We had the Nance Reunion today at Mt Tabor Church in Jackson Creek.
I went by yesterday with my cousins to put flowers on graves and clean the cemetery up of old flowers and such. (Grandma and I use to do this )
This morning early I went down and cleaned the church up. Grandma would have called it a “Lick and a Promise” …I swept and dusted and knocked down spider webs.
Memories came flooding into my mind and my heart, of long ago and things that will never be again. Sweet , bitter sweet, accompanied by hot stinging tears. My ears full of low easy talk and so many voices… All good. But…
Grandma and I use to clean the church up before the Nance Reunion and Home Coming. (I hated the job) but then I was a particularly lazy child. Today I never minded it at all.We would dust and sweep and dust and straighten up and get the church ready. Grandma would say “You dust I will sweep” Then I would play the old piano a while, put song books out and hand held fans. Then we would go outside and clean off the graves and Grandma would tell me things about the ancestors buried there. The last thing we would do is sweep out the outhouse. (SHE DID THAT) I would not go in there for ANYTHING! 🙂
Today I had company (Whispers in my ear) of our conversations, I had help in my mind, and I was careful to do a good job. I could feel and see my ancestors presence as well as Grandmas. We did have a good reunion! They were all here! Uncle Robert and his stories, Uncle Clayton his pleasantness, Aunt Ocia and her wonderful food, Grandma and her chicken pie, Aunt Ruth, Aunt Grace and her sweet pleasant ways , Grandpa and his cowboy hat and belt buckle, Annie and Herb, Robert Lee…All my loved ones now gone on.
We are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses!
I fixed flowers for the alter and the old church rang with beautiful music, laughter and love.
My what a sweet day it was for me.
And my Great Aunt Virginia now 96 was there. Still as beautiful as ever, frailer, and in a wheel chair, but there living, loving, enjoying!
Whispers and memories all day long, most too precious to share, but in my heart and filled to the brim. As well as my eyes!
