lucky 4 leaf clovers!

Posted on May 26, 2005 in Blog | 11 comments

beware! this is a long post! :)

I have a bible. A bible given to me from my parents when I was a wee little kid. It is signed on the front cover “This bible belongs to Angel Ganaway” written in my mother’s handwriting. I haven’t opened my bible in years… I pulled it off the shelf and thumbed through quickly.. as if I was shuffling cards with one hand. A flood of memories came to me, sweet, loving, beautiful memories that swept through my body. Through out my bible are 4 leaf clovers.. 10 so far that I have found. Even some long weeds that I used to pull and chew on. Dried and preserved in my bible I used to love and cherish so much.

here are a few pictures from my bible. These clovers are way over 20 years old!!!! I wonder what the words mean in my life today.. I wonder if I knew I would need to read this one day and marked special spots in my bible with 4 leaf clovers.. hummm I just wonder! :)


I remember sitting in the yard for hours with my mostly my mom and Faith, and searching for the magical 4 leaf clover. We talked, laughed, sat in silence.. made crowns, necklaces and bracelets with the white flowers scattered abundantly through the clovers. I don’t remember if there were any rhyme or reason to the placement I put the clovers in my bible.. or even why.. but they are there and I am so ecstatic about remembering these wonderful moments.
I remember we went to church every Sunday. I was in bible school and even took a couple trips to someplace.. I just remember getting on a light blue bus, the church bus, and off we were. I hope those memories come back. I wonder where I went?
I remember in Sunday school singing “deep and wide, deep and wide, there’s a mountain growing deep and wide, DEEP AND WIDE” as we all moved our hands vertical then horizontal to the rhythm of the song.
I remember always feeling emotional in church. Always. We went to a Baptist church and there was constant beautiful singing. This always put a lump in my throat. I always want to cry when I am in church. I think it is because people are uniting and feeling the love. The singing was so powerful, it makes me teary just thinking of it.
I remember one Father’s Day we all went to church. The preacher asked all the fathers to stand up. He praised and thanked all the fathers in the building.
The preacher said
“if you have 2 children, remain standing.” Some sat down and my father remained standing.
“if you have 3 children, remain standing.” Some more sat down and my father remained standing.
“if you have 4 children, remain standing.” More sat down and my father remained standing.
“if you have 5 children, remain standing.” Most were sitting down now, my dad looked around and saw just a few fathers standing.. I remember how proud he was to be standing, having such a grand beautiful family, and all there with him, looking up at him, as he turned to look at us.
He sat down after that, I don’t how high the number went, I just remember my papa.
I remember when the singing started and the donation plate started to go around. I remember my dad taking out his wallet and giving each us one or two dollars to put in the dish.
I remember my mom singing. Not being scared to sing, she has a beautiful voice. She knew a lot of the words and had plenty time to look over at me and smile as she sang.
I remember the feeling of a hand on my shoulder as my mom and dad would often wrap there arm around me and pat and rub my shoulder. And giving me the look as if saying “i love you, and I am always here for you”
I remember my dad standing for prayer and closing his eyes hard, praying and talking with god.
I rememberListening to the bible cassette tapes and reading a long with my dad or mom or both and listening to the words and following.
I remember My dad carrying his black bible with him.. not just to church.
I rememberthe big bible with gold trim and a picture on the front.. so beautiful.

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11 Comments

  1. Faith May 27, 2005

    What a wonderful entry! I have the same fond memories of church. Remember how Sundays were always like holidays in the since that after church we would just hang around the house and play all day. We usuall ate the best meals of the week on Sundays too (like homemade biscuits, a variety box of fresh doughnuts, fresh french bread ham sandwiches, gumbos, popeye's fried chicken, picadilly cafeteria, sheraton inn resturant, etc). It was also a lot of fun to go to church on Easter Sunday in our pretty and usually the same but different colour/pattern dresses. I also remember being really really little and we would scribble and draw on the paper handouts during the 45 minuite service while the preacher was preaching.

    Reply
  2. Angel May 27, 2005

    gotta love these memories! Yes, no bread and butter dipped in syrup on Sunday! I wonder if we have any old pictures of church days ??? Like when we all got dressed up.. there is bound to be something, right? I'll have to check with mom and dad. Last year when we went to church with mom and dad, and had a cup of coffee at rouses.. that was so wonderful.
    :)

    hey brothers and sisters! what do you remember??

    Reply
  3. Gordon May 27, 2005

    Same memories here. I still look for 4-leaf clovers and keep them in my bible and car. Usually place them in the ashtray. We'll have to get together and look for some one day.

