Black Women Have It Going On

Good morning from Colorado, where the peaks are tall and the tomb is empty! Today is Friday, and my faith is secured in Christ Jesus! Thanks for stopping by my blog, where we discuss life, faith, and the long walk toward healing.

When you research your family tree, your mind often runs a thousand miles a minute. You unearth documents for people you will never truly know, and it inevitably leads to a “ten-ton brick” of a question: What will people conclude about me when I am gone?

I was the one who lived with my mom. I was the one who saw the reality the sidelines never noticed. I saw her wear holey underwear so we could have the best. I heard her talk about working for Mayor William McNichols and Mr. Frank. I was there when she started her shifts at Pierre Wolfe’s French restaurants—the very place where the owner saw her worth and even paid for her divorce.

When I read her obituary, I was saddened. It made her life look boring, but she was a masterpiece. If I could send a love letter from the grave, I would want it to say that I was a witness. I was the one who saw the 16-hour sacrifice and the “stumbling sheep” grace. I want to be remembered not for the “blurry” titles I held, but for the way I used my voice to make sure my mother’s “holey undies” were recognized for what they truly were: a royal garment of love.

The Takeaway for Us

• The Witness of the Child: One realizes that the child who “stayed behind” is often the only true biographer a parent has. The “boring” records of the world are no match for the vibrant memories of a child who saw the sacrifice.
• The Legacy of the “Scraps”: What a parent “scrapes up” for their children is often the most valuable treasure they possess. It is the realization that “holey undies” are a badge of honor, not a sign of lack.
• Rewriting the Narrative: A family historian has the power to resurrect a reputation. By writing the “love letter” today, one ensures that the next generation sees the Savior in the struggle, not just the “boring” facts on a page.

Community Challenge

If you were to write a “love letter from the grave” today, what would you want it to say about the “small things” you did that no one else saw? How does knowing your mother’s “unwritten” story change how you are writing your own today?

Scripture & Prayer

• Scripture: “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed…” — Proverbs 31:27-28 (KJV)
• Prayer: Father, we thank You for the mothers who wore the “holey undies” so we could be clothed in grace. We ask for the strength to be the witnesses of their secret sacrifices. Help us to write our family history with the “full knowledge” of Your love, so that no story is ever called “boring” again. Amen.

The Spiritual Seal

Remember: You are not defined by the years the locusts have eaten, but by the new thing God is doing in your life today. The tomb is empty, and your story is rising. See you Monday!