#BUT she's still doing it because of shadrack

[knucklesex]

wkmdjamd

[notchainedtotrauma]

Five favorite literary things: 1.) Soft thing. 2.) Description of a natural phenomenon. 3.) Likeable unlikable character. 4.) Pithy quote summing up a political stance you agree with. 5. ) best dog in literature

1) I choose this quote:  

“ What if blackness is just the theory and practice of throwing down ? Our music troubles the water. Our dancing troubles the music. Our music and our dancing troubles the body into inexistence.”

from the general balm from all that beauty by Fred Moten

2) “ On those days when I simply could not leave the ocean, running back time and again to fall into it when I was called out, I would later dream of being floated and rocked. I would dream of the ocean at my throat rocking and swelling. I liked these dreams. Lying in my sleep I would feel as if I were still in the sea, my head dipped in the water, the sharp disconcerting taste of water in my nostrils, the feeling of breathing water instead of air. “

from A Map to The Door of No Return by Dionne Brand

3) Richard, from Another Country by James Baldwin, is my favorite character to hate because he has nothing going on for him. He is your typical white liberal cishet man. Like there is nothing more to him than that.

4)” Knew, felt the cost, but were too proud and too scared to get downright familiar with the conniption fit getting downright familiar with their bodies, minds, and spirits to just sing "Blues, how do you do ? Sit down, let's work it out." Took heart to flat out decide to be well and stride into the future sane and whole. And it took time. “

from The Salt Eaters by Toni Cade Bambara

5) This is a hard one because I haven’t yet fell for an animal or a pet in a novel. I’m trying very hard but I’m finding nothing. I think the closest I can get is Sula’s belt when she left it in Shadrack’s shack.

[simplyaservant]

Favorite Child Syndrome

One of the most difficult things I have experienced in my relationship with God, is knowing that God does not speak to me exclusively. I realize that at first that might seem foolish—isn’t it obvious that the Lord speaks to all of us if only we are willing to listen. But oftentimes I become so engrossed with the word the lord has placed within me, that I assume he has not shared it with another. I get into the “favorite child” mentality if you will: the inclination that I alone have God’s attention at that particular moment, that out of everyone on planet earth he values my prayers the most. Everyone else may be talking to God but he hears me especially, and because of that he has a plan for my life like no other.

I have been growing in the Lord quite rapidly over the past few months. I dream heavenly inspired dreams, hear God clearly, speak in tongues often and successfully spoke at a youth event. My journals are full of divine inspiration just waiting to be preached (or well, spoken out since the validity of a woman’s “preaching” is to be debated). I saw myself speaking at ladies conferences, being used in tongues and interpretation and impacting thousands of lives. And at times I thought I was hot stuff–the most anointed woman to walk the face of the earth, the Merritt Griffis of womanhood (if you don’t know who he is, you will someday…trust me).

Oh how ignorant the wisdom of man is, how much so it pales to the wisdom of God. God was setting me up for a dramatic awakening: I am not the only woman he can use. God died for each and every person that has ever lived, and as a fantastic plan for each of their lives. And apparently his plan includes having my best friend speak at a ladies conference with our pastor’s wife. My dreams are now her reality, and I’m not going to lie…that hurts alot.

I feel like my previous statement pains a rather narcissistic picture of myself. While all I said about my giftings and seeing visions is true, I’m not nearly as confident in myself as my post may make it seem. I recognize that I possess a great understanding of the bible, but always seem to undervalue my gifts because they are mine. Often I find myself asking God why he granted me so many abilities, when there seems to be no vehicle for them to be used. I’m not confident like my best friend. She’s always been the center of attention, and deserves to be. She’s a fantastic musician, singer, intercessor and friend while I am a stage fright and timid individual. But that is why I truly believed God was going to use me so mightily–much like Ezekial, I cannot speak unless He speaks through me.

Last month my youth pastor had several youth speak at an event, including me and my friend. She did a study of Israel’s inability to let go of Egypt–how they remembered the vegetables but not the whip, and eventually created a golden calf using the skills they acquired while building the false gods of Egypt. Ironically, the message I spoke was on Haggai: Learning to not compare yourself to another. When I spoke the spirit of fear that has bound me for almost a decade left, it was liberating. But I still stuttered. I thought once the fear was gone the stutter would leave as well, but it didn’t.

