Grandmother Barber

Nine children. 

A small farm. 

A husband unable to provide for the family. 

Grandmother Barber had plenty of reasons to say, “I can’t.” 

Yet she raised her children, cared for the sick, shared what she had, and kept walking toward God—sometimes carrying a kerosene lantern. 

What did she understand that we may have forgotten?

I’ve had a post on my grandmother, Nannie Barber, in mind for several months. During the visitation and funeral of Aunt Sue Jones on October 2, the last child in that family to die, I was reminded of that planned post.

I remembered Mrs. Ollie Coble presenting her an award at a ladies’ day several years ago. I located that in my files.

She expressed many of the thoughts that I wanted to communicate. The following is what she wrote for that day.

Mrs. Nannie Weatherspoon Barber was born in the Taylors Creek community on Sept. 29, 1899, to Sally Chandler and Tom Weatherspoon, the oldest of 6 children: 2 girls and 4 boys.

She grew up, attending church and school in the Taylors creek community, where she was baptized Oct. 13, 1912 by A.B. Gunter.

She married Omar Barber Feb. 3, 1918, and to this union were born 9 children. Estelle, J.T., Ann Lee, Mary, Ester, Billie, Sue, Clara, and Lucille.

Mr. Barber became ill and couldn’t be responsible for the physical or spiritual welfare of the family. Mrs. Barber had this responsibility placed upon her for at least 20 years before Mr. Barbers’s death in 1959. She reared her 9 children in the Lower Sulphur Community. Her only income being what she, with the help of her children could produce on a small farm. With God’s help she was able to provide for her children and send them to school. Even with the struggle to provide for her own family, Mrs. Barber was deeply concerned about the welfare of others, and found time to help nurse the sick, and share the problems of the people of the community, including her invalid mother.

During these trying years she maintained a strong faith in God, and taught her children, both at home and in attendance of the services of the church the christian way of life. As a result it appears that all her children, without exception, are faithful christians.

It’s interesting to consider some of the problems arising while rearing a family of 9 children under these conditions. Consider, walking over a mile to attend all the services of the church during a two week gospel meeting, carrying a kerosene lantern. On one occasion during the journey home it was discovered that one of her children was missing. In desperation the family turned around and went back in search of the lost child. They were relieved to find her standing in the corner of an old rail fence fast asleep.

And of course there was no money for doctors and medicine. In order to provide for her children’s needs Mrs. Barber knew a home remedy for almost every ailment. Her children can well remember the treatment of mullein tea, yellow percoon root and asafetida [ass-uh-FET-ih-duh]. Recently one of her son-in laws remarked after a “treatment” of mullein tea that, “If he got sick again he wouldn’t tell her.” Another said “asafetida don’t kill any germs, but they all take off when they smell it.” One of her grandchildren, after visiting her grandmother for a few days came home excited saying; “Grandmother never has to buy anything, when she needs something she just makes it: butter, soap, lard, corn meal, and other things.”

In her reclining years she can be likened unto Dorcas. “Full of good works.” She spends her time sewing and serving others through the church, and also those whom she knows personally who needs her assistance. She gives liberally of her small income to help send the Gospel to those who are lost.

We who work in the benevolent program know of the many garments she has made from recycled clothing.

Her entertainment is to listen to her collection of tapes of gospel sermons and gospel songs, as she goes about her work.

In addition to her 9 children, she now has 18 grandchildren, and 18 great grandchildren, and in the words of Solomon “They all rise up and call her blessed.”

Now Mrs. Barber, I present this beautiful New Testament from the church in appreciation of your dedication to the God of heaven and His work. Knowing you will continue to read and study it and be guided by His word. God bless you always.

The presentation was made by Mrs. Ollie Coble

In my most preached sermon, which I’ve delivered 191 times, I use Grandmother as an example of the principle of the woman in Mark14:8. Jesus said of that woman, “She has done what she could.” The theme that I emphasize over and over again — do what you can, with what you have, where you are.

I read the story of Dorcas, which is recorded in Acts 9:36–39. Luke wrote, “This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.”

The Holy Spirit doesn’t waste words. What did this lady do to have been described in such a great way?

Did she give hundreds of thousands of dollars to build the Dorcas cottage in a children’s home? No.

Did she give millions of dollars to build the Dorcas Library at a Christian school? No. 

We read more.

When the apostle Peter came to her house, all the widows stood around and showed the coats and garments which Dorcas made while she was still alive.

She had a needle, and dedicated that to the glory of God and the benefit of her neighbors. 

She did what she could, with what she had, where she was.

I tell about a woman I knew in Middle Tennessee, described in the tribute I’ve just read. In the summer, when she harvested her vegetables, she’d can a few gallons of pickles and green beans. She’d say, “I feel sorry for those children at Tennessee Children’s Home in Spring Hill, Tennessee. I can’t do much, but maybe these pickles and beans’ll help.”

In the wintertime, she put up a quilt frame and stitched quilts. She said, “I can’t do much. But maybe these quilts’ll help. I feel sorry for those children at Tennessee Children’s Home who don’t have a mother and a daddy.”

What did this poor, almost penniless woman do? She canned a few gallons of green beans and pickles. She quilted a few quilts, and she donated them to those who didn’t have a mother and daddy.

She did what she could, with what she had, where she was.

Grandmother Barber left her family more than memories. She gave us a lifetime of evidence that her faith was real.

When our grandchildren tell our story, will they know what we believed?

Did we do what we could, with what we had, where we were?