Nora's Legacy

Nora Joiner wouldn't let herself be compared to the women on social media who were flashing their perfect bodies and wealthy lifestyles. She had her eyes on the blessings of life that money could not buy: an abundant life overflowing with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. She had such great wealth because she was rich toward God.

Nora was on staff at Woodmont Golf & Country Club as the housekeeper. But she was really so much more than her official title there. Nora was a humble, absolutely selfless woman who consistently went the extra mile to meet someone's need. She didn't just dust and vacuum, she voluntarily would climb to the top of a (too tall) ladder to replace light bulbs, and she would take it upon herself to go and find a ladder. She cleaned up litter, blowing along the sidewalks surrounding the clubhouse, mop and scrub walls, floors, and toilets. I've even seen Nora touch up nicks and spots on walls with a small can of paint she purchased herself at the nearby hardware store. 

Without drawing any attention to herself, she quietly "kept house" all over the entire country club area, which included the Woodmont Racquet Club, plus the additional areas of tennis courts, and the two swimming pool areas. I've seen her drive a golf cart across the busy intersection of Gaddis Road and East Cherokee Drive to clean bathrooms and pick up trash around the pool area. Shall I go on? Her work ethic was stellar and consistent -- and way beyond her job description.

Nora Joiner in her "office" where she served people through her work as a housekeeper, an encouraging friend to many, and a prayer warrior.

Anyone who knew her in our expansive neighborhood will recall her kind and gentle spirit, servant's heart, and passion for God and prayer. She transformed the storage closet where her cleaning supplies were kept into her personal prayer closet. She had Bible verses posted on the closet walls to remind herself where her strength came from and to know God will keep helping her. She daily prayed for fellow employees who had requested prayer, as well as tennis and golf members who would show up in the dining room for a quick bite of lunch.

Nora always took time with club members whether they were asking her to pray for them or whether she was inquiring about their families. She was genuinely interested. I'm sure she was unaware of how many people appreciated her and the bright light that shown through her. 

And then Nora got a doctor's report from a colonoscopy that she had cancer, so a portion of her colon and appendix had to be removed. When she shared that news with me, I asked her if I could let the "troops" know so they could be praying. She said in her humble manner, "Yes. That would be all right. Thank you."

The troops I'm referring to were the countless number of women who attended one of the year-round sessions of the Woodmont Ladies Bible Study from 2000-2009. There were a bunch of us who have gathered over the years at the studies, whether we met in the clubhouse, the ladies' locker room, private homes, or Cherokee Hall. Nora stopped by as often as she could and often was cleaning where we were meeting. She rarely could stay the whole time because she was just on a short break.

     Nora seated 2nd row, 4th from left. Woodmont Ladies Bible Study 2003

Even Nora's fellow employees knew when our study was gathering because they would ask her, "Nora, I know your study is today, will you ask the ladies to pray for me?" Honestly. They knew she loved and trusted her God. That's quite a testimony of her gentle but powerful influence. And when she showed up to join us, she'd share with great concern, who was asking for prayer. We were always glad to pray and looked forward to the way God would answer our prayers.. This went on for the nine years I was involved.

                          Nora seated second from left-- Woodmont Ladies Bible Study 2004

And that's how we started calling Nora the Missionary of Woodmont. She knew the names of so many members and watched our children grow. She scattered God's love all over the neighborhood.

            Nora seated front row far right. Woodmont Ladies Bible Study

Nora was one of my best friends. It was always fun to make her laugh. She loved to laugh. Her consistent, humble spirit was and is so rare in our present culture. When I met her over 10 years ago, it was obvious she walked very closely with God and passionately sought to please Him in everything she did. She loved people unconditionally. That's rare, too.

 
She unknowingly showed me how to be a more Christ-like friend. She was an encouraging cheerleader and a powerful prayer partner over the years. She was a tenderhearted woman who did not seek to impress others, just loved them. She was too humble to worry about what people thought of her.

Nora spent three years in and out of hospitals after the cancer invaded her body again. Finally, at home under Hospice care Nora passed into her heavenly home, February 2019. She is sorely missed most of all by her husband, their grown son and daughter, son-in-law, and little granddaughter. As her daughter Julie said, "Mom was a caretaker and a caregiver." 

That's a nurturer.