My youth pastor said everyone did great, and recommended anyone with bible questions to come to me for advice. Then later he had a meeting with pastor and the pastor’s wife about my friend speaking at the next ladies conference. I support his decision, she can impact countless lives through her speaking. I want God’s will done, and even recognize that I am not ready for something like that, but still feel a bit lost.

What do you do when your best friend suddenly is called to do the same things you are? I know the fields are ripe for harvest and the laborers are few, so God has called some people (like my friend) to minister in more than one way for his kingdom. I am thankful that God allows each of us to be used in our own ways. I just hope he directs me to what his will is for my life, and gives me the faith to believe in the visions till they come to past.

Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack and Abendigo were all captives in a strange land. They were Israelites, the chosen people of the most high God. Each of them believed in God to the point that they were willing to die for their faith. They were all promoted by God and gifted with divine wisdom. Yet it seems like Daniel overshadowed the other three.

Daniel and the three hebrew boys were all gifted with knowledge and skill in all all learning and wisdom, but only Daniel possessed the gift of interpretation of dreams and visions. It was Daniel that boldly challenged the king’s meat and drink and insisted the Israelites only eat the fruits and vegetables. It was Daniel that interpreted Nebecunnezers dream, Daniel that became ruler over all of the providences. Daniel was the hebrew that entertained angels, the one who saw visions of heavenly bodies before anyone else. And to top it all off, Daniel was the one God used to write a book of His holy word (which was named Daniel of course, because why not).

We all have Daniels in our lives. Individuals that’s ministry seems to overshadow our own. They seem to possess all the abilities we have, and more. And human instinct tells us to distance ourselves from the Daniels in our lives–Only then can we have the center stage, only then can God truly use us. But we need the Daniels in our lives.

Had the three distanced themselves from Daniel, they may not have had the courage to stand up to the King later in their life. Daniel’s visions gave them the confirmation they needed that God was real. Daniel went convently missing in chapter four of the book of Daniel. King Nebekenezer created a golden statue and had people bow to it, and Shadrack meshach and abednego refused. The king was furious and threw them into the fiery furnace but they were not injured. The son of God stepped into their situation and protected them from the flames, and revealed himself in the physical to the three and the king. The king repented, Babylon turned its heart to God. Revival was born…but where was Daniel? We know he didn’t backslide because just a few chapters later he is entertaining angels and interpreting dreams, so where did he go? The bible doesn’t say. All we know is God removed Daniel for a season so Shadrack, Meshack and Abendigo could shine for him.

As I said before, each person was created by God for a purpose. And that same God died on a cross so we could have the hope of a future. Even if it appears that another person is “stealing your ministry” they are not. God made his kingdom large enough for all who seek after him. You may have to stand on the sidelines for a while, but someday God will allow you to shine–or more accurately, God will shine though you. Do not allow condemnation or bitterness to seep into your life and steal your relationship with others and God and your future.

The lord has a plan for each and every one of us. And his kingdom is big enough to have more than one person called to evangelise, interpret dreams, sing a solo, pastor, teach, etc in the world, your church and even your friend group. The calling of God on someone else’s life does not diminish the call on your life, or vice versa. He can still use each and every one of us in a unique and powerful way. We just have to wait for our time to come. And when it does, God will blow your mind and show a side of himself you’ve never seen before.

[prayers4melissa]

Day 21: The Early Readers Bible “I remember two Easters ago, Momma and Daddy gave me an Early Readers Bible. Momma always helped me with some words or names. (There are some hard names in there!) We would do it every night. When my mom was available (which was mostly every night). That was a time we spent alone together. It was mom and daughter time to me. I felt really great because I love Bible stories, especially the kind that were in my Early Reader’s Bible. -Sara Joy” This entry quote doesn’t really need much else explaining. Momma took the time to sit down with her daughters, in groups and one on one, to discuss God’s Word with us. I got that Early Reader’s Bible when I was four. Momma read me the stories until I could begin reading them out loud myself. I was contstantly inquiring and trying to decipher the words that were unfamiliar to me. I seem to recall specifically asking Momma about Nebuchadnezzar and shadrack and meshack and abendigo. I was fascinated with the weird spellings and the miraculous tales and the pictures on the page. I was a passionately curious kid. Some of that energy has carried on into my adolescence. I still find myself yearning to immerse in His Holy Word. Sometimes I fall short of that desire in favor of other things that take less effort, but my passion still shines through. I love reading and taking in and analyzing and challenging myself to apply what I’ve learned to lead a better Christian life. Bible quizzing has furthered how well-versed I am in the New Testament’s text, but the boundaries can always be pushed further. I’ve thought about pursuing a major or minor in biblical and theological studies, and even if I don’t, I will almost certainly want to take those electives. This passion of mine probably all started with that very book. Momma understood the importance of “teaching them young.” I’m thankful for the time she took to be with me at the start of my journey. Today, I still carry her sentiments with me as I continue on this neverending path of getting to know more and more about my Lord, and just like Momma did with me and everyone else she met, I hope to share that ultimate story - that ultimate REALITY - with anyone who I come across along the way. -Sara Joy prayersformelissa.com/2020/01/29/day-21-the-early-readers-bible/ 
https://www.instagram.com/p/B75iGxIpT1T/?igshid=1nth3guqytuxa

[missbelgium]

Tag Game

Thank you for tagging me, @kailuabunny! This was legit so so fun; I’ve never done one like this! I was smiling as I typed it out.

Go to this place! (www.random.org/lists/) Type in 15 characters from whatever fandom or other things you like and click that randomize button!! Write down that order, then comes the fun part. Tag 5 or more peeps so they can do this too!!

Mom/Dad: Charles (The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica; I see him as the “parent friend”, so this is accurate. I laughed at this, and I’m happy I got this result! I think he would be a good father.)

Sibling: Eliza Schuyler (Hamilton; yesss!! Eliza is wonderful! I think we would get along well.)

Grandparent: APH Taiwan (I have a hard time picturing her as old because in canon, she’s a teenager. I imagine her giving me good advice, and plus I could learn how to cook many dishes from her. She’s great!)

Haunts You: Shadrack Elli (The Mapmakers Trilogy; what’s his reason for doing so? Well, he’s cool, so I don’t mind his company!)

Boyfriend/Girlfriend: APH Austria (That’s chill. I like him.)

Ex: Thomas Jefferson (Hamilton; I wonder why we broke up? Hopefully we would still be on good terms.)

Best Friend: APH Switzerland (OHHH yes! I would love this friendship.)

Proposed to you: John (The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica; I’m honored! Oh, but you’re friends with Charles, who is now my father...what would happen?)

Boss: Sophia Tims (The Mapmakers Trilogy; I admire you!! I hope you like me too.)

Random person you met at a bar: Eva Nine (The WondLa Trilogy; that seems like something that would happen for some reason.)

Rival: Constance Contraire (The Mysterious Benedict Society; this was another one that I found funny. She’s like four, but it’s also super accurate. Constance is very stubborn, and would so fight me.)

First Kiss: Theo (The Mapmakers Trilogy; I feel like this would have been a spur of the moment thing. That’s just what he’s like.)

Drunk and singing karaoke with: Reynie Muldoon (The Mysterious Benedict Society; um yes?? I’d love to sing with you.)

Play 7 minutes of Heaven with: APH Belgium (I’d prefer if we didn’t play this game; we can sit and chat instead!)

Gave your favorite dessert to you: APH Liechtenstein (Thank you very much!! I would give you your favorite dessert as well. You deserve all the best!)

I will tag @aph-belarusia, @courfelicious, @lawlietinblue, @aph-snowball, @aphnew-zealand, and @icicle223.

