Publisher’s Points to Ponder: That little white church

The recent passing of my mother’s last two sisters within a few weeks of each other made me sad beyond measure. Sometimes we take time for granted, believing that we will always have time to connect with our loved ones. It is difficult to count the number of times my inner spirit directed me to make that call or plan that visit. Instead of obeying, I hid behind the inability to escape from work. I wish I would have simply paused to hear one last story or take a final glimpse of their whimsical facial expressions. Now it is too late.

Although I am unable to share a physical space with my aunts, I believe I will remain connected to them in spirit. I imagine they have joined my mother and their sister Ida in Heaven, and they are all walking around with locked arms singing praises to God like they did when they were young girls singing together in that little white church.

Aunt Everleaner would sing a song called “Walk Around Heaven” by Cassietta George. Her rendition reminded me of Patti LaBelle’s version of the song. I remember the first time I heard my aunt sing that song was when I was a little girl sitting in Shiloh Baptist Church in Natchitoches, Louisiana. She had an amazing voice that would make the coldest Christian submit to the presence of God. I loved hearing her sing. That little white church holds so many memories.

Aunt Mary, my mother’s oldest sister, had a beautiful voice too. Her voice wasn’t as boisterous as Aunt Everleaner’s voice, but it was special and accompanied by her sweet and quiet spirit. We spent numerous Sundays worshipping the Lord together in that little white church.

I found a picture of that little white church that brought and held my family together for decades. It is the place where I fell in love with the Lord. Shiloh Baptist Church was always my place of refuge while growing up in Natchitoches. As I sit here cloaked in sadness about the passing of my aunts, the picture of that little white church restores my joy and once again becomes a place of refuge. This little white church holds wonderful memories of my aunts serving the Lord sincerely. I am happy to know that these four Drawhorn girls are now serving the Lord in Heaven with locked arms singing praises that once arose from that little white church.