Celebration of Life, Family, and Faith: Collection of Poems, Tributes, and Stories

By Georgia McCain

This book is a collection of poems, stories, and tributes that Georgia Davenport McCain wrote over a 40 year period. They celebrate her life, family, and faith.

Since she had 10 published books, mostly Christian novels or celebrations of her faith, her family often encouraged her to publish her book of poems. Even though she indicated a willingness to do this someday, she never did. After her death as a result of injuries suffered in an automobile accident, a binder of her poems was discovered in her house. Unfortunately, one of the poems not discovered was her poem she had read to family members to be presented at her funeral.

Her poems provide a perspective of life experiences. “Celebration of Southern Expressions” provides a tribute to many of the Southern expressions that are common to her friends and family in the Deep South, but may not be recognized elsewhere. “The Snake Story” describes her experience discovering a snake in the chapel while delivering a funeral tribute. “Tribulations of a Politicians Wife” provides a view of her life as the wife of an elected Police Juror in Louisiana. “The Cat Law” gives a perspective on an effort to pass an ordinance to control cats. “The Old Folks Home” describes the difficult but joyful transition to living in an “old folks home”. “A Tribute to My Daughter and the Senior Citizen Center of Ball” describes her daughter's initiative to get her connected with the Senior Center, her initial reluctance, and the eventual great joy she received from the Senior Center”. “The Birthday Surprise” was written to her sisters to “confess” to a birthday prank. “My Special Day, Mother's Day' and “Mamma's Blues” conveys a mother's loneliness sometimes felt with remote children.

Her poems included many tributes to her family. “MeMaw's Words of Wisdom” and “Nanny's Poem for Lauren's Wedding” were requested by granddaughters to be read at their weddings. “A Tribute to My Family” was a poem she read at her Golden Anniversary Celebration that celebrates the lives of her children and grandchildren. “Conning Mamma” was read at her 60th Anniversary Celebration and describes her daughter's secretive attempts to extract her recipes for publication of a cookbook to be distributed at the celebration. Also included are poems to celelebrate the birthdays of 4 children and the life of a grandson who died of spinal meningitis, provide advice to a granddaughter living in Nigeria, and memorial tributes to deceased sisters. There are also two tribute poems for close church friends.

Several poems celebrate her faith. “Little Things Used of God” provide 3 different stories of the impact made from seemingly small acts of kindness and faith, including befriending an alcoholic, sending a card to a hospital patient, and demonstrating kindness to an angry neighbor. “A Mother's Prayer” demonstrates a mother's burden for her children and faith that all will be reunited in heaven. “Look to the Savior” urges the reader to look to the Savior as an answer to deal with life's many trials, tribulations, and challenges. “This God is Our God” was written as an introduction to her book, “Remarkable Incidents and Answers to Prayer” and emphazizes the greatness of God and his presence when needed.

There are a few other non-poetic items included. A summary of her published books, as well as a few letters from readers, are provided. A letter, written to her sister in 1996 about growing up in the 20's , 30's, and 40's, provides an incredible look at the “way things were” for many in that genearation. A tribute to her father-in-law, delivered at his funeral at 106-years old, provides an interesting perspective of his life and his Christian conversion at 88 years old.

Finally, her funeral tribute delivered by her son, Dr. Danny McCain, in 2013, is included.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Georgia McCain
• Release date: Jan 19, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370190201

