Wednesday, April 28, 2010

hats off to...

Selma....the lady who wears the hat...and so much more!

It's Wednesday...and I have another wonderful woman that I would like to pay tribute to today. We go back a long way...although she likely has no recollection of me from some five decades ago. I was just one of a hundred students who attended our local country school...where she was the school janitor...and knew us all by name. She lived across the road...though it seemed she was always at the school. I don't recall her wearing a hat on the job...but I can still see her in her work dress....a smile on her face and a kind word for every student. That's how I knew her then.

Now I know her in a different way. She is the lady who always wears a hat...walks with a purposeful gait...exudes enthusiasm, vitality and JOY. Oh...and she still always has a smile on her face and a kind word to those she meets...some things haven't changed. She will be 97 years old this summer...and I see her in church on Sundays. And as I was thinking of doing a post about Selma...I realized I had no photos. Until...

...I looked through my files and found a picture of a crowd in the church lobby on a Sunday morning. There in the middle of the crowd...was a lady in a hat...none other than Selma.

And then I borrowed this picture from another publication that featured an article about the lady who bakes 'pie by the yard'. That would be her! She is always sharing gifts from her kitchen. Three years ago we hosted a conference at our church...with more than 500 people in attendance. Though the food had all been pre-arranged...a large supply of piroshki arrived fresh from the oven as the conference began. Bakery bought goodies could not compare...and soon everyone was wondering who had supplied the light, flaky fruit pastries. It came as no surprise to me that it was Selma...who never quits giving to others.

“I just love to bake,” says Selma Fleming. “I’m so grateful to God for his goodness and for allowing me to enjoy what I do.” She bakes regularly. She bakes generously. She usually gives away seven of the eight delicious multi-grain loaves of bread she makes in a normal-sized batch.

Sometimes people leave a sack of flour or sugar outside her door – whether as a thank you, or to encourage further baking, she doesn’t know. Neighbours also bring vegetables for her homemade soups.

“God is so good,” she says.

Selma loves God...believes in prayer...and has joy in her family. She spreads her joy around. What a wonderful example she is to all who have had the privilege of knowing her.

Have a wonderful Wednesday...


(words in italics taken from featured article)

15 comments:

  1. Selma is my kind of gal! What a wonderful legacy. May God continue to bless her during her time left on this earth!

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  2. I really like this Wednesday project of yours, Judy. It's good to read about inspiring women - we all need the example of those that are moving ahead of us in life. Selma is a shining example!

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  3. What a beautiful tribute to Selma. Stories like this are an encouragement to me. Thanks for sharing Selma with us this morning. Kathy

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  4. What a lovely tribute to Selma. I wonder how many people she has blessed over the years. . .such a gift to encourage and now I'm encouraged as well.

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  5. Selma sounds like my kind of gal! That first picture of the hat made my day, then reading about the lady who wore it, well, I think we can say my week was made.

    Classy lady remembered both for her behatted self and her graciousness to all.

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  6. What a wonderful post. Isn't it fun to share life about those who have been icons for us?
    I will look for Selma now in church and introduce myself.
    What a wonderful tribute to another wonderful women.

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  7. What a privilege to know such a lady.

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  8. When I began reading I was wondering how you could remember your school janitor from five decades ago. I pondered for a minute to see if I could recall the janitor from my elementary days. All that came to mind was a chubby man. As I continued reading I began to wonder something entirely different ~ how could you not remember this sweet lady. What a lovely story about a wonderful person. Hats off to Selma!!

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  9. What a sweet story! God bless her richly!

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  10. I love this, Judy! What an inspiration! She reminds me of a janitor at our kids' school - the same... a smile and kind word for each student. He had a gift of remembering names.
    Love the picture of Selma by the stove! What a beautiful lady!

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  11. What a lady! I like to bake and share bread, too. I hope I'm still doing it at 97!!

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  12. This is the sweetest post about a darling woman. Selma sure is an amazing at 97 years of age. A wonderful tribute to her life and her giving nature. I wish I could have known her.

    Thank you for this delightful post.

    Hugs, Jeanne

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  13. Another wonderful and inspirational woman, Judy! Life has been good to her to be able to live so long and still be active and helpful to others. God bless her always.

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  14. What a heart felt tribute Judy. Selma's style is charming...her baking sounds so tasty too!

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  15. Thank you God for the Selmas in our world. Women who leave their mark in daily life, and women who everyone will remember. What a kind and heartfelt tribute to this beautiful, generous lady. I so admire her and the many others like her. Her life is a wonderful representation of our loving Heavenly Father. Great post!

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'The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.'
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson