Ms Mary Asher Wilson

During this special time of Christmas-Thanks-Giving Season I have been continuing to remember folks that I am thankful for or individuals that I remember in a mode of thanks because of their investment in others.
Mary Asher Wilson is one of those “gems” that I’ve been thinking about. To many she was just a little lady that played the organ at church, but she was so much more. Ms. Mary as she was affectionately known, was a lady who played the organ faithfully at her church, was a most devoted follower of Jesus, and she was a true giver of gifts. The gift most precious to me would be the gift of herself she shared on many occasions.
Please know that I am not an alone single individual that has a unique insight into Ms. Mary. I am one of hundreds of hundreds touched through my teen years back in Bell County, but she and her husband have touch thousands upon thousands throughout Kentucky and the world. Ms. Mary built at least one building to honor her family at Cumberland College, now the University of the Cumberlands, Georgetown and Campbellsville not to mention contributions to Clear Creek Baptist Bible College.
Today as I write I am thinking about her beautiful shining white hair, that pleasant demeanor that would put one at ease, her quietness and sincere desire you would feel when asking her a question or as she would listen at you talk. She had great quality and was someone who cherished the blessings God had given her, and she was willing to let others benefits from God’s goodness. Now that type of character is just as unique today as it was then, and it lives on because she made the attempt to invest in others, trusting them in their own visions, and aspirations.
I love singing and enjoy music and Ms. Mary did too. I received my first ever Carson Silver Dollar from her, but most cherished was just her playing the organ and me singing. My memory recalls her saying “why don’t you sing it this way, and I will do this with the organ and that will sound nice”. She was always right, and I learned one of those valuable lessons in life about trying old things new ways from her.
Leading the church congregation in singing was a treat too. Directing the congregation in singing with her at the organ playing was always fun because she would follow your lead, and for someone that was so young, leading someone with age and experience it was a valuable experience. I learned through that experience the beauty of team work, mutual trust and respect.
This Christmas I am thinking about hearing her say, I love the decorations, but I will need to have a clear view to the pulpit to follow the director, so the organ would have little sitting up in a big fan fair way. My most cherished thoughts of Ms. Mary would be her sitting in that little chair next to the organ, listening to the preaching of God’s word. While playing the organ, it would need to be line of sight, but when not playing she would quietly sit in a hidden spot so as not to disturb the movement of the Holy Spirit by moving around or being seen getting ready for the invitational hymn.
Precious memories, how then linger, and how they ever fill our souls. May this Christmas cause you to also remember someone that made a difference in your life because they gave of themselves to your benefit.

Until then.