Georgia McCain

Mrs. McCain died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident at age 87 on December 9, 2013. She maintained her Christian commitment and ministry, as well as her writing skills, until the time of her unfortunate death.At the time of her death, many of her books were out of print. To preserve the books and allow many new readers to enjoy, the books are being converted to e-books by her family. To increase relevancy and impact to a more contemporary and international audience, minor edits to the original text have been made to some of the books.The following article was published in the Cenla Focus in October 2012 prior to Mrs. McCain's death, and provides a synopsis of Mrs. McCain's life as an author. It was authored by Holly Jo LinzayGeorgia McCain, an author of 10 published books, recalls the day she felt the Lord Jesus lead her to start writing. "I was standing in the kitchen, and God asked me, 'What is that in your hand?" McCain remembers, and answered, "'Only a pen, Lord.' Then He asked me if I would use the pen for his honor and glory, and I said, 'Yes, Lord, as you direct me, I will write for the glory and honor of God."That very night, her first short novel unfolded completely from beginning to end. "The Lord gave me the name of the book and just opened up the story for me from the first page to the last," notes McCain about her first book, Through Troubled Waters, which was published more than 40 years ago. Her first book is a work of fiction interwoven with Biblical truths. McCain has sold thousands of copies, and has received letters from people all over the world expressing how the book touched their hearts. "I never dreamed about writing a book, let alone getting one published,' McCain notes.As a child, McCain wrote poems and made up short stories. In the ninth grade, as her teacher was passing out Christmas gifts to the class, she called McCain to the front of the classroom. She told the class that Georgia had a gift for all her classmates. Stunned, McCain realized her teacher had made copies of a story she had written and shared it with the class. From time to time, she would write another short story. Later, she was asked by a preacher to write a story that would continue and develop in a religious paper. 'I told him that I couldn't just sit down and write a story. God had to give me the thoughts: McCain recalls, remembering it was later that night that she heard God question her about writing. When her son, Danny, came home from college, he read her story, Through Troubled Waters, and encouraged McCain to get it published. "Everything I write, I want it to honor God,' McCain says with conviction.The 84-year-old author is a woman of prayer, and has lived a life in pursuit of holiness. Growing up as one of 14 children In the rural community of Rigolette, McCain graduated from Tioga High School. At 19 years old, she met and started dating a young man named Carl McCain. He worked as a lineman for South Central Bell and she was working as a telephone operator. After a whirlwind courtship, the two were married on July 1, 1946.The young couple made their home in Rigolette and raised their seven children--Ronald, Danny, Kenny, Randy, Barry, Donna and Jackie. The family attended Tioga Wesleyan Methodist Church, where Georgia and Carl served in every ministry they could. They have 19 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. The two were married for 62 years before Carl passed away. Her home is a testament to a close-knit family with photographs vying for space on shelves stocked full with mementoes from the grandchildren. A legacy of love is showcased with framed drawings from the kids alongside epic poems written by McCain about her family.In between her serving at her church and raising seven children, McCain found time to write more books. Her second book, Trials and Triumphs, is non-fiction and retates many of her personal experiences, including the loss of her four-month-old grandson, Nathaniel, to meningitis. Her third book, a fictional novel, Shattered Shackles, deals with alcoholism and its affect on a family. "My daddy was an alcoholic, who would say he was tapering off when he was trying to quit. Later, he did sober up," McCain says, adding that her real-life experience probably played a role in the book.Another of her books, God's Little Lambs, is a compilation of stories written for children that can be read as bedtime stories or for family devotions. At one time, McCain says she felt impressed to write a novel about some twins. In Straight Paths, the story of fiery-tempered "Connie Slocum" unwinds as she struggles with heartaches, persecution, separation and loneliness. In the book's sequel, Plucked Out ofthe Net, Connie's twin brother, "Donnie Slocum," is featured in a story of redemption.Three of McCain's books have dealt with prayer and answers to "prevailing" prayer. "It is absolutely amazing that God has spoken to me over and over, and keeps giving me books to write. He has faithfully led me all the way," notes McCain. In all, she has written 10 books, and family and friends are after her to write a book of poems. She has written long poems with clever rhymes marking nearly every milestone in her and her family's life.It does not take long to get caught up reading one of McCain's books, and believing the incredible stories of faith in the non-fiction books. Written In such honest prose, her words flow from her heart and from a life seeking after holiness. If her books inspire and encourage or cause someone to "seek the Lord," then McCain says the books have served their purpose. "God deserves all the glory for anything accomplished through the writing or reading of these books," she emphasizes.A woman of faith, McCain has taught Sunday School and Bible studies in just about every ministry at her church. In addition, for the last 34 years, she has taught three different Bible study groups at three different nursing homes. McCain has been honored and received numerous awards for her volunteer service from Ball Senior Citizens Center and various nursing homes. In 2001, she was named the Volunteer of the Year of Tioga Manor and named "Most Faithful" volunteer at two other nursing homes.When her husband Carl served for a number of years on the Rapides Parish Police Jury, McCain supported him by participating in a variety of ways in the community. Known as a great cook by her family and friends, her daughter, Donna, presented her with a cookbook of the family recipes on her 50th wedding anniversary. Besides serving the Lord, McCain says her most important role in life has been as a wife and mother. She said all her children are “successful and love the Lord," and that they never gave her a "lick of trouble" beceuse she kept them in church and a "switch on their behinds", if needed. Her son, Danny, who is a missionary in Nigeria, even calls her every day.McCain says she is "blessed beyond measure by the Lord" with family and friends. Some have called her a "prayer warrior," in seeking God's will in her life. One piece of advice she freely gives out to all who will listen is the same encouragement she offers in her last book, Walking with God for Over 50 Years, "Sometimes when we can't seem to pray our way through, we can often times praise our way through to God. Try it."