"A cheerful heart has a continual feast."  Proverbs 15:15     

💖 Polly                                                              

Chasing World Changers Makes Her One

photo credit: SERV International

When I told Susan Schulz I wanted to write a story about her in my blog she said, "Oh! Really? Ok. Do you want me to get the list of all the non-profit groups I've written about so you can talk to them?"

I said, "No. I want to write about YOU writing about all the non-profits!" We both laughed.

Eight years ago she thought she was just volunteering her talents to write a monthly history-based column for Around About Local Media, publisher of several community magazines under the direction of Executive Editor Candi Hannigan. But when Candi asked her to begin to write specifically about people, Susan's heart quickly latched onto and jumped into countless stories of non-profits who are sacrificially helping other people in need. This opened the door for an ongoing glorious adventure.

"It has changed my life for the better. It is amazing how many sparks [of sacrificial non-profits] there are that God has ignited to change the world. And with each one it is usually the same need that has broken their own hearts first. I've been through trauma, so I have a heart for others who have been traumatized. I've heard all these beautiful stories from all these groups, but I couldn't fit it all in the 500-word-limit article each month. So I told my small group that I would like to write a book and tell more of all the stories. I told them I'd like to name it, Chasing World Changers.

Just a glimpse of her long list of stories about non-profits include: Team River Runner, which hosts events on the Ocoee River for PTSD veterans, Wake for Warriors which uses water sports for healing of injured vets and their families, Fishing for Warriors, where Susan fed the group a fish fry after their day on the water, War Angel Farm which rescues and rehabs abused or abandoned animals, The Hope Box which rescues at-risk babies. Hope2Africa meets the needs of children living in extreme poverty by investing in them through mentoring.  Next Step Ministries provides day services to clients calling them "exceptional people with special needs." Reboot Recovery is a trauma recovery course for combat veterans, first responders, and civilians.

Susan lights up when she says, "Writing about non-profits makes me come alive. I feel like it's an answer to my heart's cry--when you experience trauma you need healing. I love being the person behind the scenes, lifting other people up without being in the limelight myself. Investing in people, promoting people is what feeds my hungry soul," 

The people who lead and serve in all of the non-profit groups she's met exude humble, joyful, persevering character. They embraced her as she met and wrote about each group. They took her on their journeys with their hearts and physically, too!  And she had a blast!

Team River Runner Ocoee River trip 

Susan in second row with orange helmet.

photo credit Paul Parsons

War Angel Farms

Susan with three-month-old "Daisy" who was born as a

preemie, rejected by her mother and rescued. 

Reboot Recovery

Friends Susan (3rd from right) and Hope2Africa Founder Becky Harris 

(2nd from right) graduated as a trained leaders

to help others through trauma.

Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue

Susan with Christopher and Roo

Simple Needs GA

Susan with volunteer Mac

Susan sees herself as a professional volunteer. She's also a wife, mother of three, author, writer in several publications, and a women's ministry leader for more than 30 years. She's also a Bible Study Fellowship International graduate and presently working towards becoming a "Fellow" in the C.S. Lewis Institute Fellows Program.

When she's not out chasing world changers, she stays busy on their five acres along the Etowah River. She's adopted and rescued four mini horses who she calls "my boys", as well as one full grown mare, nine chickens, and lots of grand pups.

Susan Browning Schulz

 World Changer

"I cherish promoting the world-changing non-profits because I want to share good news. I feel like I'm on the front lines of Good News because their inspiration is amazing! It is that spark of human spirit that comes from people who will invest in each other. I define what I do like this:  Chasing World Changers is discovering non-profits whose works give us hope and purpose."

"A cheerful heart has a continual feast."

Proverbs 15:15

She Smiles When She Talks

When I told Diane Oberkrom I wanted to write a story about her and title it, "She Smiles When She Talks," she laughed. I told her, "You really do!"

She smiled broadly and told me, "I think I was just born with a happy disposition. I've always been a smiler," she said. Believe me, no one has to tell her to smile for a photo, she's already there! 

Her life has not been an easy journey, but she is trusting God as the power who is higher than her circumstances. Diane is a widow and a single mom. Her son, Augie, who's a 2019 Reinhardt University graduate, attends culinary school while working as a chef at a local restaurant in Canton.

Here's Diane, owner and baker of The Soul Food Market, giddy over the recipe she calls, "Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Cushion." Actually, those are gourmet sandwich cookies.

