Remembering Mrs. Joyce

 I just wanted to take a moment to share some thoughts and memories, as well as some lessons I’ve learned from being blessed enough to grow up with Mrs. Joyce in my life. Mrs. Joyce came to GSBC when Jay was in elementary school.  Her and mom became instant  friends and so began the knitting of our families together.  I am thankful for Jay for lots of reasons but one main reason is because he was a boy! That  left an opportunity for me to get to be the daughter Mrs. Joyce never had. Since Jay and I were both only children, we got to grow up as pretend brothers and sisters. As soon as I got my driver’s license, my goal in life was of course to drive around and go places. Jay was a good excuse to do that. Every chance I got, I’d take him to the movies. Do y'all remember the old bon marche theater off of Lobdell??  It had four lanes 2 going one way and 2 going the other. You had to cross over one to get to the one we needed. Unfortunately, being a new driver, I turned heading for the oncoming traffic.  Jay and I were both screaming, Jay was screaming for his life and I was screaming please don't tell Mrs. Joyce!!  All the way home I begged him not to tell and he promised he wouldn't.  Of course, the first thing he did when we got to his house was tell her. But I never knew that though till years later because Mrs. Joyce never said a word.  And she continued to let me take him places. A definite character trait for her was how laid back she was...it took a lot to get her rattled.  Just ask Jay because he gave her a lot to be rattled about!!  I’m just kidding…..he was her pride and joy and she was so proud of him and so thankful for him...and he was a good son and she loved him so very much.

Every major event in my life, Mrs. Joyce was not only there, but she also played a huge part in from my own wedding almost 25 years ago to Bailey’s wedding last year….she was a great Memaw to Bailey and Alec...she loved them, supported them, and celebrated them their whole lives and our family was blessed because of her. I am so thankful for all those memories but what I am most thankful for is what she taught me. She taught me what devotion looks like as she cared for Mr. Jody until the day he died.  How she drove every single day back and forth to New Orleans for 8 months….that is true love y'all and as much as it shows us about her relationship with Mr. Jody and her love and devotion to him, it shows us of her love and devotion to her Savior...In Him is where she found her strength and her hope….He is where she found a peace during those months and after his passing. 

Her relationship with Christ was also evident during the flood of 2016. Like so many others, her and Miss Sara and Jay all flooded.  That was such a hard time for so many, and she had to do it without Mr. Jody. She told me one time she was glad he wasn't here to have to go through it, but that sometimes she would give anything for him to be here so they could go through it together.  But the Lord instead allowed her to go through it with Mrs. Sara...and they both handled it with such grace and strength...she was so proud of that house...what she was able to salvage as well as the new stuff the Lord blessed with. Again, her relationship with Christ continued to sustain her. 

And let me talk a minute about Sweet Mrs. Sara….these two were truly two peas in a pod. I have never seen two sisters genuinely  get along as well as they did.  They enjoyed each other's company so much and had such a good time together. They were so much alike and then different too….they both insisted on rebuilding both of their houses because neither one wanted to give up the master bed and bathroom...and they were so cute how they talked about each other. When we were moving them back into their houses, one time I was with Mrs. Joyce moving Sara’s stuff and she was saying how Sara is a pack rat, she won’t get rid of anything.  A little while later, I was with Mrs. Sara and she said...Joyce is a hoarder, she won’t get rid of anything!! It was so cute mostly because neither one of them wanted to get rid of anything!!  But I can honestly say I never even heard them say a cross word to each other...even when they would tell stories from their childhood back in Burris and they would have different facts or remember things a little bit differently, Sara, would say,” Now, Joyce that's not what happened.”...they'd go back and forth for a minute and inevitability, one would concede. They both took such good care of their parents and each other.  This was such a neat relationship to watch...I know it is going to be so hard for Miss Sara, but I am so thankful for what they had...it is rare and special and they have some wonderful memories that can sustain them until they are together again. 

Mrs. Joyce meant so much to so many.  And we are all better because the Lord saw fit to let our lives intersect in one way or another.  Losing her is tough for sure, but it’s glorious to know where Mrs. Joyce is and if we know Christ as our Savior, one day we will see her again.