FRIEND FRIDAY

Sara Felix Goodrich Lancaster. My mothers mom. Grandmama. My good friend.

My earliest memories of Grandmama encompass her doing things to serve others. She made the best fried chicken I have ever tasted and was always most pleased to serve it to others with a smile and a wave of her hand when the individual went on and on about how good it was.

Weekly Sunday afternoon meals at her home always included a rousing game of cards around the dinner table…of course, that would be after all the dishes were put way. She was patient to help teach my siblings and I to play if we wanted to join in on the adult fun…though the other grown ups would always shoo us away.

I have a vivid memory of her walking into her bedroom one Sunday and there I sat at her dressing table, lipstick all over my face, with several pieces of her jewelry adorning my tiny frame. She sweetly sat down beside me and reminded me that I knew I was not supposed to get into her “good jewelry” and make up. But rather than being confronted by anger, she talked to me about the importance of being obedient and gently helped me put every piece back in it’s felt lined box and nestled in it’s hiding spot in her drawers.

I remember one weekend, while spending the night at her house, she let me pull out two of her beautiful old party dresses and once I was decked out in all her finery she insisted we needed to go show someone. So off we went to her next door neighbors house. When her friend Ella opened the door, she ooohed and aaahed over my “beauty”, walked away from the door, and upon her return handed me a Snickers Bar.

I know that’s an odd memory, but at the time I remember first being shocked I was allowed to wear her beautiful gowns and second that though it was late at night I just got a whole candy bar to myself and she was going to let me tear into it and enjoy every bite!

She had such a way of making me, and everyone else, feel so special. She always had time for me. I have always referred to Grandmama as my Jesus with skin on.

What I know now is that Sara Felix Goodrich Lancaster was dirt poor. She was one of eleven children raised on a share croppers farm in Millville, Kentucky. She married young and my Grandfather was a post man who died of a heart attack, far too young. She spent the rest of her life loving her family, friends and community well.

I can remember my parents scolding her for letting strangers, who were asking for food, into her house. She would serve them right up and sit and chat with them about truth. You see she always had her worn Bible at her fingertips and sharing what was in it with others was as natural as every breath she exhaled.

In the end Alzheimer’s took her. One of my last memories of Grandmama I carry close to my heart…and you should too, she grabbed me by the hands, looked deep into my eyes and said to me, “Tracey all that really matters is love. Love people like Jesus did. It’s all about the love.”

Have you loved like Jesus today?

FRIEND FRIDAY

On Fridays I am going to share a memory about a friend. A personal friend who has blessed me and made an impression on my life or a “friend” I have met…meaning a famous person. (I recognize that most people are fairly fascinated by famous people and since I have had the opportunity to meet a few of them here and there I figure you’d get a kick out of hearing about it.)

For grins…I’ll start with one of the famous people I have met.

Several years ago, “bk” (before kids”) my husband and I lived in Philadelphia. He used to go over to Villanova to play pick up basketball and I would run around the track that circled the gym floor. There were two young boys that always wanted to play ball, but most of the guys in the gym were not interested in letting them play. My husband, on the other hand, always let them be on his team. This went on for several weeks. Well, one day the boys father came to the gym to play some basketball with all the fellas that gathered there.

Imagine every one’s shock when in walked daddy…otherwise known to the world as Dr. J! Let me tell you he is one tall man and definitely commands attention when he walks in a room…uh gym…and though retired, he was still an amazing athlete. They began to chose teams and obviously his sons had no problem finding someone to play with on this day. Because my husband was the tallest guy there he was the opposing player to Dr. J. That was one day on the basketball court my husband will never forget and yes Dr. J was more than gracious because he could have wiped the floor up with my dear sweet hubby!

I had finished my run and was stretching while watching the play from the sidelines, sitting all alone on the far side of the gym. As the game finished up lots of the players were sort of bugging Dr. J and wanting his attention. I guess he got tired of the unwanted attention and walked all the way over to where I was to get away from the clamouring crowd. He stuck out his hand and introduced himself and I’ve got to tell you that was the biggest hand I had ever seen…his hand enveloped mine and I felt like a four year old looking up at him.

My new friend Dr. J was very kind, talked to me a little bit, realized which player my husband was and mentioned that “he had game.” (Which was a gift that to this day makes my hubby smile!) I complimented him on what fine young men he was raising and told him that they had been very well behaved the last few weeks and that he and his wife should be proud.

Years later one of his sons died tragically and I couldn’t help but wonder how my friend Dr. J was faring and I wanted to reach out to him in some way. I realized that maybe, just maybe the reason he was my friend is that God knew he was in need of prayer and that was something I could do for him.

Praying for a friend is privilege…even the famous friends in our lives. What friend could you stop and pray for right now?