This is story #33 out of 50 from my book, “My Walk With Lord”. This story is dedicated in memory of my mother, Mary Ruth Winn Rozier, October 22, 1929 thru January 7, 2001.

Proverbs 33:31 “Give her of fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in gates.”

Mama was tired, her body was frail, and her spirit was broken. She had fought a good fight, but battle scars were too many. She was 71 years old and weighed 71 pounds. As I briefly touch on some of events in her life, you will understand her desires to go home to rest.

Mama and her twin sister were born October 22, 1929. Her parents, Archie and Ruth Gill Winn, named them Mary and Mildred. Aunt Mildred was tall and thin, and Mama was shorter and had more meat on her bones. They grew up in South Georgia with six other siblings. Uncle Jasper was killed in World War II so I never knew him. Her two other brothers and three other sisters were all kind and humble people. One thing about Mama’s family was love they had one for other. Materially they were not rich, but good Lord had richly blessed them in things that money can’t buy. As I write this, I can remember growing up as a child and later during my adulthood of being around all those aunts, uncles, cousins and of course grandpa and granny. Mama passed on this value of family to me and my four sisters.

Grandpa Winn died on November 17, 1963 just a few days before President Kennedy was killed. Granny died May 20, 1986. One by one their children followed them in death. As I write this today, May 25, 2003, only Mama’s twin, Aunt Mildred, and her baby sister, Aunt Ida Mae Walker, are still living.

Mama and Daddy married young. Daddy had served in Pacific in later part of World War II and as most young men of those days was happy to get back home and marry his sweetheart. My oldest sister was born in 1948, followed by next sister in 1949, then me in 1952, my next sister in 1953, and then my baby sister in 1956. I believe they wanted a brother for me, but it didn’t happen. I wouldn’t take all money in world for my sisters! They are all smart, wonderful mothers, super good cooks, and very compassionate and loving. Their names (in order are): Shirley, Evelyn, Linda and Joanne. I always remember Daddy saying, “God has surely given me beautiful girls!”

Mama and Daddy struggled financially at first. The small 2 bedroom frame home couldn’t hold all of us. This house didn’t have an indoor bathroom (we had a chamber pot and an outhouse). I remember Mama heating water on stove so us children could bathe in a number two washtub (a galvanized tub about three feet diameter). Daddy sold furniture and picked up odd jobs to make ends meet. Then one day something wonderful happened to him. He was born again!

Once a man becomes a new creature in Jesus Christ, he begins to pray for his family. A few years after his salvation, Lord called Daddy to preach and he was ordained as a minister.

Daddy’s prayers for a better paying job were answered and we moved from Patterson to Blackshear. I was seven years old when we moved to a rented house with an indoor bathroom. The girls and Mama were happy!

Well, Daddy continued to pray. He wanted us to have our own place. God answered this prayer and in 1962 we moved to a 15 acre pecan orchard. We had a house, barn, chickens, hogs, cows, ducks and a good garden spot.

Daddy was pleased. He was a pastor of a neighborhood church and continued to sell and deliver furniture.

Mama was 37 when Lord called Daddy home. There were four of us left at home. For next ten years, Mama was a single parent. She made many personal sacrifices for us. She also trusted God and He helped her to raise us.

In 1976, she remarried a good man, Euell Deal. He only lived about two and one half years after she remarried. At 49 years of age, Mama had lost two husbands yet by God’s grace and comfort, she continued on.

In 1980, she remarried. This time, man was not so good. At first he was; he went to church, took Mama places, and was pretty good to her. Mama was reasonably happy and content with her life.

Then false Christian reared his ugly head. First, he started with mental abuse, then physical, and sexual abuse. Over years, this stress took a toil on Mama. She wouldn’t talk much about it, she would say, “You just don’t know.” You see, she was unequally yoked. Here she was a lamb, and she was plowing with a jackass.

Any parent whose baby has suffered from colic can tell you that colic is one of most excruciating experiences ever imaginable. Nothing is worse than seeing one’s baby in pain and not being able to help take it away. Finding relief for colic quickly becomes a top priority. There are many different colic remedies that may come to rescue for your particular baby. Each baby is unique and may only respond to some or a combination of colic remedies. Unfortunately, parents may have to use old trial and error method to determine which provide greatest amount of relief for their little colic sufferer. One thing is certain, days of waiting it out are long gone for those determined to find an answer. There is no need to suffer needlessly along with baby. If you have tried all proper feeding and burping techniques and baby is still crying, try following list of most effective remedies available:

#1 Music / Sound - Traditional lullabies, classical music composed for infants and heartbeat/womb CDs are very popular external remedies that relax many babies suffering from colic. You can find some particularly good ones at Slumber Sounds web site. Some parents have had great success by placing baby in car seat on top of running dishwasher, washing machine, dryer or near running vacuum cleaner. A gentle shhhhhhhing sound in ear can work magic, as can soft whispers and humming or singing.

#2 Diet - Bottle fed babies with colic may show improvement if switched to a different formula, such as soy. The mothers of breastfed babies may have to pay close attention to their own diet to make sure that babies are not having negative reactions to certain foods. Try eliminating following common culprits one at a time for a week to see if there are any signs of improvement for baby: dairy, caffeine, chocolate and gas-producing foods such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, peppers, melons, tomatoes, citrus fruits, beans and peanuts.