My first reaction ...

was  beyond grief.  I needed a wailing wall.  I should have shaved my head and wore sack cloth and ashes.  Scream; "Nōooooooooooooooooooooooooo!" as loudly and mournfully as you can.  Imagine yourself neatly snapping all the pieces into place.

I will be 63 years old in June and I can still see the very visible burned flesh I suffered on my right arm when I was three.  Yes, I do remember being thrust against a red hot wood burning stove.  I remember the awful scar that covered nearly half of my very handsome brother's face.  I heard about my genius brother that walked at 7months, could sooth out of the bed on his belly at seven months to "pee" in the pot.  Martha said he reached up and grabbed a pot of boiling coffee and poured it on himself when he was alone in the kitchen with her.  My uncle mysteriously decided to put his two year old hand in the fireplace when he was alone with Mathy.  "Grandmuh Mary burnt up!" "How?" "Hur petticoat cought on fire when she was 93 years old."  (Do you see a pattern or is it just me?)

Now I know why she laughed and granddaddy cringed when my blind cousin mentioned; "Uncle Rome, look lak you burn all yo' grandchurin."

No, children a lie can't last forever and the only power the evil one has over you is the power you give him.

"What soever a man soweth, that also shall he reap."  "Be NOT deceived for GOD is not mocked!"  GOD is NO respecter of man children!  You might be overly concerned with your skin color, GOD isn't.

Did you really think I was forsaken? Why?  Because you considered me to be no more than trash, no more than a blood clot, GOD didn't love me?  Couldn't you perceive GOD moving in my life?  Placing people in my life, at the right time for the right reason.

You lived your long life so angry, so unhappy, that you had to perpetuate it. You led your dumb a** into captivity and you want all of us there with you.  (They say misery loves company.) Yes, you were extremely rebellious.  For some false reason you truly believed your skin color and hair gave you the right to be immoral and carnal.  Who taught you that keeping reprehensible deeds secret was the same as innocence?

My advice; read and study GOD's WORD for yourself.  If you are lazy, an anti-intellectual, you should know GOD can't do for you, what you refuse to do for yourself.  The evil one knows that if he can get the preacher, he can get the entire "non reading, gullible, easily flattered, itching ears" congregation.

One thing about it children.  "We have to walk that lonesome valley ... we have to walk it for ourselves.  No one else can walk it for us."

You know the drill.