the day school started again in September, so I've afoul of many a stickers in my day. (The shoe part was true even when I ceased to be a student and was a teacher for 30 years!)

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  10. As I sit and ponder this post, I'll just let 'ya know I fell backwards into a cactus one time.

    Bliss

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  11. What a sweet story, Tina and a wise analogy. Sounds like your Memaw was a pretty wonderful lady.

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  12. That has to be the most awesome pillow case I have ever seen! What a wonderful treasure to have from your Mamaw.

    There is a reason for everything - sometimes we don't know it right away but an answer will always appear if we keep our mind open and look outside of ourselves.

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  13. one of my all time favorite posts! you just have a way!

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  14. Such a cute story Tina! Love that Billie Pauline was a force in your life. cute southern name!
    xo Nancy
    Powellbrowerhome.com

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  15. Tina,
    how wonderful that you were able to keep something that has such special memories! Your "Memaw" was a very wise woman! I remember curb walking also, but never met up with any stickers in the process!
    Rebecca

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  16. This post is wonderful.
    I could see my grandmother/Mamaw saying the same thing to me.

    She hit the nail on the head.

    Laura
    White Spray Paint

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  17. Oh your Grandmother was a very wise person. I love her pillow case. I have wonderful memories of times with my Grandma too. We are the lucky ones. B

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  18. Lovely post Tina... thank you!

    Thanks for participating in the Boost-My-Blog Party!

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  19. I had a Mawmaw, too. And she was my second home. I have keepsakes from her that I treasure. Happy Valentines Day! I am hopping over from the Valentine Day Blog Party and am following you .

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  20. Who knew that stickers could teach so much more?

    Thanks for participating in the VDay blog hop today!

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  21. I am visiting from the Boost-My-Blog Party. Happy Valentines Day! May your day be filled with LOVE!
    Oh my, I haven't thought of those nasty green sandspurs in ages! What a rush of memories! :)

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  22. ...And the world needed to know why God made prickly plants, so God made grandmothers.

    Visiting from BMB today. Your blog is lovely.

    Blessings.

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  23. Excellent life lesson; my Mawmaw and Pawpaw are on the other side of the veil, we'll meet again one fine day.

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  24. Just noticed you did "Hey Girl" too - that was fun. I need to go back and visit everyone ~

    Popped in from the Boost My Blog Valentine's hop ~

    thriftshopcommando.blogspot.com

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  25. What a beautiful story. Yes, there are stickers everywhere and I keep trying to remember there is a reason for them. Lovely post and very well written. I could visualize you walking along the curb.

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  26. Great post and I love this story! So powerful and sooooo true. Reading this made me remember laying on my grandmothers bed in Kansas and the breeze coming in the windows. I am visiting today from the blog party, and am your newest follower! Happy Valentines Day!

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  27. Such a sweet post. I love your Mawmaw's wise words of wisdom on the stickers. And that pillowcase is beautiful - such a wonderful family thing to hold on to.

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  28. To have hand sewn items from your
    grandmom is the best thing she
    could have left you... I have so
    many items from my mom and have
    to bring them out from time to time
    and remember her..
    Lovely
    Sandy

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  29. Love this post - what a great way to honor your Memaw!!!
    Are " stickers " the same as burrs?
    I don't think so - because burrs don't actually hurt - but they're like velcro?
    They stick to everything!
    Hugs,
    Suzan

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  30. What a sweet and special story. It brought back memories of sleeping on grandma's porch in the summertime and catching fireflies for a nightlight. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  31. Thanks so much for sharing this cute story at Simple & Sweet Fridays. Love your mamaw's embroidery, so pretty!


    Jody

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  32. Tina, Congrats! You've been featured for this inspiring post at Simple & Sweet Fridays. Don't forget to grab a button if you'd like. Have a wonderful weekend!


    Jody

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  33. I am laughing...what a SMART grandma you had...she had to come up with something quickly and she did! :)

    Lovely embroidery and story! :)

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  34. What a wise woman you had for a grandma. This is a sweet story. Congrats on being featured over at Rooted in Thyme. Blessings to you, Patti@OldThingsNew

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