21 years ago today, a BIG part of my heart was ripped from my body, or so it seemed. My great grandmother, who had children of her own, raised grandchildren and worked full-time then after retiring, babysat for folks, died on this day, 21 years ago.

To most of our family she was the pillar you could lean on. Not only family but others also. She was very outspoken and if you wanted the truth, you got it because she told it like it was. You would have thought that it would have run people off, but it brought people to her because of her honesty.

Joddie Scroggs was her name....mostly called maw maw by everyone that knew her.

This is how you would find her, when she was inside, sitting in her rocker...lots of times crocheting. She didn't like to sit and do nothing. Working outside in her yard was her favorite thing to do....my mom would say her most favorite was burning leaves on a windy day! Maw Maw had a large yard and she would rake and burn all by herself, filling my parents house with smoke : )

She lived in Louisiana all her life, up until my parents told her we were moving to Mississippi. My mom says maw maw told them they weren't moving me away from her, so she purchased a trailer and moved here too.

First, while my parents house was being built, we lived in a 2 bedroom jim walter home with NO hot water...did I mention there was 8-10 of us living there?! Maw maw Scroggs was raising 3 of her grandchildren at the time so they came with her and at one point we had 2 cousins that needed a place to live.

We had one of those small plastic pools in the yard, and on some days, even cold ones, maw maw had my brother and I get our baths out there because there wasn't any room or time to get to the tub ....I think they were tired of boiling water for everybody : ) Needless to say, this was an adventure.

My parents must have had nerves of steel.

After I grew up and moved to Jackson, while unpacking my boxes I found pots and pans and stuff I didn't think I had. After a few days, I called my mom and in talking she was missing some kitchen items. My maw maw had packed up stuff of my moms for me because she felt that I would need them beings I was moving. She didn't have much of anything herself, so she felt it ok to give away my moms things : )

I was her name sake (the family called me little Joddie), and I LOVED her dearly. When JoBea was born we named her after maw maw Scroggs and my mom...Joddie Beatrice..that's why we call her JoBea. My mom and I often laugh about it probably being a good thing maw maw Scroggs isn't here to visit with JoBea because she is soooo much like her! If you want the truth about something, just ask JoBea. She is quiet, but when asked, you get what you ask for. I believe they would have butted heads, but they would have loved each other....so would Madge. The one thing I hate is she was gone before my girls came along.

I LOVED her more than anything and appreciate that she took my mother in and gave to her the love that she knew she would not receive otherwise. The protection she gave all the children and sharing her love for God through her actions. I know she has been rewarded in heaven for seeing to God's little children as she did. With very little money, God ALWAYS provided what was needed.

It seems like just yesterday that she left, and sometimes it doesn't seem like she's gone at all because she left good memories in all our hearts, and I miss her terribly but I'm so glad the Lord allowed me to have her in my life as long as He did. I hope I can be HALF as strong and as generous with my life as she was.

In memory of Joddie Scroggs