Kindness of strangers

Lucille "Big Mama" Blackwell backs out of her driveway with her sister Elizabeth Stokes.Lucille "Big Mama" Blackwell backs out of her driveway with her sister Elizabeth Stokes.

When she pulls into the grocery-store parking lot, Big Mama parks her Subaru, and she waits.

She watches out for just the right person — a kindly looking someone, usually female, who can run into the store for her. (By this point, she’s too worn out from the act of just getting there to do it herself.)

She watches the people file into the store, and she prays for guidance.

The spirit moves her, she says, allowing her to divine who can write out a grocery list for her and who is trustworthy.

When the stranger returns with her food and her change — as they always do — she tips the person and says: God is blessing you.

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What a wonderful lady!

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 04/21/2008 - 20:02.

Her can do attitude puts us all on notice to hang in and keep on keepin' on! Wish her and her family well.

I agree...

Submitted by Beth Macy on Mon, 04/21/2008 - 23:28.

There wasn't a visit with Big Mama in which I wasn't reminded to
A.) Call my mother more often; and
B.) Go to church.

She was right on the calling my mother bit -- in fact, I remember calling her once on the way home from Ms. Blackwell's house.
Visiting Big Mama was like going to church, though, maybe even better.

Someone who prays for the person who steals from them? There aren't many like that.

Thanks to readers who wrote offering to pick up orange juice for her!

Beth

AGE OF UNCERTAINTY

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 04/22/2008 - 01:48.

ARTICLE ON LUCILLE "BIG MAMA" BLACKWELL. THIS LADY I HAVE KNOW FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS. AT ONE TIME SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE GARDEN OF PRAYER #6 CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST. UNDER THE LAST PASTOR LONNIE E. WILSON.

WHENEVER I COME TO ROANOKE TO VIST MY DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW, REV. EARNEST ANDERSON AND HIS WIFE CO-PASTOR CHENISE ANDERSON ALONG WITH THEIR NEW ADOPTED CHILD, LASHAUNDA ELIZABETH ANDERSON. I MAKE IT MY GREAT NUMBER ONE PLAN TO GO AND SEE "MAMA BLACKWELL AS WE CALLED HER.

EVEN THOUGHT TIME HAS MADE GREAT CHANGES IN OUR BODIES SHE IS STILL A STRONG PERSON TO TALK TO AND SHE ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD WORD TO TELL YOU. I KNOW THE FELLING OF "AGE OF UNCERTAINTY" BECAUSE I HAVE A MOTHER WHO HAS ALZHEIMER AND WE HAD TO MAKE THE SAD PLAN OF PUTTING HER IN A HOME FOR HER SAFETY.

I KNOW THAT ONE DAY I WILL REACH THAT GOAL IN LIFE AS THE SAY "GOLDEN YEAR'S" BUT THE PLAN FOR MY LIKE IS AN "AGE OF UNCERTAINTY" ALSO.

THE ARTICLE WAS A GREAT ONE AND I THANK YOU FOR FEATURING A PERSON SUCH AS SHE. JEANNETTE M. WILSON, CRAWFORDVILLE, GA

Thanks, Ms. Wilson,

Submitted by Beth Macy on Thu, 04/24/2008 - 20:50.

for your insights on Ms. Blackwell. She's IS so wise, you're right. (She still speaks fondly of her pastor Lonnie Wilson, you'll be glad to know.)
I'm glad you get to visit her when you come home to Roanoke.

Thanks again for the supportive note. Beth