She Magazine JULY 2016 | Page 41

Being born and raised in South Carolina has attributed to Loretta Cox ’ s Southern ways . Better known as Rhett to her family and friends , Loretta has lived in the South and has been adhering to its ways and culture for all of her 78 years . “ Being Southern means we are set apart in our accent , our strong heritage from the early Colonial days , and our deep faith in the Lord . From my personal upbringing , I learned to respect my elders , to be obedient to my parents , faithful in my friendships , and to be an example to others .” The South is included in the area of America known as the Bible Belt , and appropriately so . Time honored traditions , along with Biblical truths taught through the ages , keep Southerners sweet , grateful , and tethered to our Lord . So perhaps this place with a slower pace , shady trees , and green , growing fields gives us Southerners time to pause , reflect , and enjoy God ’ s goodness around us — especially during the sunny summer months .
Aside from our deep ties to the land , part of being Southern includes our notorious interactions with our neighbors , church families , kinfolk and friends . We are always “ blessing someone ’ s heart ” and sending out our “ my mercy ’ s .” The days of social circles , bridge clubs , and women ’ s circle groups are not dead to Southern women . According to Loretta , “ A Southern Belle enjoys having close friendships and associations with other ladies , being kind in the way we treat others , and we let love shine through in the way we respond and act toward others . It is not just what you look like , but how you act .” Loretta ’ s actions rightly align with her beliefs and Southern upbringing .
Church involvement and giving back to the Lord through service top Loretta ’ s priority list . She helps with various activities at Faith Chapel on Hoffmeyer Road in Florence , such as decorating , set-up , preparing meals for parties , Bible School , church lunches and more . As a “ retired ” pastor ’ s wife of over 25 years , she has found new ways to be involved at church . In the past , Loretta taught Sunday School , sang in the choir , played the piano for services and led the Ladies ’ Missionary Society . “ Now I find myself in a different season of life as we are some of the few older people at the church . There are still many ways in which I can serve ; you ’ re never too old to serve . I feel it is my role to set a proper example of a true disciple of Jesus Christ , as opposed to someone who just attends church but lacks a real relationship with Him . I do this by endeavoring to encourage these younger people in their faith . I want to be an encourager !”
Loretta explains that their small , non-denominational church is filled with young families , lots of children , and a great love for the Lord . In Community Bible Study , Loretta participates in Helping Hands , a support organization for the teachers of the children ’ s Bible study . The Helping Hands group is made up of women who volunteer to take turns in assisting the teachers , from serving snacks to facilitating crafts . Though she ’ d like to be able to volunteer more with the children ’ s ministry , Loretta isn ’ t able . She helps out elsewhere and doesn ’ t let her age or ability hinder her . “ There are always opportunities to help that I am capable of doing . Each one of us must do our part no matter our ages .”
While Southerners are known for their faith , the South is known for faithfully frizzing hair with its humidity . We take the humidity in stride , though , because we make up for it with fair weather and blue skies . The climate in our beloved Dixieland is one that Loretta doesn ’ t take for granted . How lucky we are that we are able to experience all four seasons of the year !
Though we surely experience the extremes of summer ’ s heat , the spring and fall moderate temperatures make up for the almost three months of high temperatures . Loretta admits she doesn ’ t enjoy dealing with the bugs and mosquitos of summer , but she puts up with them . In addition to our four seasons , the South is vast in vacation destinations . “ We can be at the beach enjoying the ocean and in a few hours drive , be in the mountains !” As a retired teacher , Loretta still looks forward to these precious summer months of vacation . Though now , she exclaims , “ I am on a permanent summer vacation !” When she isn ’ t reading or vacationing in the summer , Loretta enjoys watching television reruns like Perry Mason and The Andy Griffith Show . “ And , you can ’ t have a good summer without enjoying a delicious peach milkshake once in a while .”
Traditionally , Loretta ’ s family vacationed at the beach each summer with her mother , dad , and grandmother . “ Mother always packed a cooler with fresh-cut watermelon and cantaloupe . Of course , you cannot celebrate the Fourth of July without watermelon !” She still holds her family ’ s time-honored beach trip tradition dear to her heart . In fact , Loretta continues this tradition by meeting up with her high school friends each October to spend a week at the beach . She and her friends cook , shop , and walk along the beach while enjoying each other ’ s company . “ Now that is definitely Southern when your best friends are still your high school buddies !”
The small towns spread across the South are quaint and some indefinitely infamous , but the closeness of family and friends in small towns is what Loretta attributes to her strong relationships . Her fondness of small town life comes from her days growing up in Newberry . There , she had many opportunities to make lifelong friends , some of which are the friends that accompany her to the beach each fall . She even met and married her husband , David , while attending Newberry College located right in the heart of Newberry .
Unless we ’ re reminiscing the days of old , Southern ladies don ’ t wear hoopskirts anymore , but we still make it a point to be classy , poised , and tailored in how we present ourselves . On occasion , Loretta and David match and coordinate colors . Loretta especially likes to dress David in the cool , iconic seersucker fabric of summer .
Above all , Loretta explains that , “ It ’ s a Southern thing to be kind , mind your manners , obey your parents and respect the Lord . As a Southern lady , I hope I keep these traditions for myself and as an example to my family .” Loretta enjoys life because she is blessed so abundantly and wants to focus on the good things in life . As she lives each day , Loretta strives to gain wisdom through her thoughts and daily chores . Being Southern is more than simply location and area of residence ; it is a way of life and a gift from God . “ Of all the places the Lord could have placed me , I think He put me in the BEST ! But then again , all of His plans are good !”