Diane is so well-grounded that she freely lives a delightfully, whimsical lifestyle. She was raised in the church. Her parents and grandparents are Christians and have lived lives of faithfulness to God. It's all she's known growing up she said. "I have always been easy going and I try to do what is right--but not perfectly of course! But I didn't get mad when my husband died--I certainly didn't expect it to happen. He died in his sleep. Augie was 8 years old at the time and he asked me what actually happened to his dad. I didn't plan to answer him the way I did, it just came out of my mouth. I said to him, 'Jesus came to our house and took Dad with him.' I've just always trusted Jesus."

Diane was a successful corporate banker working in downtown Atlanta, and she kept having dreams night after night of starting her own bakery. She'd awaken in the night and write down recipes for cookies, cakes, and cupcakes. She dreamed of putting Bible verses on business card-size tags and attaching them to each individually wrapped treat. It would be in the same way fortune cookies have a message. 

She followed that dream of establishing The Soul Food Market in 2005. It began as an online bakery. Her heart has been not only to delight the palate of her customers, but she's also passionate about nourishing their souls with the Good News of Scripture.

I've seen her smile when she answered the phone for takeout orders and catering gigs. She named her culinary creations like a loving mother gives pet names to her beloved children.  When an Elvis impersonator came to the Canton Theater, she provided refreshments in honor of the actor and Elvis, serving grilled peanut butter sandwiches, and banana and bacon sandwiches. Her "Love Me Tender" dessert was a banana cupcake with peanut butter, buttercream frosting and bacon crumbles, and the "Blue Suede Shoes" cupcake had blue butter cream frosting. She also named cupcakes in honor of local city officials. Her chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream icing and a chocolate malted milk ball in the center was named, "Tall, Dark, & Handsome" after the local firemen.

The most famous cupcake was the mini-chocolate cupcake with chocolate buttercream and a malt ball on top. She named it "Short Dark & Handsome" after then attorney, Tony Baker, now Cherokee County Superior Court Judge. She catered his swearing-in ceremony and baked those as part of the buffet!

Diane's menu grew along with her business in Historic Downtown Canton. Soups, salads and sandwiches with wild, humorous names filled her menus. Over the years she opened and closed two storefronts where she daily served many local business owners, county and city officials, jurors and attorneys from the County Courthouse.

She's shipped boxes of her goodies to all 50 states, and to three countries. "I wanted to be a disciple to all the nations and the salt of the earth, but instead I'm the flour, sugar, and butter, too! She has closed her online bakery, too, and now just whips up clever culinary delicacies for family, close friends, and longtime customers.  

Meanwhile this joy-filled lady studied to become a paralegal and works for Bray & Johnson Law Firm in the Historic Downtown Loop. Her smiles radiate there, too!

In January, Diane turned 65 years old. She and a couple of her family members headed to Nevada to begin her birthday celebrations at a Chuck Wagon Cooking School! Yes!  The frosty temperature outside was below-zero! That's Diane, living life to the fullest! I begged for photos.

This is Diane, wearing snow pants for the sub-zero temps, with Kent Rollins, Chuck Wagon Cook. While she was cooking, her menfolk were in a cowboy hat-making class. (R)Those are Diane's jalapeno cheddar biscuits about to go in the oven.

This was just beginning of the week-long celebration for this birthday girl! Their schedule included dogsledding in minus 10-degree temperatures! But she said it warmed up to minus 3! 

            

The next day they had a Nordic Sauna scheduled; that's when the guests get in a sauna house for about 20 minutes at 190 degrees and then lowering their body temperature by jumping in icy water or sitting outside in the snow. Diane said she didn't sit in the snow, she just walked outside. :)

Then off to Minnesota for a family reunion at West Wind Resort, a place her cousin built lakeside to provide a full-service fishing vacation spot, including cabin and fish house rentals. And that's where Diane and her two traveling companions landed next, ice-fishing in a tiny house on an oh-so-frozen lake in Minnesota!

Here they are, "moving their house into the perfect spot," Diane told me. :)

Diane is always going to be cooking up delicious, new, and creative ways to enjoy life while she loves the people around her. She has a heart that likes to stir up wildly, hilarious adventures that end up inspiring others. She'll keep serving with that smile, too, that's just how she rolls.

A cheerful heart has a continual feast. *

Proverbs 15:15

*NIV commentary: "Continual feast: Life is as joyful and satisfying as the days of a festival."

*ESV commentary: "Feast is metaphor for joy."