The Silver Lining

I lost my grandmother this week. To say that the week's been difficult would be a major understatement. She was an incredible lady, and a major influence on my life. My mom asked me to give her eulogy. It was about the hardest thing I've ever done...but Belle was worth it! I share my words here in hopes that it can give you a snapshot of my grandmother, Eula Belle Faulkner Caudle. This is a season of Thanksgiving, and I speak for our whole family when I say that we are most thankful to all of you for your kindness and support at this time. We appreciate the cards, the calls, the visits, the food, and most of all the prayers that you all have raised on our behalf as Belle passed from this world to her Eternal Life with the Lord. You’ve helped, more than you know. And I want to take a moment right now to especially give thanks to Betty Stegall and Judy Evans. You ladies made it possible for Belle to stay at her own home, eat at her own table, and sleep in her own bed right up to ...

My mom & dad bought the platform rocker in the late 1950's. The green upholstery had golden threads running through it -- it made a lovely addition to our living room! Such a comfortable rocker -- just right for the "new baby" (me, and then in 1961, my sister Becky!). I recall sitting in my daddy's lap in that chair as he taught me how to write my ABC's. I was about 4 years old, and thought writing and reading was about the coolest thing EVER I could learn to do! I had no idea what doors those two skills would open for me as life went on! The green rocker endured, outlasting a couple of different sofas. The fabric began to look a little worn around the arms, so my mom ordered a slip cover for it out of the Sears catalog. Tiny corkscrew pins came with the cover, and my mom showed me how to secure them, as we put the cover on The Chair. Ahhh, good as new, almost! And life went on around the rocking chair in the living room. During my teen years, The Chair was wh...