Charis Elizabeth Coker

Charis Elizabeth Coker

Break time from Authentic Faith and Spiritual Heroism. Time to talk about my girl.

Charis brings to our family one of the most unique blends of character and characteristics of our family. The physical resemblance between her and my dad’s mother Ellaymah is uncanny. Not only that, the independence and willingness to be her own person, as she was, is equally uncanny. There is also the artistic talent that they both possessed. Artists are unique as they both are. I loved it while Charis played in school bands, worship bands and groups with friends. Her talent is strong and my hope is that music will be a strong part of her life in the years ahead.

Yet the contrast between the two them is just as unique. While Bambi was a silent movie actress, high profile show stopper of the family, Charis is the more technical, deep thinker and a bit more solitary. In my opinion it is because of her extremely bright mind. I think her mental acuity encourages her independence, while Bambi’s was more of a bit of unwillingness to conform to the mores of society during that time. She was what we might call on the cutting edge of women’s rights. Charis, however, grew up rarely allowing others to shape her decisions, even though she would listen intently and digest what was said. She can be unusually wise and display amazing self-control at times also.

As part of our family’s culture, Charis has some things in common with several of her sisters. After going to college for several years, she decided to focus on a career that she is extremely gifted with – technology. I was not surprised when Joshua called me after interviewing her to tell me she had maxed out the problem/solutions test. The highest score he had ever seen. So now as she finds her joy in her gifting, I know she will find the success she has within her capacity. I am proud that she knew her own mind well enough and was willing to step out on her own to find something that brought her joy and satisfaction for her career.

I now must change gears and recount our favorite family story about Charis. It occurred when she was about 6 or 7. Rainie had come over to visit and when she walked in the door Charis was standing next to the counter. Rainie’ s greeting of “Hello Sweetheart” was greeted with this response: “You can call me Charis or you can call me Care Bear, but don’t call me sweetheart!” So, Care Bear has stuck through the years, even though we do not use it when her friends are here!

Another of Charis’ gifts, I believe, is to know and understand her friends and family well. Her insight is always evident in the way she approaches giving and sharing with others. She has the unique ability to know where a person’s heart and desires are and tries to meet those with something that with comments or gifts she knows are meaningful and appropriate. This characteristic is further evidence of her depth and the level of caring, unusual in today’s society. She sees, she digests and it makes an impact in her. I have never had to wonder if she was truthful. Amazing quality.

Charis is a gift to the whole family because of her uniqueness. Today we celebrate a young lady with unlimited potential, gifted to her by God. My prayers are that she would see that fulfilled in her daily walk – now and in the future.

Love Dad

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