    By the way. they start digging the pool next Tuesday. If everything goes o.k. we should be ready for our open house the first week of July. They put the carpet in the theater room Tuesday and the theater equipment will be installed on Friday. We'll at least have the theater room finished for Darlene and Randy's wedding. Maybe y'all can visit if you make it down. Love y'all, G

    Reply
  4. Angel May 28, 2005

    Hey G! yep, it would be great just to hang out and search for clovers! I bet that is a part of how we learned to be patient. When I was in Houma a while back, Pat, Lexie and I spend the day in Chacahoula, and we all sat in the yard and searched for 4 leaf clovers. We didn't find any but Pat shold Lexie how to tie the white flowers and how to make necklaces and such. It was so wonderful. It was as if he was playing " daddy " he was so great that day!! ahhh sweet sweet memories!

    That is freaking awesome about the pool and all that good stuff going on!!! I can't wait to see everything! kick ass man!! :)

    Love,

    Angel

    Reply
  5. Terri May 31, 2005

    I was a 16 year old girl living across the street from your family when my family decided to move away and I refused to go with them. The really tragic thing is, they allowed me to stay behind, with no place to live.

    I had a job, a boyfriend, and plans for my future. I just didn't know how to reach my goals with no place to live.

    Then the family across the street gave me what I had never had, and always wanted. A home. Not just a house, but a home filled with laughter, love, comfort, support and encouragement. I began going to church with this family and I was baptized. This family loved me unconditionally. I was a confused, lost, insecure person and they took me in and loved me just as I was.

    Many years have passed since then. And I still feel their love. It lives in me, deep within my heart where it will remain until I breath my last breath. Thank you Huey, Juanita, Darlene, Gordon, Scott, Faith, Angel. Thank you for always showing me love. I am eternally grateful and I love you all.

    Love,

    Terri

    Reply
  6. Angel June 2, 2005

    Terri, how beautiful! I think I was there when you were babtised… its seems so familiar to me now. I remember when you used to hang out with me and Faith and play in the back room. It was wonderful to have another "cool" girl in the house! So great that you have such wonderful memories… Lets Never Forget!

    Hugs and Love,

    Angel

    Reply
  7. Scott Ganaway June 4, 2005

    I read these comments tonight and I've been thinking.

    I belive history is a force. It's unalterable tide sweeps all people along it's unrelenting path. Everything and everyone serves history's single purpose. And what is that purpose? Why, to produce our great family of course. Our family is the end result of history. Yes that's right the Ganaway family.

    Think of it Thousands of generations lived and died to produce our specific parents. Our parents met and fell in love thier love produced Darlene, Gordon, myself, Faith, Angel, and Dad also gave us Christopher.

    All history up to this point has been spent preparing the world for our presence.

    Now here we are and history is vindicated. I pray nightly we can carry the torch to the next generation with the knowledge, grace and love our parents had. I don't say it enough or maybe never had to some of my family, but I love you all and thank God daily for the family I was blessed with.

    Reply
  8. Angel June 7, 2005

    Scott… what an interesting way to put it! and to think I didn't enjoy my history class. :) Seriously though.. like you said we all serve historys purpose. I feel like I should start a failmy to keep our side of the Ganaways alive. but then I think, I can not handle children and the lifetime commitment. hell, I can't even manage to get my life together being so far from "home" .

    Viva la history and the ganaway family!

    Hugs and love,

    Angel

    Reply
  9. Juanita(MOM) June 15, 2005

    Hello My Little ANGEL! Brought back a lot of loving memories ,I am so very PROUD of my children.Each of you have brought so much happeness to me.Scott called Mom the other night,he said he wasn't coming to the wedding unless I made him some bell pepper pickles,couldn't find the recipe Been looking for it since he called,So I just gave up looking. (said to myself well Scott I guess you're not coming to the wedding) Went to sit on the couch for a minute looked over at the coffee table one of my old Bibles was on the bottom shelf went picked it up open the Bible and there was the pickle recipe,thumbed through the pages,and guess what I found a bunch of old four leaf clovers.Love all of you Beyond the Heavens Mom

    Reply
  10. Gordon June 16, 2005

    Hey!!!! What about bell pepper pickles for me? How come Scott's always the favorite….:cry:…just kidding…it's great to see everyone chiming in….lots of memories….love y'all, Gordon

    Reply
  11. Angel June 17, 2005

    MOM !! When I go to visit next week I want to take a picture of your clovers too! I know Darlene and Gordon still have clovers too. I don't know if Scott still has his, but Faith is looking for hers. I want pictures of all of our clovers! I find it interesting the words next to my clovers.. it is like they "mean" something now. Oh, and you better make Gordon some peppers too.. you know how sensitive he can be! :lol:

    GORDON! when I see ya next week, I want to take a pic of your bible and clovers, if you don't mind.! You know, I just remembered the vsh tape you had converted years ago. I have a copy of that but no vcr! I want a vcr so I can watch them again! Life is an amaizing thing… eh? Just look at what we have done so far! :grin:

    Reply

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