My Harmony church family always hosts bridal showers for our members. One Sunday afternoon before one of our bridal celebrations, my mind drifted back to the Harmony UMC ladies of yester-year and one dear soul in particular, “Miss” Shellie Matheny. I love remembering Miss Shellie’s gifts since her present not the most expensive but always the highlight of the church shower. No doubt Miss Shellie’s gifts were her expression of Christian love.
Miss Shellie would always give the most unusual gifts. We all knew her package. The large cardboard box was the most obvious of all presents. Inside the box were several smaller gifts. There could be anything inside; one packet of oatmeal, a package of Lance crackers, a single box of matches, to whatever she thought you might need. There was one incident when a roll of toilet paper was included. And always, and I mean always, there would be a Danny Dozit pot cleaner. Miss Shellie’s gift was a gift of love that was well thought out.
The most fun was watching an un-expecting bride open the box and pull out one item at a time. The bride-to-be would chuckle, thinking it was a joke but no-sirre. This was serious business. Miss Shellie would make comments after each unique gift was revealed and offer marital advice laced with Christian love.
Miss Shellie has since departed this life but I just had to re-create that scenario. With all the ladies of Harmony present, I had to give our newest bride the Miss Shellie gift. We all laughed as we remembered Miss Shellie. Someone mentioned the cards she would send that always included one stick of chewing gum. When Thomas graduated from college, she gave him a tube of Brlycreem hair gel and a black comb.
Miss Shellie was a thoughtful servant and a faithful member of Harmony. As we were all celebrating our memories, I thought of the scripture we recite during the church service when the offering is presented, “All things come from thee, Oh Lord, and of thine own have we given thee.”
This is what being a Christian servant is all about and how Miss Shellie Matheny lived her life. She gave all she had from the abundance of a caring heart.
