Celebration of Life, Family, and Faith: Collection of Poems, Tributes, and Stories

This book is a collection of poems, stories, and tributes that Georgia Davenport McCain wrote over a 40 year period. They celebrate her life, family, and faith.

Since she had 10 published books, mostly Christian novels or celebrations of her faith, her family often encouraged her to publish her book of poems. Even though she indicated a willingness to do this someday, she never did. After her death as a result of injuries suffered in an automobile accident, a binder of her poems was discovered in her house. Unfortunately, one of the poems not discovered was her poem she had read to family members to be presented at her funeral.

Her poems provide a perspective of life experiences. “Celebration of Southern Expressions” provides a tribute to many of the Southern expressions that are common to her friends and family in the Deep South, but may not be recognized elsewhere. “The Snake Story” describes her experience discovering a snake in the chapel while delivering a funeral tribute. “Tribulations of a Politicians Wife” provides a view of her life as the wife of an elected Police Juror in Louisiana. “The Cat Law” gives a perspective on an effort to pass an ordinance to control cats. “The Old Folks Home” describes the difficult but joyful transition to living in an “old folks home”. “A Tribute to My Daughter and the Senior Citizen Center of Ball” describes her daughter's initiative to get her connected with the Senior Center, her initial reluctance, and the eventual great joy she received from the Senior Center”. “The Birthday Surprise” was written to her sisters to “confess” to a birthday prank. “My Special Day, Mother's Day' and “Mamma's Blues” conveys a mother's loneliness sometimes felt with remote children.

Her poems included many tributes to her family. “MeMaw's Words of Wisdom” and “Nanny's Poem for Lauren's Wedding” were requested by granddaughters to be read at their weddings. “A Tribute to My Family” was a poem she read at her Golden Anniversary Celebration that celebrates the lives of her children and grandchildren. “Conning Mamma” was read at her 60th Anniversary Celebration and describes her daughter's secretive attempts to extract her recipes for publication of a cookbook to be distributed at the celebration. Also included are poems to celelebrate the birthdays of 4 children and the life of a grandson who died of spinal meningitis, provide advice to a granddaughter living in Nigeria, and memorial tributes to deceased sisters. There are also two tribute poems for close church friends.

Several poems celebrate her faith. “Little Things Used of God” provide 3 different stories of the impact made from seemingly small acts of kindness and faith, including befriending an alcoholic, sending a card to a hospital patient, and demonstrating kindness to an angry neighbor. “A Mother's Prayer” demonstrates a mother's burden for her children and faith that all will be reunited in heaven. “Look to the Savior” urges the reader to look to the Savior as an answer to deal with life's many trials, tribulations, and challenges. “This God is Our God” was written as an introduction to her book, “Remarkable Incidents and Answers to Prayer” and emphazizes the greatness of God and his presence when needed.

There are a few other non-poetic items included. A summary of her published books, as well as a few letters from readers, are provided. A letter, written to her sister in 1996 about growing up in the 20's , 30's, and 40's, provides an incredible look at the “way things were” for many in that genearation. A tribute to her father-in-law, delivered at his funeral at 106-years old, provides an interesting perspective of his life and his Christian conversion at 88 years old.

Finally, her funeral tribute delivered by her son, Dr. Danny McCain, in 2013, is included.