By Brenda Cannon Henley
My mother was a hoot. She was a mess. She was funny, irreverent, and often said things directly to people that I literally feared. I, on several occasions with her, thought I might faint if she uttered one more word. It took me a while to discover that she was very intelligent. Oh, when I was very young, I suppose I thought she knew everything, but as I grew toward my teen years, I changed that opinion — probably several times. At my age now and with her death happening five years ago, I look back and realize she was literally quite brilliant. I wish I had remembered more of what she said.

Flo Cole Cannon Davis had a saying or an old proverb for almost every situation. She quoted them at will and one or the other of her own children was often the recipient of her vast amount of sarcasm, correction, and sometimes anger. My husband said something to me last week that threw me for a loop. Ted is kind and most often gentle and soft spoken. I said something off the top of my head and he replied, “Do you have any idea how much like your mother you just sounded?” I stormed out of the room with a mumbled, “How dare you? I did not sound like my mother!” But, thinking it over, I probably did blast out just like Mother would have done.

Lest you think I am teasing or exaggerating let me give you an example of what I mean about Mother’s tongue. My son pastored a large church in Groves for 14 years and was known for being rather strict about behavior in the congregation. Mother and I attended the services there and were sitting in about the fifth row one Sunday morning with the entire building packed to the walls. Feeling a hearty elbow to the ribs, Mother whispered quite loudly, “That woman’s chewing gum in the front row of the choir is going to Heaven.”

Shushing her as best I could, I said, “Mother, please don’t call attention to us. You know Brent won’t like that at all.” I tried to pay attention to the sermon, until another elbow blow, harder that the first, landed in my side, “Just look at that,” Mother said rather loudly. Sensing that I would not be able to quiet her down without letting her say her mind, I asked, “How do you know that?” She smiled that wickedly deceptive smile and said again in that stage whisper, “Well, she’s chewed the hell out of it all morning.”

OK, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t laugh, but I tried to do it discreetly. You know how it is in those situations. The more you try not to laugh, the more you think about whatever was said, and the more you laugh. I realized my entire body was shaking, and so I got up quietly and excused myself from the service feigning a coughing spell. When I hit the vestibule door, I hugged myself and laughed out loud for several minutes. I could barely look at the choir member in the face when church was dismissed.

I love good humor. I enjoy laughter, deep belly laughs, and having fun with my friends. I do have one prayer as I age that I pray often. “Please, dear Lord, help me to know when to speak and when to keep quiet.” The tongue is talked about many times in Scripture. We are warned about our usage of it and we are urged to keep it under control — to work diligently at taming it so as not to hurt others or cause disturbances.

“If any man (or woman) among you seem to be religious, and bridleth (controls) not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain (useless).” (James 1:26)

“Behold, the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth.” (James 3:5)

Brenda Cannon Henley can be reached at (409) 781-8788 or at [email protected].

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