There is a special lady that lives a long way from me that I want to give tribute to. For some reason I cannot get her off of my mind. She has been a "life-long friend" and I admire her greatly! Before I was born she was friends with my parents. In fact, before Daddy married Mother, Daddy traveled with a young man name Bill who eventually married the lady I am talking about.
Aunt Joyce...You are one of the sweetest and most beautiful ladies I have been privileged to know all of my life. As I little girl I always looked forward to seeing you and Uncle Bill. You have always been so much fun! I remember many times listening to you and Mother talk and giggle. It didn't have to be anything much, and at times I would wonder what ya'll were laughing about, but you just kept on "giggling" like two teenage girls. I have heard Mother speak of you all of my life. She loved hearing you preach! She would say, "I LOVE hearing Joyce preach!" I would ask her why, and her answer was always the same. "She has something to say and she is a lady when she is in the pulpit." I don't know how many times I heard her say those words! After I got older, I also loved hearing you preach! You have always been so "real". There has never been any pretense about you.
Through the years I always knew that wherever you were, if I walked up I would be greeted with a warm hug from you. I always got that "warm fuzzy feeling" because once I was in your presence you made me feel so special. Thank you for loving me and letting me know it.
Your life is a perfect example of how to walk with the Lord. Your dedication, your passion, and your love for God has been a guiding light to me through the years. You are one of the people I admire for knowing HIM! You have never flaunted that you were spiritual, you just were! You have never been judgemental of others. You have loved those who were not perfect. You are a beautiful example of being "Christ-like". Thank you for your stand for righteousness, holiness, and separation from the world. Oh, how I wish everyone would have the "spirit of holiness" you have portrayed, and love it like you do.
I do not know why I have felt led to write this tonight. I really want you to know how I feel, and everyone else to know that if they want to see a "true, Christian lady" they need to look at your life and pattern their walk after you.
Aunt Joyce, I submit this for all the "blog world" to see, because I love you so very much! Thank you, thank you, thank for your love for me! I will carry your name forever, and I trust I will bring you the honor you deserve!
I love you!
Linda Joyce
Note: For those of you who do not know who I am speaking about: Aunt Joyce was married to Rev. Bill Barnes and they pastored in Farwell, Texas for years. He died many years ago from a brain tumor. She is now married to Rev. Robert Baglin. He is a wonderful man, and loves her so very much. They live in California.
22 comments:
You are so right about this dear lady! I have have the privilege of being her pastor's wife now for 10 years! What Godly LADY she is!! She leaves her mark on each of us and truly makes ME feel special. Now that is a gift! Thank you for posting this!!
Susan, thank you for writing. I know you love her so much, and I appreciate your care for her. You are very blessed to have her in your life for so long.
I was privileged to work with Sis. B for almost 10 years at Truth Tabernacle. Every word you wrote about her is absolutely true! She is genuine, full of kindness and wisdom.
Linda,
I always read your blogs and enjoy them so much. Seems you always have something good to say. I seem to keep up with my friends from the
past through your blog.
What a beautiful tribute you paid me. I'm not worthy of all your
kind words, but I do appreciate them. How thoughtful of you to write.
I have been going through "aging".
My bones aren't as youthful as before..your thoughts make my day brighter already. I have had cataract surgery on both eyes. Just
about finished with the "drops"
I think of the inscription in my Bible;
I cannot tell why there should come to me
a thought of someone miles and miles away
In swift insistence on the memory
Unless there be a need that I should pray.
Thanks for thinking of me, loving me, praying for me, and writing
such a beautiful tribute.
I love you Linda,, God bless you and yours.
Aunt Joyce
The memories that flooded my mind when I read this about Aunt Joyce were many. The trips our family took to Farwell will never be forgotten. Remember riding in the truck with Uncle Bill and Daddy, chasing jack rabbits? So much fun! Listening to Mother and Aunt Joyce talk and "giggle" is a priceless memory. Oh well, I won't rewrite your post. :-) Aunt Joyce is everything you said, an incredible lady. Love her too, so much. Thanks for honoring her. Love you too!
.....and I have been so blessed to have her as my mother-in-love for the past 34 years.
She really is the greatest.
Her daughter-in-love,
Juanita
No one is quite as lucky as David and I are!! To be able to say that we are Joyce Barnes-Baglin's grandkids is the best thing in the world!!! Our Nama is an incredible lady...Godly, classy, loving to all who know her and even to those who meet her for the first time! There is no one QUITE like her!!!!
Nama, I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!
Linda, thanks for writing the tribute to Sis. Barnes...as i know her.....she and Bro. Barnes were my Pastors for many yrs.in Farwell/Texico and they lived what they preached!! She/they will always be special to me!!
As you know, we lived on the farm and poor Bro. Barnes was thrown off of our horse and almost ended up in the trash barrels....lol poor thing had a broken collar bone and we all felt so bad.....but he loved to ride and the freedom he felt on that horse. They also enjoyed the rabbit hunting.......I have SPECIAL memories of both of them......