Book preview

Celebration of Life, Family, and Faith

Collection of Poems, Tributes, and Stories

Georgia Davenport McCain

Published by Ron McCain at Smashwords

Copyright 2017 Ron McCain

Smashwords Edition License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. You are welcome to share it with your friends. This book may be reproduced, copied, and distributed for non-commercial purposes, provided the book remains in its complete original form. If you enjoyed this book, please return to your favorite ebook retailer to discover other books by this author. Thanks you for your support.

Table of Contents

Celebration of Southern Expressions

The Snake Story

Wedding Tributes for My Granddaughters

Tribulations of a Politician's Wife

The Cat Law

The Old Folks' Home

Tributes to a Senior Citizen Center

The Birthday Surprise

My Special Day, Mother's Day

Mamma's Blues

Conning Mamma

A Tribute to My Family

Happy Birthday Tributes To My Children

A Poem to my Granddaughter in Nigeria

Memorial Poems To My Grandson

Memorial Tributes To My Sisters

Memorial Tributes to Church Friends

Little Things Used of God

A Mother's Prayer

Look to the Savior

A Prayer Answering God

This God Is Our God

Growing Up at the Davenport House

A Tribute to Father-in-Law, William F. McCain

The Final Sermon of Georgia Davenport McCain (by son Danny McCain)

About the Author

Books by Georgia McCain

Letters From Readers of Georgia McCain Books

Preface

This book is a collection of poems, stories, and tributes that Georgia Davenport McCain wrote over a 40 year period. They celebrate her life, family, and faith.

Since she had 10 published books, mostly Christian novels or celebrations of her faith, her family often encouraged her to publish her book of poems. Even though she indicated a willingness to do this someday, she never did. After her death as a result of injuries suffered in an automobile accident, a binder of her poems was discovered in her house. Unfortunately, one of the poems not discovered was her poem she had read to family members to be presented at her funeral.

Her poems provide a perspective of life experiences. Celebration of Southern Expressions provides a tribute to many of the Southern expressions that are common to her friends and family in the Deep South, but may not be recognized elsewhere. The Snake Story describes her experience discovering a snake in the chapel while delivering a funeral tribute. Tribulations of a Politicians Wife provides a view of her life as the wife of an elected Police Juror in Louisiana. The Cat Law gives a perspective on an effort to pass an ordinance to control cats. The Old Folks Home describes the difficult but joyful transition to living in an old folks home. A Tribute to My Daughter and the Senior Citizen Center of Ball describes her daughter's initiative to get her connected with the Senior Center, her initial reluctance, and the eventual great joy she received from the Senior Center. A Birthday Poem for Mona Jones provides a tribute to a supervisor at the Ball Senior Center. The Birthday Surprise was written to her sisters to confess to a birthday prank. My Special Day, Mother's Day' and Mamma's Blues conveys a mother's loneliness sometimes felt with remote children.

