I'm back!

Apr 13, 2009 23:55

Yeah, so I haven't been on live journal (the actual site) in what seems like forever. I am trying to regain some order in my life so hopefully this will change.

I wanted to get on tonight to post this awesome article that was written about my grandmother in her local newspaper recently. Enjoy!

GUYTON - Even after 100 years, Evelina Sheffield still fishes.

Her daughter, Mary Barrett, recently took her to Griffin Lake so she could enjoy a favorite hobby despite the fact this time she came home empty-handed.

Sheffield, a lifelong resident of Guyton, celebrated her 100th birthday in January.

A life of faith

Sheffield has been attending Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church since she was a child and remembers being baptized when she was 11 years old.

She recalls walking barefoot to church over dirt roads and through pastures, carrying her shoes in a sack on her shoulder to keep them clean.

A long journey couldn't keep her away, and she now credits her long life to her faith.

Sheffield said she gets through each day by praying - in the morning, at night, when she takes her medicine and anytime she is aching.

"It keeps me going," Sheffield said. "I couldn't do it myself, it's all in the hands of the good Lord."

100 without the help of modern medicine

Sheffield is proud that through her 100 years she has only spent one night in the hospital, and that came in the last decade.

She didn't eat before attending church services and passed out in a pew. Someone called an ambulance, and they took Sheffield to the hospital where she was released after observation.

She made it through the natural birth of 11 children with only the help of midwives. Her oldest child is 79, and her youngest is 54.

She also has 44 grandchildren, 63 great-grandchildren and 25 great-great-grandchildren.

Her advice for not getting sick is to wear an undershirt and not rush outside when it is cold.

Active in every phase of life

Although she can't go out as much as she would like to, the phone at Sheffield's house is never silent for long, ringing with friends who want to chat.

"She has friends all over the place," Barrett said.

Barrett managed to talk her out of going to the polls to vote in the presidential election in November, but Sheffield, who never misses voting in an election, cast an absentee ballot for President Obama.

Along with raising 11 children, Sheffield was no stranger to work. She used to take in laundry, pick cotton and worked for many years at Ratchford Market in Guyton.

Sheffield said she still remembers the recipe for liver pudding.

"I've come through a heap in my lifetime," Sheffield said.

Sheffield's secret to a long life is simple.

"I just go ahead," she said. "I've had a little pain, but I pass it off and just go ahead."

My grandmother is my heart! She is amazing. <3

obama, grandma, awesome!

Previous post Next post
Up