Honoring Ms. Vanessa Leonard

 

Children’s Corner: Our 4-year-old great-granddaughter Chelsey Days is honored Student of the Week. So proud of her! We love you, Boo.

 

Our sincere prayers and condolences go to the Leonard family in the loss of Ms. Vanessa Leonard, a woman of great dignity and power, who was short, but stood tall!

It is amazing how this unique woman had such an impact on so many people, especially me. Back in 2005 she touched my heart deeply after losing my brother Earlie; who has the same name as her father, Earlie; after reading a letter written to the editor in the newspaper from Vanessa. It touched me so much, I decided to write a letter in response, and the owner of the Coosa County newspaper, Mrs. Jo Scarbrough, was so impressed she asked me to write and be a columnist for the paper.

First I said “no.” However, the impact Vanessa had on me made me say “Yes.” March is Women’s History Month, and who deserves more honor than Vanessa Leonard? Thank God for her. We will miss her deeply.

I honor her this month with sharing my first column from January 2006 in “The Coosa County News,” where she encouraged me to write, and still as of now, 2024, I write. Notice her former pastor of New Home Church, Pastor Caldwell, was honored in this first column.

 

My first column, “Being a winner,” from 2006:

Christmas at Union Square was like Christmas at Times Square, New York. Christmas lights lit up the whole Square; different designing lights were shown from Aaron and Elsie Riggins’ home. They were beautiful and a winner.

It was a great sight to drive through the Square and see Mrs. Annie Leonard and Bobby’s house and yard filled with Christmas lights and the sweet sounds of Christmas carols playing.

Frank Matthews and Walter Brooken Jr. took the skyline. Their trees lit up the sky so well and beautifully that the wise men could not get lost. They had no problem finding baby Jesus, and He still lives today. “Happy birthday, Jesus.”

Christmas was a blessed day for Union Square. Everyone was so peaceful. Sometimes we call it Pleasant Valley.

I had dinner with Elsie and Aaron Riggins after church service at their church, New Home Baptist. It was a very good service. All four of Pastor Caldwell’s associate ministers preached on the birth of Jesus, and Pastor Caldwell summed it up.

Dinner was good. Elsie and Aaron both are great cooks. There was so much food that I brought dinner home for April, and she really enjoyed it! It was a great occasion. Their children and grandchildren came from afar.

I enjoyed playing with their 3-year-old grandson Jalen. It reminded me of my Christmas as a little girl. It was so much fun and joy that tears of joy ran down my cheeks.

Jalen said to me, “Don’t cry, Miss Ruby.” I laughed, and I stopped crying, but when it was time for him to leave, tears of sadness began to flow down my cheeks. I did not want him to leave. I left before he saw my tears. I love him so much, and I miss him. I don’t see him as often as I did before. He goes to daycare now, and he loves it.

We are all one big happy family here at Union Square. “We are winners.” My grandson, Chesley, is truly a winner, a great soldier who did not give up. This was his first Christmas without his mother, who passed on Feb. 11, 2005. He still had joy.

He had a good Christmas. He thanked God for his grandmother “Ma Ruby” and cousins Demetris and Quan. He spent his Christmas break with Quan, learning more about computers. Quan is a computer wizard. He has amazing skills and has a lot of patience with Chesley, and Chesley is grateful for that. He will be a computer wizard when Christmas break is over. January 9, they return to school.

We are sorry to hear about the passing of our friend Jack Hilton Jr., December 19.

We marched out of 2005 gratefully. Watch Night service was at First Baptist with Pastor Benson (host). Our guest churches were New Home with Pastor Caldwell and Peace and Goodwill with Pastor Williams.

Pastor Caldwell was the first speaker. He taught from I Samuel 30:6, and the subject was “Be Encouraged.” He taught us to learn how to encourage yourself when everyone seems to turn their back on you or try to discourage you.

Pastor Williams taught from Matthew 5:12-14, with the subject of “Salt Effect.” We are the salt of the Earth, but if the salt loses its flavor, we are good for nothing, and it will not season anything. When we sin, repent and get seasoned. After all was said and done, we went home to prepare for 11 a.m. worship service.

We entered 2006 with a powerful message from Pastor Benson. His subject was “I was Born to be a Winner.” He started his message on the first day of the year with the first book of the Bible and the first chapter, Genesis 1:26. He taught us how to be a winner with Jesus, which is to be born again. The only way we can win is with Jesus.

He also taught us that how to stay a winner is “Do not give up.” Let us not give up. God is too good.

Psalm 65:11 reads, “God crownest the year with His goodness.” So let us be a 2006 winner. Happy New Year, everyone!

 

Call Ruby at 256-935-1330 to spread your good news.