GARDEN OF PRAYER!!!

 
Yesterday, Saturday morning, I awoke really early, at least early for me, 6:30 am.  My alarm was set for 7:15, so imagine my displeasure at waking up before the alarm.  However, I had a busy morning scheduled and I wanted to be able to take my time entering into the day.  So up I went, or is it up I got?  I was taking care of two dogs, so out they went... 
 About 7am I decided I wanted a good breakfast, some hot coffee and a place to sit and read my Kindle for a while.  Fortunately for me, one of my favorite breakfast places, Perkins Restaurant, was just a few blocks away.  Eggs, bacon and grits, mmmmmhmmmm!!!  By 8:30 am I was ready to head back to my pet-sitting home and get ready for the next part of my day.  I belong to a church called First Unity.  I've been in a book club for over 12 years, meeting every Wednesday afternoon.  This Saturday, the Church held the 2nd annual Garden of Prayer event.  The sanctuary was decorated with plants, trees, and flowers, along with angels and crystals.  It was so beautiful!  On the screen were images of beautiful streams, water falls, flowers swaying in the breeze, etc. 

The program started with a woman playing a crystal bowl for each of the seven chakras.  Amazing tones and vibrations to open the energy centers of the body.  Then the program started.   Singing the song "Sweet Hour of Prayer", a very unassuming woman took the stage.  Julianne, who works in the church office, sang with such beauty and grace, I was stunned. My heart opened and filled with such love for the witnessing and the reminder that God is so awesome. 
 She was followed by Joy, one of the women in my book club.  I had heard she sang opera, but, again, I was so pleasantly surprised by her rendition of "Trees", a poem by Joyce Kilmer.  Then came Memphis' own, Joyce Cobb, pictured above.  Anyone who lives in Memphis knows this remarkable woman and her wonderfully soulful voice.  She sang "In the Garden" and also sang a duet with Unity Church member, LaDon Jones, "The Rose" made famous by Bette Midler.  The biggest thrill and surprise came when the young man pictured to the left began a monologue called "The Creation" by James Weldon Johnson.  Historically, Johnson is credited with starting the Harlem Renaissance and is said to have been the mentor of Langston Hughes, a well known poet and playwright and is best known for his work in what is called "jazz poetry".
       This is a terrible picture of this young man, known as Darius.  I knew he had done some acting, but I was not prepared to hear this beautiful baritone voice reciting this piece about God's creation of the heavens, the earth, and his most wonderful creation "man".  Darius was spell-binding.  As I watched him move about the sanctuary, using his voice, his inflections and his gestures to assure each of us that "God was pleased"!  Darius literally got a standing ovation for his performance.  Even now I can move back into my seat in the sanctuary and hear his voice booming out and I get chill bumps all over again.  I wish each of you had been there, to hear this performance and all the others who offered us their talents.    It was a glorious day, filled with love and community.  After sharing lunch together, I traveled into midtown Memphis to play games with my friend, Shelia.  For the next three to four hours we played Rummikube.  I had a great day and a really great weekend.  When I arrived back at my pet-sitting home, I got a call from my friend, Elva.  Elva is one of the founding members of the book club, along with me, and I love her dearly.  She called to say a dear friend of hers, and a woman I had the pleasure of spending some time with in the early days of the book club, had passed that afternoon.  Elva and I both agreed she picked a beautiful, loving day to transition.  So, to Annie I say "rest in the arms of Love and enjoy your new found freedom!!! You will be missed!!!!"