Mama was Baptist, but...

It was the Winter of 1963...and I had a really bad cough. The doctor told my mother to make a mixture of honey, lemon juice, and WHISKEY! 😮 She was instructed to give me a spoonful as needed until the cough was gone. My mother was distraught! Her only daughter's health was of utmost importance...but, BUT----we were Baptists!! How was she to follow Dr.'s orders?

Fortunately, our neighbor, Lucy, had a working knowledge of whiskey... and needed a ride (since she was no longer allowed to drive). Mom parked as near to the road as possible outside the closest liquor store (Ms Lucy was able to share directions), and cowered down in the front seat, cautioning me to lie still in the back seat. She further instructed me that should anyone approach us we were to tell them that the car broke down. Apparently, lying was a lesser sin than being parked outside a liquor store!

 
That memory stayed with me. I admit to drinking alcohol a few times in the years ahead, but I was 26 years old before I ever walked into a liquor store...and that was only because I needed milk for my kids and nothing else was open early on a Sunday morning. And that's the truth! Not all of my mama's instructions followed me throughout my life, but on the other hand, I am now 62 years old and have never been in a POOL HALL!

Today I have another cold. I have some honey, and I have some lemon juice. I even have teaspoons. Of course, no whiskey; Mama would be so proud. LOL!  But, this reminds me of another song...

 

Come to think of it, the only times I have been around my mom's family and alcohol, it involved teaspoons: homemade cough syrup, my grandmother's attempt to drink a little wine before eating to relax muscles making her get strangled (2 spoonfuls and she claimed she was too dizzy to continue), and a bizarre Thanksgiving that involved tasting a bottle of home-made wine that someone gave my aunt. Each of the adults (who were willing) tasted a spoonful and quoted Scripture about wine and/or drunkenness. They were quite knowledgeable about this topic and Scripture! Of course, I was never handed a spoon or offered a chance to try it. After all, I was a child---only 36 years old!
 
#MamaWasBaptist #ILoveMyFamily