OOPS, I didn't mean to remain anonymous...sorry :)"
She is one of my favorites also. We worked together for Bro. Morton - back in the day and she was my support and friend. We have a special bond. Love her deeply!
Sandie Craft Richardson
Manteca, California
Y'all are so sweet to post about Aunt Joyce. She is such a sweetheart. Those who have been able to live around her for years are so blessed! Thank you for writing! I'm sure she will read your comments.
Aunt Joyce...you deserve so much more! Thank you for calling me today. I loved every second!!!! Just to hear your voice, and you "giggle" was so neat! Love you!
I am flooded with memories of this great Lady, also...you see, she is actually my "Aunt Joyce"...I have many memories of her laughter and giggling. She has a way of creating memories in other peoples minds with her wonderful sense of humor, her godlliness and just being a lady in the true sense of the word. Thank you aunt Joyce for all the cards you have been sending me and all the prayers and encouragement you have given me throughout all the years. I love you!
This lady is my biological sister. She has always stood by me with encouragement and love and understanding. So glad that she is my sister! I remember a lot of giggles myself with her and I and Mom. I remember when we got the Holy Ghost at the little church in Lamesa, TX. Such a wonderful time.I love you
I heard you were writing about this lovely lady today and had to come over and read it! Beautiful post.
I've known her my entire life. There is no one like her. And you're right, that giggle is the BEST!
So wonderful to read all the sweet comments too. She is loved.
WOW!! I concur with EVERYTHING you said and everything posted in the comments. This is one special lady. My favorite memory is of her and Mother giggling. They always made me laugh along with them - they were so cute. Love you, Aunt Joyce, and so privileged to have had you in my life!!!
Linda
Thanks for the awesome post about an awesome lady. I was blessed to be born into the home of Bill & Joyce Barnes. I don't have words or the room to write them to describe my Mother. In the darkest hours of my Dad's sickness there was never a unkind word or questioning God of why do we have to go through this. I am so thankful for the heritage passed to me by my parents and the Godly example of what a lady should be that my Mother is. Many a time I would come home from school or being out with friends and hear her prayers. Time may slow her down physically but her love for God and her walk with God is stronger every day. Mom always was and still is a woman of faith.
Thanks to everyone who has commented also for your kind words.
May God bless you all.
Gary Barnes
Thank you all for responding and writing your special love messages for Aunt Joyce. I can tell she has impacted your lives in a beautiful way! Those who are her family members are definitely blessed to have her in your life. For the rest of us who are friends, but feel like family, we are very blessed to have her influence in our lives. What an incredible lady she is.
Gary... THANK YOU for writing! You are a wonderful son! You have stood by Aunt Joyce through her darkest hours and we all love you for it. Thank you for loving her and loving God even though I'm sure you didn't understand why your dad was taken from you. You have stood strong through some of life's greatest adversities. There's a special reward for you when you get on the other side! What a glorious day that will be!
Thanks again Linda for your tribute
All comments were read, enjoyed by Br. Baglin and me.So kind of all of you to take time to write.
Love you much.
Aunt Joyce
Aunt Joyce, you are welcome! I enjoyed writing about you. I also enjoyed reading everyone's comments. Love you lots!
WOW! I want to say so much, but what can I say that hasn't already been said about this great lady! What an awesome friend she has been to our family over the years! She and her husband were also my Pastors in Texico/Farwell when I was a young girl. Even though I was young, I will never forget the Godly example she set for my sister and I! I remember the prayer meetings in their home, when Bro. Barnes would have, what we thought were sinus headaches,(later learned it was a brain tumor) and we would stay and pray until he got relief from the pain. That's when I learned, at a young age, that prayer changes things!!! It was also because of the Barnes' that I met one of the dearest friends I have and that is you, Linda. We became friends when your family would come visit the Barnes. I was around 10 or 11 years old at the time, and that friendship has lasted for several years....(I won't say how many for both of our sakes)!! The tribute you wrote brought back so many memories and I appreciate you giving credit, where credit is due!! I love her so much and I love you too!! Thank you for posting this tribute!
Kay Watts said
All the wonderful and gracious things that have been said about this precious lady are so true.Many thing in my own life have been patterned after her godly example.
When my husband and i were young and young in the Lord, Bro. and Sis. Barnes came to be our pastor in Texico, NM. My husband began his ministry under Bro. Barnes.
Some tome after Bro. Barnes passing, she came to Pasadena where we were pastoring and for the next seven years served as our church secretary. An even greater bond of friendship was developed.
It was a joy to us when she married Bro. Robert Baglin. She could still remain Sis. "B", even though her name changed. Since then,we have traveled together, laughed together, wept together, and prayed together. We live on opposite coasts now, but we still talk often. She is indeed, my closest friend and confidant.
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