A Southern Girl’s Journey: From Lo-debar to Grace—A Memoir
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About this ebook
From Lo-debar to Grace is the journey of a Southern country black girl from the deep Southern hills of Louisiana to a beautiful life filled with hope and love. Today, because of God’s grace, I have overcome the bigotry and hate that touched the early years of my life. Through the struggles and pain I encountered I have been able to rise above my challenges through God’s grace.
I am challenging you to join me in helping to stomp out hatred, bigotry, and injustice against all people, good or bad. I have lived through Lo-debar –a dark place—and am able to talk freely about it. I can truly say that I have no malice in my heart. You too can make a difference in this world—we each have a part to play.
Please join me in making God’s beautiful earth a better place. We should be living as if this were indeed heaven on earth. May you be inspired, grateful, and touched by reading my memoir.
Gussie Mae Parker
Gussie Mae Parker was born in 1943 in Provencal, Louisiana, located in Natchitoches Parrish, in the deep South. In 1963 after graduating from high school, she moved to Oklahoma City. There she raised a family and had a career with Oklahoma City Public Schools.She currently resides in Oklahoma City with her husband and attends Crossroads Cathedral church. She is retired and enjoys remodeling homes and jewelry making. This is her first Memoir, and she is currently working on another book project.
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A Southern Girl’s Journey - Gussie Mae Parker
©2018 by Gussie Mae Parker
A Southern Girl’s Journey: From Lo-debar to Grace / Gussie Mae Parker
ISBN: 978-1-947671-94-2
All Scripture quotations not otherwise designated are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, contact the publisher: anitayksmith@gmail.com
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DEDICATION
For my parents, Dread and Maude Smith. Without them I would not be who I am.
For my three dearest children: Jeffrey, Anita, and Donast III, whose gentle spirits have brought me great joy.
For the love of my life, my helpmate, Frank
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover
Title Page
Copyrights
Dedication
My Inspiration
1: In the Beginning
2: Meet My Family
3: Life on the Farm
4: Working in the Cotton Fields
5: The Best Times
6: Church
7: The Worst Times
8: Family Traditions and Holidays
9: School
10: A New Beginning
11: Life After Death and Retirement
12: Extensions of Grace: Hands Extended
13: My Leading Ladies
14: Right Here, Right Now
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
About the Author
Lo-debar was a town in the Old Testament in Gilead not far from Mahanaim, north of the Jabbok River (2 Samuel 9:4-5) in ancient Israel. It is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as the home of Machir, a contemporary of David (2 Samuel 9:4-5).
Lo-debar was also considered a ghetto town in biblical times. Mephibosheth, son of Jonathan, was living in Lo-debar. King David showed lovingkindness to Jonathan’s son, Mephibosheth, by bringing him from Lo- debar and having him eat at the king’s table regularly ( 2 Samuel 9:1-13).
It is usually believed to be the same as Debir in the Tribe of Gad (Joshua 13:26.) The word means no pasture
(2 Samuel 17:27), no word
or no communication.
Possible locations include the following:
1. Tel Dover (Khirbet ed-Duweir) at the mouth of the Yarmouk River, established as an Iron Age fortified settlement.
2. Khirbet Umm ed-Dabar, in the Jordan Valley.
-- From Wikipedia.com
MY INSPIRATION
I got my inspiration to write this book in 2011 but did not get my clear revelation from God until
2015. After a reflection of my life experiences, the word Lo-debar came to mind. My interpretation of Lo-debar is a low, dark place. This word describes the dark moments in my life.
I was born a timid Southern country black girl in the deep southern hills of Louisiana. I want to share some of my life’s struggles, hurts, and experiences with hated, bigotry, and racism. I want to share my story of life in the South.
My hope is that my story will inspire people to change their views on racism and hate, to turn negative thoughts and actions into positive ones. I lived through it and am now ready to talk about it. Because of the racial experiences I have had and continue to have, I have decided that I am not going to hell because of bigotry, hate, and racism. Will you stand with me against hatred of any kind?
He who does not love does not know God, for God is love
(1 John 4:8).
CHAPTER ONE
In the Beginning
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
– Genesis 1:1
I was born as Gussie Mae Smith on November 26, 1943, in Provencal, Louisiana, located in Natchitoches Parrish, in the deep South. I was born into a racist, segregated, isolated, bigoted, and prejudiced society. The people in that community were strong believers in discrimination, a belief system that has been in existence since slavery. It has been taught and passed on from generation to generation.
This earth is God’s property, and He has the first and last word on planet earth. God made the earth for every person–saint and sinner–and no one can take credit for its existence. No one can claim preeminence over God’s creation. I’m reminded of God’s Word: The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof
(1 Corinthians 10:28, kjv).
Yet certain people feel that they dominate and rule over this earth. Since the beginning of humanity the heart has been evil. Wrong ideals such as perversion, slavery, and racial superiority live in people’s hearts. God’s Word proclaims, I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith
(Romans 12:3, kjv).
My mom used to tell me that when I was born I had a veil over my eyes, that I would be different from the rest of her children. I have always been able to feel God’s Spirit and have been sensitive to Him. Even as a child I loved God and felt His presence. I was baptized in a creek at the age of sixteen and have been following God’s will and Word for close to fifty-eight years.
My life’s journey has been full of God’s grace and mercy. I have always had discipline to do the right thing. Despite many hardships, I never turned to illegal activities even though I could have gotten involved in drugs, alcohol, gambling, theft, robbery, prostitution, or other evil paths.
I thank God for my life with its many trials and tribulations, which have molded me into the person I am today. I have loved God all my life and have never been ashamed to speak of Him and worship Him, being a mouthpiece for Him and a bold and fiery witness.
Through all the tests and trials that I have encountered with racism, I was always taught never to turn bitter. If you turn bitter, the devil wins. My dad taught us that God will fix it. I believe it and I know it! My faith in God keeps my eyes set like a flint. I can’t look to the left or the right–but straight to God, the author and finisher of my faith.
I give my God all the honor and the glory for allowing me to be a willing vessel He can flow through.
The author in 1985
The author at Hoover Middle School, 1978--the school’s first black secretary