Her poems included many tributes to her family. MeMaw's Words of Wisdom and Nanny's Poem for Lauren's Wedding were requested by granddaughters to be read at their weddings. A Tribute to My Family was a poem she read at her Golden Anniversary Celebration that celebrates the lives of her children and grandchildren. Conning Mamma was read at her 60th Anniversary Celbration and describes her daughter's secretive attempts to extract her recipes for publication of a cookbook to be distributed at the celebration. Also included are poems to celebrate the birthdays of 4 children and the life of a grandson who died of spinal meningitis, provide advice to a granddaughter living in Nigeria with her family, and memorial tributes to 3 deceased sisters. Even though not family members, there are also two tribute poems for close church friends.

Several poems celebrate her faith. Little Things Used of God provide 3 different stories of the impact made from seemingly small acts of kindness and faith, including befriending an alcoholic, sending a card to a hospital patient, and demonstrating kindness to an angry neighbor. A Mother's Prayer demonstrates a mother's burden for her children and faith that all will be reunited in heaven. Look to the Savior urges the reader to look to the Savior as an answer to deal with life's many trials, tribulations, and challenges. This God is Our God was written as an introduction to her book, Remarkable Incidents and Answers to Prayer and emphasizes the greatness of God and his presence when needed.

There are a few other non-poetic items included that may be of interest to readers. A letter, written to her sister in 1996 about growing up in the 20's , 30's, and 40's, provides an incredible look at the way things were for many in that generation. A tribute to her father-in-law, delivered at his funeral at 106-years old, provides an interesting perspective of his life and his Christian conversion at 88 years old. An About the Author section includes an article published in a newspaper about her. A summary of her published books, as well as letters from readers of her books, is provided

Finally, her funeral tribute delivered by her son, Dr. Danny McCain, in 2013, is included.

Celebration of Southern Expressions

(Written over several weeks with inputs from family members)

Verse 1

Well, here we go again, my kids asking this old whipper snapper if she

Will write another poem not realizing the old gray mare just ain't what she used to be.

I'd like to take them by the nap of the neck if I possibly could.

Give them a good shaking and then run through the woods

For I think they are crazy as a road lizard or crazy as a bessie bug

But I know we don't see eye to eye so I'll just give them a big hug.

Barry was talking about someone being as drunk as Cooter Brown

And someone else mentioned someone being as meek as a lamb.

Now next comes the old saying drunk as a skunk,

But wait a minute, can you fathom a skunk getting drunk?

Where do all these old sayings come from and where will then end?

Like mad as a hornet or mad as a wet settin' hen?

Have you ever sat down at the table and ate a cat larripin meal?

Even though you were poor as Job's turkey you got a great deal.

For you were hungry as a wolf and skinny as a rail.

And how much you could eat, you never could tell.

While eating you were happy as a dead pig in the sunshine

And cared not for those who were left out or left behind.

And now you don't give a hoot that you're full as a tick

Or how much weight you gain or if it makes you sick.

You are happy as a lark and feel frisky as a pup.

But as you settle into your easy chair, you feel you want to throw up.

You are bumfuzzled and feel low as a snake's belly

And regret you ate that last biscuit with that good homemade jelly.

I'm nutty as a fruit cake you say to your wife nearby.

You're O.K., Dear, Fine as frog hair, split 4 ways and sand-papered, she says with a sigh.

Sheepishly he answers, I'm dead as a door nail and ugly as homemade soap.

I stuffed my gut too much and am so sick I can't even hope

To feel better anytime soon for my stomach feels as tight as the bark on a tree,

And about all I can say for this old wheeler dealer is it's good for me.

Now Darling, relax. You're usually as smart as a whip.

You've just overdid it today. The food was so good, you just slipped.

