First, A Note from Kim:
If you missed yesterday’s post, In Honor of My Like-A-Sister Friend, I hope you will go back and read it. Susan is my like-a-sister friend, who I have known for about 25 years, but I learned something about her when I was putting her article up to be published. I had no idea that she has been blogging since 2008. She is a talented writer, speaker, and educator. She has a great sense of humor and is an accomplished actress, playing Mother Abbess in the Sound of Music at Baptist High School, among other things, where she taught English for several years. She is an amazing woman of faith and courage. Enjoy reading this article Susan wrote, nominating a woman of wisdom who made a difference in Susan’s life as young teenager.
When Time and Love are all that are needed to make a difference…
by Susan Ford
This is the face of a woman of wisdom. This is Jo Daughtery. The picture was taken when Jo was 77 years young and still living exactly where I last saw her over 40 years ago.
The weekend I traveled back to Fallbrook, California for my reunion, I took a chance and went by the church that had given me sanctuary during my teen years. Then just for fun I drove to the home of my former youth leaders. Ted and Jo had three girls of their own, yet always had room for twenty or thirty teenagers. Ted was a military enlisted man and he and Jo had dedicated themselves to be the VOLUNTEER youth leaders at the little Baptist church I attended. I knew that Ted had passed away many years ago, but I wondered if …
I wondered if Jo might possibly still be there, would the house be there? I found the house from memory and parked. As I was getting ready to walk up to the door, a small woman appeared and asked if she could help me. I told her that she had already helped me long ago and I told her my maiden name! Jo was so happy to see me and I was of course thrilled to see her. I just wanted her to know she had made a difference in my life.
She and Ted were just there for us. Their house was always open to us. It was a simple home, yet always and still spotless but comfortable. These amazing selfless servants fed us, fussed at us, drove us, let us play Twister in their living room, they prayed for us, protected us, stood up for us, and just loved us. Loved us when we were not so lovable. They trained us by their example. They gave so much and I just wanted her to know!
Thank you Jo… much of who I am today I owe to you and Ted and a church willing to love a little girl from a less than stable background. Willing to give me rides, since I often came to church alone, willing to make sure I had something to add to potluck dinners so I wouldn’t feel “weird”, willing to listen, willing to pay my way to Christian camp in Glorietta, New Mexico where I became a Christian. Willing, available, and loving. Thank You Jo!
I nominate Jo Daughtery as my Woman of Wisdom
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a
child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart!
Susan is an educator, mother of five amazing grown adults, grandmother to nine precious grandbabies, mother-in-law to four great sons-in-law, contented wife of a wonderful husband and friend.
Some things Susan loves: reading, walking, biking, visiting historical places, grandchildren, horseback riding lessons, and the beach.
Some of Susan’s favorite books: Radical by David Platt, Any book by Lisa Samson, Everything by C.S Lewis, Everything by Amy Carmichael, Anything written by or about Lilias Trotter, All of the works of Madeleine L’Engle, books, books and more books.