Lady AEA

God truly graced my Wednesday. You never know what to expect on a day like that. One year since God called His daughter and my Mother, Charlie Mae Alexander home. But I prayed about it and truly He helped orchestrate it and make it special. He took the ashes of sadness and indeed gave me a beautiful day. He allowed me to walk down the Isaiah 61:3 street all day long. I took the day off and didn’t want to lay in bed or mope. Rather, I did things that my Mom liked to do. She loved to feed folks and make sure they had a good meal. So I volunteered with Open Hand and helped make and pack lunches for critically ill folks who need nutritious meals and can’t make it themselves. Awesome organization (www.projectopenhand.org)

Then my Mom loved trying new restaurants and eating a good meal. So I took my Dad to Seasons 52 for lunch where we reflected on the past year, toasted her memory and then discussed where we go from here. How to not get stuck, but keep going, keep living and finish strong. A few tears were shed here. Sad ones. Reflective ones. Hopeful ones… and they were all needed.

Now the next thing I did made me smile. Every 6 weeks or so I get a relaxer. And almost every time like clockwork my Mom would say, “isn’t it time for your perm”? She’d let a day pass and then say, “Have you set an appointment for your hair”? She was serious about me getting my hair done. So I went and got my hair done. Of course I missed her saying “it looks pretty” afterward, but I knew she would be pleased it was done.

Then I did one more thing. My Mom introduced me to Wess Morgan’s music. I hadn’t heard of him when he first came out. She asked me to purchase his songs and put them on her kindle and I did, and I listened and enjoyed them too. She loved him and his music and his testimony. Over the past year I have listened to “I Choose To Worship” many times over to encourage my own heart. Wouldn’t you know God happened to have Wess in town Wednesday night at Condrey’s Evangelistic Association. Of all nights…Wednesday the 8th! That fella preached something serious. About focus and going after God this year like never before. About harvesting after all the years of sowing. The worship was amazing and I could literally feel a garment of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness. The sermon helped refuel my spirit and encouraged me to keep going. It was an awesome evening and he sang a song you have got to hear…”He Paid It All.” Check it out! http://youtu.be/Ud1PRdQYBFo I absolutely love it!

So dear friends. Just wanted to share with you what a beautiful day it was for me indeed. Thank you for your prayers! I felt them and God heard them all and truly graced the day. Yes sir/yes mam…I still have moments and still have tears. But God took a day that I thought would be really rough and graced it as only He could! I am a witness, when I did give up the ashes of sorrow and sadness, He truly did exchange it for beauty. It was a beautifully blessed day indeed…full of memories and love! I’ll always love my Mama and I miss her terribly, but God bottled all of those emotions into a day of love and grace..indeed He is amazing!

Don’t be afraid to turn over the ashes of whatever you are going through or struggling with. God keeps His word. The moment you’re ready to exchange the ashes, He’s ready to give you beauty! He will trade you joy for your mourning. That spirit of heaviness that feels like it sometimes blankets your life, yeah, he will trade you with a garment of praise. You never know how He will do it or who He will send it through. Just believe He honors His word because He will. Yes to bless you, but also so he gets the glory! My soul magnifies the Lord for He has truly been good to me!

Have a frabjous day my friend!