The Art of

Why I feel qualified to write this book

I am Freddie Faye Collins, daughter and  only child of Namon and Eddie Lee (Miller) Cunningham,  who lived in San Antonio, Texas.  I am a 71 year old female , married to Lorenzo Collins(deseased) a minister of the Churches of Christ.  We raised 6 wonderful children, 3 girls and 3 boys.  They blessed us with 21 grandchildren and 5 great grands.

 

I attended Grant Elementary School.  My middle school was Ursuline Academy (all girls school).  My high school was Thomas Jefferson.  I attended college in Terrel, Texas at Southwestern Christian College.

 

I worked on several types of jobs.  I was a teller in a bank, a nurse aid in several nursing homes.  I did clerical work for the Aetna and the Hartford Ins companies.  When my children were at home and some in school, I worked nights so I could be home for my children in the day.  Of course that afforded me little rest and I was usually a tired sister. 

 

As the wife of a minister, I taught Ladies Bible classes.  I was given the opportunity to speak at the Ohio Lectueship in Lima, Ohio; where I spoke on the Responsibilities of Motherhood.  I've spoken on several Ladies Days and have given presentations on Aromatherapy, for I am a great advocate of Natural Health.

 

When I attended SWCC, my dean, Sis. Mary Carpenter introduced me to the study of BIBLE WOMEN.  I was captivated by that study and have continued studying Bible Women to this day.  I learn something new each time I study. I was extremely grateful that the Lord had recorded so many stories about women that were examples for us to use to help us in our daily living.  I have noticed that many women are missing out  on this wealth of knowledget that God has provided for us.  So I have made it my vocation to maximize on this study and become a specialist in this field.  In my writings I give narrations of about a hundred women that God has recorded in His word that we can learn from.

 

As I was writing on Bible Women, I realized that we women need to know about the wonderful occupation that God has blessed us with.  So I began to take notes on the Art of Womanhood.  My husband wanted to go into the mission field to save souls.  He went out on faith, and we went along with him.  Kind of like Abram going to  a place he knew nothing about and with little or no funds. We began our work in an old school bus, that had been renovated into a motor home. All we had was our children,  a few  clothes, household items and 2 kerosene burners

 

One day, my husband made the mistake of making this statement to me.(IF I FAIL AT BEING A MISSIONARY, IT WILL BE YOUR FAULT).  I was devastated.  I determined within myself that this would never happen.  So with God's help, I began to muster up awesome strength and fantastic creative abilities I didn't know I had .  I began to search, create, experiment,,gather notes, collect articles and consult the older women who lived in the rural community we were settled in., and knowledge began to flow into my mind and creativity sprang into my fingers and I began to make our almost impossible primitive surroundings into a place of beauty and comfort.

 

We lived in the converted school bus behind an abandoned church building where about 30 or more trash bags had been discarded possibly years before.  The bags were torn, insect infested, with scum and debris falling from the tares.  I began to move those bags of trash  and filthy debris out to a distant area of a field.  I drug them off one by one.  Then collected all the piles of bricks that were mixed in with the trash and began to lay them to make a front pathway.  I totally cleared the area of spiders and scum .  It took me a full day.  I was sore as sore, but I was victorious.  My family was delighted.

 

We had no utilities, so for water, I had the children put containers at every area that rain water dripped from.  We used the rain water for washing up, and for hair and clothes. etc.  The neighbor allowed us to use his hose to get drinking water.

 

There was an old thrift store about a block away with every kind of old or antique items anyone needed.  And they almost gave things to me.  It was almost like they were paying me to buy the items. And they also delivered.  I bought a rub board (for washing) and an old iron (to put on the kerosene burner to press our clothes), a foot peddle sewing machine andthere were many other things I purchased over a period of time.  I used the burner for washing clothes, sponging and cookingour food, making from turkey to biscuits.  

 

We had little money for food and no money for toiletries.  So in talking to an elderly neighbor, I learned that she had made soap in her day.  I determined to learn this art for myself.  And this I did.  I was one proud lady when I furnished my family with my wonderful homemade soap.  We used it for everything.  My clothes were clean and  smelled fresh and pleasant.  I made soap for everyone I knew.

 

My children would get sick sometimes.  There was no money for doctors.  So to the library and elderly women I would go  to gather information on old home remedies.  The remedies always worked.  

 

With the sewing machine, I made the children clothes and coats etc.I even made a little money sewing.  My electricity was my youngest son.  He would peddle with his hands or his feet.  We had quite an operation going there.(smile)

 

So, living in this rural area with nothing much to live on, I became a Kerosene burner Chef, with the Rub Board a Laundy and Cleaners, with the knowledge of Home Remedies I became a Natural Pharmacist, with the sewing machine I was a seamstress and tailor.  All the things I learned, I wrote down in a ledger to save for my daughters.  These invaluable notes can be a life saver when the time comes for such a need.  We were always clean, healthy and looking good. We always got compliments. People knew how poor we were, but we never looked the part.  People were astomished

 

I am known for my talents and abilities, but I really can't take credit for it.  I only did what God created me to do.  All the talents were inborn within me. These same talents are in you ladies,too. You only have to develpoe them.  I developed my creative abilities out of necessity.  I really know why people say (NECESSITY IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION.  It truly is.

 

My book will give you the notes, recipes, formulas, prescriptions, patterns, etc. that I recorded for my daughters.  But I decided that I would share this information with all women who desired this knowledge.The ultimate thing that makes one excell in the art of womanhood is ,TOTAL TRUST IN GOD.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)  If you put God first in your life, everything you need will be given you. (Matthew 6:33).