SHEMAGAZINE . COM JULY 2016 43
B Being born and raised in South Carolina has attributed to Loretta Cox’s Southern ways. Better known as Rhett to her family and friends, Loretta has lived in the South and has been adhering to its ways and culture for all of her 78 years. “Being Southern means we are set apart in our accent, our strong heritage from the early Colonial days, and our deep faith in the Lord. From my personal upbringing, I learned to respect my elders, to be obedient to my parents, faithful in my friendships, and to be an example to others.” The South is included in the area of America known as the Bible Belt, and appropriately so. Time honored traditions, along with Biblical truths taught through the ages, keep Southerners sweet, grateful, and tethered to our Lord. So perhaps this place with a slower pace, shady trees, and green, growing fields gives us Southerners time to pause, reflect, and enjoy God’s goodness around us—especially during the sunny summer months. Aside from our deep ties to the land, part of being Southern includes our notorious interactions with our neighbors, church families, kinfolk and friends. We are always “blessing someone’s heart” and sending out our “my mercy’s.” The days of social circles, bridge clubs, and women’s circle groups are not dead to Southern women. According to Loretta, “A Southern Belle enjoys having close friendships and associations with other ladies, being kind in the way we treat others, and we let love shine through in the way we respond and act toward others. It is not just what you look like, but how you act.” Loretta’s actions rightly align with her beliefs and Southern upbringing. Church involvement and giving back to the Lord through service top Loretta’s priority list. She helps with various activities at Faith Chapel on Hoffmeyer Road in Florence, such as decorating, set-up, preparing meals for parties, Bible School, church lunches and more. As a “retired” pastor’s wife of over 25 years, she has found new ways to be involved at church. In the past, Loretta taught Sunday School, sang in the choir, played the piano for services and led the Ladies’ Missionary Society. “Now I find myself in a different season of life as we are some of the few older people at the church. There are still many ways in which I can serve; you’re never too old to serve. I feel it is my role to set a proper example of a true disciple of Jesus Christ, as opposed to someone who just attends church but lacks a real relationship with Him. I do this by endeavoring to encourage these younger people in their faith. I want to be an encourager!” Loretta explains that their small, non-denominational church is filled with young families, lots of children, and a great love for the Lord. In Community Bible Study, Loretta participates in Helping Hands, a support organization for the teachers of the children’s Bible study. The Helping Hands group is made up of women who volunteer to take turns in assisting the teachers, from serving snacks to facilitating crafts. Though she’d like to be able to volunteer more with the children’s ministry, Loretta isn’t able. She helps out elsewhere and doesn’t let her age or ability hinder her. “There are always opportunities to help that I am capable of doing. Each one of us must do our part no matter our ages.” While Southerners are known for their faith, the South is known for faithfully frizzing hair with its humidity. We take the humidity in stride, though, because we make up for it with fair weather and blue skies. The climate in our beloved Dixieland is one that Loretta doesn’t take for granted. How lucky we are that we are able to experience all four seasons of the year! SHEMAGAZINE.COM Though we surely experience the extremes of summer’s heat, the spring and fall moderate temperatures make up for the almost three months of high temperatures. Loretta admits she doesn’t enjoy dealing with the bugs and mosquitos of summer, but she puts up with them. In addition to our four seasons, the South is vast in vacation destinations. “We can be at the beach enjoying the ocean and in a few hours drive, be in the mountains!” As a retired teacher, Loretta still looks forward to these precious summer months of vacation. Though now, she exclaims, “I am on a permanent summer vacation!” When she isn’t reading or vacationing in the summer, Loretta enjoys watching television reruns like Perry Mason and The Andy Griffith Show. “And, you can’t have a good summer without enjoying a delicious peach milkshake once in a while.” Traditionally, Loretta’s family vacationed at the beach each summer with her mother, dad, and grandmother. � ��Mother always packed a cooler with fresh-cut watermelon and cantaloupe. Of course, you cannot celebrate the Fourth of July without watermelon!” She still holds her family’s time-honored beach trip tradition dear to her heart. In fact, Loretta continues this tradition by meeting up with her high school friends each October to spend a week at the beach. She and her friends cook, shop, and walk along the beach while enjoying each other’s company. “Now that is definitely Southern when your best friends are still your high school buddies!” The small towns spread across the South are quaint and some indefinitely infamous, but the closeness of family and friends in small towns is what Loretta attributes to her strong relationships. Her fondness of small town life comes from her days growing up in Newberry. There, she had many opportunities to make lifelong friends, some of which are the friends that accompany her to the beach each fall. She even met and married her husband, David, while attending Newberry College located right in the heart of Newberry. Unless we’re reminiscing the days of old, Southern ladies don’t wear hoopskirts anymore, but we still make it a point to be classy, poised, and tailored in how we present ourselves. On occasion, Loretta and David match and coordinate colors. Loretta especially likes to dress David in the cool, iconic seersucker fabric of summer. Above all, Loretta explains that, “It’s a Southern thing to be kind, mind your manners, obey your parents and respect the Lord. As a Southern lady, I hope I keep these traditions for myself and as an example to my family.” Loretta enjoys life because she is blessed so abundantly and wants to focus on the good things in life. As she lives each day, Loretta strives to gain wisdom through her thoughts and daily chores. Being Southern is more than simply location and area of residence; it is a way of life and a gift from God. “Of all the places the Lord could have placed me, I think He put me in the BEST! But then again, all of His plans are good!” JULY 2016 43