Aunt Leta and Two-Shoes (My nickname)

So here was the writing assignment.  I hope you will tackle it alongside me.  Please share your “adoration”in the comments below.

Write an adoration about something you abhor.

It was a clever topic.

Although it caused you to ponder something negative, I enjoyed using positive language to tackle an injustice.

I have found that when I use a lot of dark condemning language, it tends to seep out in all areas of my life.  Using light, life-giving language tends to seep as well.

Although the tone is sarcastic, being an adoration about something I abhor, the overall impact was life giving.  I leaned into where my heart breaks, racial discrimination, and brought the darkness out into the light, as a minister of reconciliation. Although poetry was not necessarily called for, it seems to be the overflow of my heart.  The language of my dreams must be Dr. Seuss!

“Adoration for Discrimination”

by Katie Wilson

Divide and conquer is your thing.

I love the way you push.

Separation, elevation,

hold them down-what a rush!

Your hate is oh so colorful,

the way you muddle black and white.

Your confidence, supremacy,

Oh girl, you know you’re right.

You got it down; you sport that frown.

Don’t let the sides collide.

You build fences, jack up defenses.

I love your last name-PRIDE!

Delicious dissension and degradation

tantalize our nation.

Prejudice, you’re my inspiration.

This is my adoration for discrimination!

Racial Reconciliation

is a dream I would love to see come to fruition in my life time.  Kathryn Stockett’s, The Help, pulled many a heart string in me that hit close to home.  I am Memphis born and part of the tail end of a generation that relates to Mae Mobley, is inspired by Skeeter and remembers climbing up in the lap of their “Aibileen.”

Some of you have read my blog for a while, so you probably feel like you know my Aunt Leta.  But for those of you who do not know my “Aibileen”, my other mother, I would like for you to meet her now:

Oleta Erby, (Aunt Leta to me)

The character, Skeeter, was a “Freedom Writer” for me.  She used her words to bring the darkness out into the light.  She was brave. She chose to honor the marginalized with her pen at a time when the marginalized were treated as less than human.  I cry typing those words because, although the story was fiction, it depicted the reality behind all discrimination and self-elevation.

I want to be a “Freedom Scribe” all the days of my life.  I once was in bondage but now I am free.

“It is for freedom that we have been set free.”  (Gal 5:1)

My blog tag line is “When ruins sing…” because when ruins are restored, when captives are set free, they do indeed sing through their writing, speaking and life in general.  In fact, they can’t stop even if they tried. I am living proof.

“As for us (Peter and John), we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:20)

I,too, choose to honor the marginalized, the least of these, with my pen, my speech, and my actions every chance I get.

‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me…” (Matthew 25:40)

I am doing IT, writing,

but really whatever IT is,

for Jesus.

I am concluding with something I have shared before but I feel it is a good place to share again. Below is part of a letter and the poem I wrote to the paper in Memphis, when they featured my Aunt Leta in the Commercial Appeal.  They interviewed her when the movie, The Help, was released and this was my response to her interview.

To Whom it my concern,

My name is Katie Johnson Wilson and I am one of the children referenced in your article about “The Help”. I had the blessing of being raised by “2 Mommas” and I have many friends with more stories of love and gratitude like mine. I had 2 women who invested in me and pointed me to Christ. They poured their hearts into my life, into everyone in their sphere of influence and continue to do so today. Watching these matriarchs throughout my life has inspired me to “pay it forward”. My calling to offer hope to the next generation is reinforced and modeled by the 2 matriarchs in my life–Mom and Aunt Leta.

My memories of Memphis are beautiful. Let’s put Memphis on the map for its love, peace, and unity. I was so blessed to have grown up in the River City and I want the world to know how much kindness, generosity and goodwill really exists there. You will find people of every race with open hands, hearts and homes. Let us take a movie like “The Help” and move forward in a positive response–show love to all people, all the time, in all places, in whatever way we can. Let us be creative and spontaneous and look for opportunities to reach out, help the oppressed, share words of loving kindness, break the chains of generational bondage and embrace the beautiful legacies that have been left for us…

I can not say it enough-

I am eternally grateful God gave me 2 mamas!

MY MATRIARCHS

by Katie Wilson

I suppose God knew, that I’d need 2

A gift HE gave to me.

They planted seeds, they met my needs-

2 Matriarchs succeed!

A little girl with long blond hair,

Remembers days of love.

While one would dress me up for church

Sit beside me on the pew,

The other played the AM preacher

and shared her gospel tune.

Why God would give me 4 knees bent,

I guess I’ll never know.

These women had their work cut out,

as I began to grow.

Mistakes I made,

Their love, it stayed.

Their knees grow old together

The Lord, HE heard their pleas.

My heart has grown in grace and love

Now I live on my knees.

The world would like to separate

Taint the past and stir the hate.

My matriarchs are different,

And yet, they are the same.

They’re best friends, sisters, confidants-

United in HIS name.

Now I’m a mother with 3 who look to me,

Mom, Aunt Leta, Katie-all on bended knee!

Thank you both for your LEGACY!!!!!

I suppose God knew that I’d need 2,

A gift HE gave to me.

They planted seeds, they met my needs-

2 matriarchs succeed!

Now it is your turn-Remember the writing assignment!

Please share your “adoration”in the comments below.

Write an adoration about something you abhor.