In Loving Memory of Pauline Cotton Woods
May the light Sister Woods kept shinning never dim, and her prayers continue to cover those she loved
We Call Her Mom
This page will be written from my heart. I don’t know of any other way to talk about who my mom was to her children.
Our mom could never be called lazy. When she was married would wake up before the sun rose to fix our father breakfast and lunch. By the time we were getting up for school our breakfast was ready and clothes laid out and ironed. She kept the house spotless and always had dinner on the stove. It wasn’t unusual for us to come home to her singing. She loved to sing.
Pray was very important to her and she taught us how to pray. Before going to school and before going to bed, we would gather in the living room and seek the Lord.
But, she was not all about prayer and church, there was a balance. She encouraged our creative sides. Ray, Pandora and Daniel could all sing. Pauline inherited the ability to tell stories. It didn’t matter what our talents were, mama made sure we had time to cultivate them.
At night, if we asked real nicely, she would read us a story. Gathered around, listening to her read parables, bible stories, and some fiction; we learned the value of reading. One of our best and cherished memories is when she would drop us off at the library on Saturday for a few hours. We would read to our hearts content before checking out some books to read at home.
She encouraged us to play outside. We would climb the mountain (Joshua Tree National Park) and built a whole city in our backyard – including a dump.
Our mama may have struggled with having four children and being divorced, but we never lacked for anything. She taught us that no matter what happens in life, keep smiling and God will see us through.
When we were younger.