But I'll manage to get you some medicine though I'm broke as a haint

Now don't look at me like that as if to say, You can't

It may look like we are in a goat's house for wool but you will see

That somehow there will be a way made for me.

What you're feeling better. You just want to go to bed and rest awhile?

Remember If you snooze, you lose, she said with a smile.

Verse 2

Good Morning Kiddos! This old codger is up and out of bed

And can you guess what is ringing in her head?

More old sayings! They pop up and won't go away.

So-o-o here we go! Writing more lyrics on this cloudy day.

I feel as slow as molasses in January right now for this isn't my cup of tea

I am as nervous as a cat on a tin roof. You should see me!

But no use to cry over spilt milk - I'm trying to be as smug as a bug in a rug

And not get my feathers all ruffled because no one encourages me with a hug.

I'm having to work like a dog because a stitch in time saves nine.

So I rake and scrape to get more lyrics together and finished in time.

Chuck will be home soon for every chicken has to come home to roost

And as birds of a feather flock together, he may give me a boost.

Let's see! Who can I say is ugly as a mud fence?

I guess nobody for I don't want to cause an offense.

I might have to straddle the fence if I say something smart,

So I'll just be sweet and nice and humble as a little lark

Now young-uns, if you know any more lyrics, get them to me

And we'll add them to our poem, You just watch and see.

Verse 3

Well, I'm at it again, Kids. I can't win for losing.

I woke up a hittin' it - no use for snoozing.

I may be as sleepy as a fox and all frazzled out

And probably be cat-nappin soon within a shadow of a doubt.

But deep down inside, I will be tickled pink.

To get all this done before I run out of ink.

Sometimes I'd like to wring their necks and box your jaws.

But instead, I'll quote another lyric like raining cats and dogs

I may look as dumb as a mule but Ha! Ha! I'm sharp as a tack

You just wait, Kids, I'll finish this at the drop of a hat.

I can almost hear you say, You gotta crawl before you walk

But with my experience, that is just idle talk.

It scared the snot out of me when you guys mentioned this deal

But the further I go, the more my mind does heal.

Old pot can't call kettle black now comes to mind

And since old Lep was a pup follows close behind.

What about dead pigeon in the sunshine - have I used that before?

And you who makes more money than the law allows and has money galore.

Remember the days when you lived at Mamma's house and didn't have much.

You ate greens, cornbread, beans, potatoes, soup and such.

That was the good old days when we had to root hog or die

We ate what we could get but not at McDonald's and none dared to cry.

The food might be hot as a fire popper and seasoned fit to kill"

But we ate what we could get until everyone was filled.

Well, I guess I've said enough for today. I'm signing off one more time.

We'll see as time goes by if I'll write another line.

Verse 4

Good Afternoon, Kiddos – Your old mom has a bone to pick with you.

Guess what it is! Another old southern expression chapter, this one brand spankin' new.

I feel as if I just got off Noah's ark on crutches since I'm so old.

And ain't worth a hoot but must make hay while the sun is shining so I've been told.

Blood always runs thicker than water so I'm attempting my kiddos to lease.

I take them under my wings and try to set their hearts at ease.

I've heard that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

So I trust all of you rambunctious kids are lending a listening ear.

If the shoes fits, wear it and don't get mad as a stuffed toad

If I bark up the wrong tree or happen to pull your leg as I try to unload.

For I've always stuck by you through thick and through thin

Even if you were stubborn as a mule or mad as a wet settin' hen.

At times, you've scared the daylights out of me by your little-bitty pranks.

But smack-dab in the middle of it, you laughed and said, I can't.

Thank God, none of you ever got high as a kite or ever went hog-wild

Nor were you crooked as a barrel of snakes which makes me want to smile.

You didn't get ticked off easily or galavant the roads about,

Nor did you tell bald-face lies knowing Be sure your sins will find you out.

Some kids are so lazy that they won't take a lick at a snake

But most of you were "a jack of all