Dolly Mills & Loretta Cannon
I want to take advantage of this opportunity to honor two women who have had a tremendous influence on my life. Both have gone on to be with the Lord but their legacy lives on. The first women I would like to honor is my Mom. She had a difficult childhood and had to grow up far too soon, to take care of her own Mother. She also became a widow in her 40s which made her life even more difficult. One thing I can say about her is that her life was never characterized by defeat. She always had a positive attitude and was joyful to the end. I could say so many things about her but because this is supposed to be brief I want to focus on her as a wife. It was very clear to us all that my Dad was her knight in shinning armor. I can never remember her being disrespectful or un-submitted to him. You could tell it was a joy to serve him and she did it with out even being asked. I really think she looked for ways to serve him. I know it must have been hard for her to pack up her home in New Orleans and move across the country to Nevada; but she never once complained. She was excited about her next adventure and I believe those last few years with my Dad were probably her happiest as she busied herself making a new home for her family and welcoming new friends into their lives. She set the bar high and I will continue, by God’s grace, to be like her in honoring my Husband.
The next women would be my Mother in Law. I don’t think I have ever encountered any one who sacrificially loved and served her children more then Loretta. Having no experience in raising children, and with my own Mother in Nevada, I relied on her so much for wisdom in raising my children. She instilled in me a desire to give myself fully to caring for my children. She taught me by her example to really enjoy them, as I watched her lovingly care for Cathy (her mentally disabled daughter) until she passed away. Even when she was unable to physically attend to her needs she was right there overseeing her care. She was none the less attentive to my husband. Because she was a former school teacher she instilled in him a love of learning and study and that has served all of us here at Chesapeake. She also taught him that his intelligence is a gift from God and not to be squandered. I have, because of her example, always had faith for my children and encouraged them to use their gifts for God’s glory. As far as enjoying my children I can honestly say they are Jim’s and my greatest blessing.
The best blessing is that they both lived to their late eighties and they both got to see their example being passed on to the next generation. Happy Mother’s Day to all of you as you leave your own legacy to your precious children.
-Daryl Cannon
Thursday, May 24, 2007
