Simply Yaya

Simply Yaya

Tuesday, 21 February 2023 13:08

This place we call home…
I have had the discussion quite a few times lately. If you’re from “around these parts” as I call it, you get it without question. If you “ain’t from around here,” sometimes it’s hard to understand. Stick around long enough, and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
If there is a need in our little corner of Northeast Alabama we call Jackson County, it will be met – without hesitation and without strings attached; we take care of our own. I’m proud to be a small town girl. I can’t imagine life any other way.

Of course, the world we live in isn’t the one I grew up in as a child, but even in this modern world, I’ve taken the examples and principles I was shown and taught growing up and continue to apply them to my walk on Earth, not passing up a person in need if I can at all help it, giving a kind smile to someone on the street and praying for those in need.

My aunt Ruby was a praying woman. She was kind and lived her entire, (yet, too short) life showing me there is no room for anything in my life but being good to the folks around me. I don’t think she had a jealous bone in her body. I was molded into the person I am because of many folks in my life, but mostly to her. With quietness and grace, without me even knowing what she was doing, she set a path before me I don’t dare stray from for fear of disappointing her.

She’s gonna meet me at the gates of Heaven someday with a bowl of fresh popped popcorn and tell me to come on in because Solid Gold or Heehaw is fixing to come on, and we don’t want to miss it. That was one of our many “things” we did together when I was a little girl – a little girl who luckily lived next door to this angel of an aunt, for many times I needed a refuge to run to. Oh, how I’m glad she was mine.

I am turning 50 this week. A whole half of 100. I lost Momma when she was just 51. It’s an odd feeling to be reaching that milestone knowing her story and how suddenly it ended. I will spend every day I have left here on my journey realizing that every day is such a gift. A blessing. The days are tiring, and they don’t always end up like I want.

The people around me aren’t always what they appear to be. My heart gets disappointed, my feelings occasionally get hurt, but then I just think, “What would my Momma and Aunt Ruby do?” I’ll tell you what. They would keep shining their lights. Doing the right and kind thing no matter if someone liked it or not.

Be kind, be humble and show grace. Don’t let jealousy or this ugly world around you get you down. Make your little bit of difference wherever you are, whenever you can.

Aunt Ruby’s Cheezy Chicken
Ingredients:
• 1 box cheeze-it crackers, crushed
• 1 lb boneless chicken breast tenders
• 1 stick butter
Instructions:
1. Melt butter in shallow dish.
2. Crush up crackers and pour onto a plate.
3. Dip your chicken tender into melted butter, then roll in the crushed up crackers.
4. Spray a baking dish and lay chicken in dish. Season with salt & pepper.
5. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until juices run clear in chicken. Enjoy.

-Kim Rice-Holman