Mission Driven Stories: Grandma Moses

Audrey Rindlisbacher Podcast

To youth, Grandma Moses gave this advice: “Keep in good company, always try to improve your mind and body in every way. Never lose faith in what is ahead of you.” These were principles she not only believed in, but lived herself. A simple farmers wife, Anna Mary Moses never dreamed she would someday become known around the world. She never laid up plans to become rich and famous, she just tried to do her duty--to God, to herself, to her family and community--at every season of her life. As she once said about her marriage to Thomas: “I believed, when we started out, that we were a team and I had to do as much as my husband did, not like some girls, they sat down, and then somebody has to throw sugar at them. I was always striving to do my share.” Like many of us, Anna Mary was a mother very involved in raising her family. However, as she lived correct principles, she developed self-mastery, good character, and artistic gifts that first beautified her own family's hearth and eventually made their way into the world's greatest museums. Join Audrey this week as she shares compelling stories of a woman who kept life simple, paid attention to what mattered, and developed the gifts God gave her. Listener's Guide: Use the time stamps below to skip to any part of the podcast. 3:20 Early Life 9:42 On Her Own at Twelve 15:30 Age Fourteen and School 17:16 A Visit Home 20:32 Thomas Moses and Marriage 23:36 The Water Fight 27:45 Roles, Women, Careers 32:54 Arthritis 34:12 Painting - The Beginning 39:33 Fame Grows 44:10 Advice from Grandma Moses 46:12 Honoring Seasons and Developing Gifts Quotes from this episode: “I was proud in those days, could get up such fine dinners for Mr. Whiteside’s friends who came from far off to see him. When the minister came, and I could bring out the fine linen and the china tea set and the heavy silver, then with hot biscuits, home-made butter and honey, with home-cured dried beef, I was proud.” ~Anna Mary Moses “One day at the dinner table, after Thomas had gone out, someone threw water, then someone else. Then the battle was on, some were running out of doors, out to the pump and commenced to throw it by the bucket-full. Some ran upstairs for protection, and they threw water out of the window, nearly drowning the ones under the window. The battle grew hotter, and they threw the water into the window till it ran down the backstairs into the dining room. Then one of my sisters said she would not stand for it if she was me. I told her to let them have fun while they are young and could, it would be something to laugh about when they were old—and now they do…It was a rollicksome, happy house, and their father would join in with them, he really was one of them.” ~Anna Mary Moses “He found me a good cook, and I found him of a good family, very temperate and thrifty. In those days we didn’t look for a man with money, but for a good family, good reputation—many of the boys were chicken thieves…Thomas just loved to work. He was handy and could do almost anything. He was a wonderful man, much better than I am, he was a Christian, always trying to do good to fellowmen.” ~Anna Mary Moses “When my other children were born, I got the other nurse, Aunt Carrie, she took charge of everything. All I had to do was give her $10. She stayed for two weeks and did all the washing, ironing and took care of the other children too. She was a wonderful woman.” ~Anna Mary Moses “I don’t think I ever lost my temper and got real wild like some folks, even when I was young. When I get angry, I just keep quiet and I think “Ishkabibble”—what the meaning of “Ishkabibble” is I don’t know, but it’s quite a by-word,