Family Tribute

Eat

A Brown family gathering is sure to meet you with some tried and true staples: Phyllis Brown’s courageous cabbage due to its small kick, Lynn Brown’s marvelous macaroni and cheese, Alice Mae’s crazy good cranberry salad, awesome applesauce cake, and spectacular sugar cookies, Dale Brown’s precious peach cobbler, and Verna Brown Wilson’s ravishing roast beef. I would be remiss if I did not mention the childhood staples of Granny’s amazing applesauce and the all time classic corn pudding and David Brown’s cherished chocolate chip cookies. Other honorable mentions would be Clarence Newman’s genuinely great green beans and Phillip Newman’s pound cake that has been perfected and thankfully we are still able to enjoy.

The Brown’s have some budding chefs coming through the ranks that include Sylveta and Kendra Brown and Kasha Pearson. Notice yours truly is not named but if need be I do know my way around the kitchen – Phyllis Brown did indeed fulfill her motherly duty. 🙂

Pray

I will eternally be grateful that I had praying grandparents and therefore praying parents. It is and will forever be evident that William and Florence Brown built their family on God’s word. The motto in their home, “but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” – Joshua 24:15 (KJV). I remember the last service I attended with my grandmother. Her grandson was preaching and playing the organ, her sons were on the bass and guitar, her granddaughters were leading in praise and worship, and another grandson was playing the drums. One thing is for sure, with the gifts and talents given the Brown family the words penned in Matthew 18:20 come to life for you are guaranteed church sho nuff’ taking place!

Love

I once asked Granny how they raised seven successful children. She said the motto in the home was that you always tried your best. It’s amazing that three small words are so potent – try your best. I love that this motto is evident in the William and Florence Brown lineage. We are a family of artists, beauticians, chefs, educators, managers, models, those providing their own versions of Brown “Law and Order” :-), truck drivers, and most importantly men and women of God. I also believe that we are a family who has and will continue to live up to the motto that was instilled in our parents – to daily try our best.

Teach

Very early in life I knew there were certain things that were not going to happen in the home up on the hill in the junction. Certain things like no secular music, no playing cards, and no distasteful language that included the phrase shut up. That does not mean good times were forfeited. At least once a month my sister and I would travel to the country to play a spirited game of Uno © in which my uncles and father held no cut cards. The key was not to sit in between them! I also grew up watching Bruce Lee (being the youngest of the crew my opinion didn’t matter), Saturday Night Sing, and Tom and Jerry. Summer visits granted me the opportunity to pick blackberries and take part in the production of homemade ice cream. This is when being the youngest came in handy. My strength or lack thereof kept us four close in age from enjoying the fruits of our labor. I am thankful for family, faith, and for the values that are the fabric of our lives. I am thankful for the lessons that life has taught us. I am thankful for the lyrics penned in Florence Brown’s favorite song (“To be like Jesus”) and Albert Brown’s favorite song (“He’s Sweet I Know”) that my heart can still sing.

(To be like Jesus,) to be like Jesus,
(to be like Him,) to be like Jesus,
(oh, how I long,) oh, how I long to be like Him.

(He’s so meek and lowly,) so meek and lowly,
(Jesus is ever humble and holy,) humble and holy,
(oh, how I long,) oh, how I long to be like Him.

He’s sweet I know
He’s sweet I know
Dark clouds may rise
And strong winds may blow
But, I can the world 
Wherever I may go
That I have found a Savior
And He’s sweet I know

I am thankful and will forever be grateful for the love William Brown (grandfather), Florence Beatrice (grandmother), Albert William (father) and David Lee (uncle) deposited into my life and the lives of 12 other grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren.