It’s November.
Every November, I like to take the whole month to reflect on all of the blessings in my life and what I am thankful for. And those of you who read my books, read my blog, and support me in so many ways, well…I’m so thankful for you I can’t even.
So, I’m doing some giveaways this month as a way of saying thanks.
Today I am hosting Joshua Higginbotham, who is published by my publisher, eLectio Publishing! Welcome, Joshua! After his post, there is a giveaway to enter to win a copy of his book, Ecclesiastes.
The Heritage of Joshua Higginbotham
The patriarch of the Higginbotham clan was actually not a Higginbotham; she was a Lemon, a sweet yet sour person who could add just the right amount of flavor to any occasion. The Lemon family had a reunion almost every Sunday after church service, and ‘Granny’ Opal Lemon hosted it regardless of circumstance in her small, two-bedroom bungalow. A visitor could expect a plastic plate-full of fried chicken, potato salad, cold and hot pastas, her famous lemonade—but never alcohol—that was one thing ‘Granny’ Opal never added to her lemonade. She would pack the home with anyone and everyone who could fit in the standing-room-only event. Family, friends, and total strangers were a common sight at our gatherings as per usual since the Great Depression. Her openness to all peoples, kindness to the most reluctant of strangers, and her willingness to give to those less fortunate is what not only descends to me but also influences how I treat others.
In the days of her youth, when times were rougher, food was hard to come by for many people, but ‘Granny’ Opal kept charity alive by having these gatherings open for all. Even though she was “so poor that even the mice were hungry,” our great-grandmother opened her door—and her heart—to all people in rural Appalachia. Obviously, times got better for the community and our family; however, that door remained open and the parties remained a stable part of our lives just as her fried chicken and lemonade were part of our diet.
Sadly, as the years went by, the fried chicken took its toll on her body and she began falling apart. A culmination of old age, diabetes, and other health issues forced the amputation of her leg and brought the family together to take care of the exceptional woman who raised four generations of children. Then, in 2004, she passed away at the tender age of eighty-four. Less than a year later, the symbolic headquarters of our family—her simple Eleanor-style home—was burned to the ground by teenage arsonists. Our gatherings had ended after nearly eight decades.
One would assume that these events would unite us as they had since the Great Depression. Rather, it had the opposite effect. The hand that once directed the family was now gone, and we had no further purpose to be together. We scattered in all directions: California, Texas, Florida, Kentucky, Michigan—essentially everywhere except for our home in the hills of West Virginia. It did not take long before one of us gathered up the ashes and rekindled our gatherings.
Greta Lemon, who is just as feisty and colorful as Opal Lemon, took the reins as the de jure leader of our clan. In memory of her mother, Greta decorated her entire home in, you guessed it, lemons! The walls had the citrus fruit papered to them; the dishes and silverware glistened with yellow ovals to recognize our heritage and tradition; she even wore lemon earrings! With her continued effort and dedication, we quickly came to our senses and began attending her revitalized Lemon Reunions on Sundays.
These rebranded gatherings were aimed for the youth by teaching us about how she lived. It was at these gatherings that I began understanding the values we share as a family that were passed amongst the generations: frugality in all things I do, charity with everyone I interact with, and keeping both an open door and open mind. The tradition of our Sunday Gatherings remains true, and even after the death of ‘Granny’ Opal, her legacy lives on in more than just the reunions we named in her honor; she lives on in the morals she passed on to us and the impact we make on the lives we touch. To no one’s surprise, her lemonade still lives on, too!
Thanks Joshua! And don’t forget to enter to win a copy of Ecclesiastes!
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