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Girl Meets God

    by Melissa Mathews

An Elegy
Date Posted: September 25, 2005

A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Proverbs 31

There were a few things Mamaw would not have liked about her funeral service yesterday. I was carrying a brown leather backpack purse and wearing a dressy pair of black beaded slides. That would have certainly offended her impeccable fashion sensibilities. Any good Southern woman knows that your shoes have to match your purse. I wasn't wearing hose either. Strike number two.

So maybe I'm exaggerating. That's all I can think of that might have bugged Mamaw at her funeral. She was an incredible woman.

I have met few women who can do so many things as well as Kathryn Shireman Bell did.
Every meal she cooked was good. She was a gifted organist. Her house was always in perfect order. Any outfit that Mamaw wore was perfectly put together. She wore makeup everyday whether she was mowing her huge yard, going to the beauty shop, or wringing a chicken's neck so she could start supper. Her nails were always painted and there was never a single piece of dirty laundry at her house—and I promise I'm not exaggerating about that.

She tirelessly did what was right whether she wanted to or not. She always did everything with excellence, diligence, and dignity. I sincerely don't know how she did everything she did, but she always gave her very best. Proverbs 31 was written about my Mamaw:

"…She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
…She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
…She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

So with the dignity and iron will of my Mamaw, I stood at the funeral with my sister to sing "It is Well With My Soul." Kathryn Bell taught me to do things right, whether I wanted to or not, so I did. Instead of sobbing for our loss, we sang for my gain—the gain of having been influenced by a woman who always gave her very best.

"She surpassed them all."

"Voice of Inspiration" from Andy Castro

Psalms 91:11

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Biography Information:
I'm a preacher's kid, pastor's wife, and southern belle who married a Southern California boy. Can you say 'culture clash?' Scott and I have four boys - Max, Mark, Jackson, and Grant who keep us busy with homework and sports.

Scott and I have been married 22 years and currently live in Northern California where we are beginning year five as church planters. I also teach 12th grade English and love it.

I would love to hear from you. Email me anytime at melissa.g.mathews@gmail.com
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