[goswagcollectorfire]

CARL’S BLOG: DARK CLOUDS OVER ALABAMA; carlsblog.online; http://sbpra.com/CarlJBarger; Arkansas.Hillbilly.com

1-2-20:  Audrey’s Burial at Oak Hill Cemetery in Prattville

 AUTHOR’S NOTE:  My apologies.  Some of you received a duplicate copy of 1-1-20 Blog.  The new year and the new calendar massed me up.  Maybe this one will get us back on schedule.  

 We buried Audrey in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Prattville, not far from where we had laid my Father, James Bradford, to rest. Father had purchased a large burial plot in the cemetery for the Bradford family. It was his and Mother’s desire that their children and family members be buried in the Bradford plot.  

Audrey’s funeral was both beautiful and sad. She was well known in Prattville from her days working at Daniel Pratt’s ladies’ shop and from her church membership in the Oak Hills Baptist Church. The gravesite service was the hardest part. I was afraid as they lowered Audrey’s body into the grave that Charles might ask, “Daddy, why are they putting Mommy in the ground?” What was I to tell him? Fortunately, he didn’t ask questions.

The months of September and October brought on the cotton harvest. Again, we had a bumper cotton and corn crop. The rich soil of Autauga County was best suited for cotton. I can’t remember a bad year yet for cotton or corn on the Twin Oaks plantation.

Another letter came from my sister Mary Shadrack. She apologized for not being able to be here for Audrey’s funeral. Again, Mary spoke highly of her town, El Dorado, and the rich cotton soil there. She also reminded me that El Dorado needed another doctor badly, and the cotton plantation was still up for sale in the Norphlet community a few miles from El Dorado.

It has entered my mind several times to sell my share of Twin Oaks to my brothers, John and Dent, and move to El Dorado, Arkansas. Times have been difficult around the plantation since Audrey’s death. I’m torn between my mourning of Audrey and my agonizing feelings toward Penelope. I will have to reconcile this problem before it drives me crazy.

It was now Christmas at Twin Oaks. Again, Mother had the entire family at Twin Oaks for Christmas. Dent, being his normal self, perceived that I wasn’t very happy. When he asked me if I was ready for our yearly stroll in mother’s garden, I said, “Yes.”

“It’s been about three and a half months now since Audrey’s death. How are things going with you?” Dent asked.

“To tell you the truth, not so well. I miss her.”

“Obadiah, I’d like to get personal with you, if I may?”

“Getting personal with me has never stopped you before, big brother!”

“You know me, Little Brother. I can read you like a book.”

“All right, what personal things do you want to discuss with me?”

“You’ve gone a long time without a woman. How are you and Penelope doing?”

“If you’re asking me if we’ve been together, the answer is no.”

“Obadiah, you are making this all too difficult for yourself.”

“What do you mean by that, Dent?”

“Audrey’s gone; she’s dead. No one is going to bring her back to life. You need to get on with your life. She would want you to do that, Obadiah.”

“All right, Dent! If you want to know why I’m so miserable it’s because of Penelope. I agonize over her. I want her, I need her, but, I know I can’t have her. Yes, I’m very aware that I could sleep with her. She is more than willing. I want to, Dent, but God keeps telling me that it would be wrong. I believe he wants me and Penelope to be together, but to be together as husband and wife and not a slave owner and his slave girl. I’ve asked God to show me a plan to make this happen. But he’s not done it yet.”

“Little brother, it’s obvious you love Penelope and have loved her from the first time you laid eyes on her. If you love her and want to marry her, then leave Autauga County and go someplace where no one knows you and marry. Don’t wait until it’s too late. She looks white, and no one would ever know the difference.”

“Since you brought up the subject, let’s talk about it. Mary has been trying to get me interested in moving to El Dorado, Arkansas. She says there is only one doctor there, and there is a plantation for sale in the Norphlet community, a few miles from El Dorado. I’ve been thinking this might be just the opportunity for Penelope and me. Virgil, Mary, and the kids are the only ones who know us. Since Penelope looks white, this could be the solution to our happiness. We could be together there as husband and wife.”

“I agree with you; Virgil and Mary wouldn’t tell anyone in El Dorado that Penelope was once a slave. This may be just the plan God wants you to pursue. It might be the smartest thing you ever did. Little Brother, I’m tired of seeing you miserable.”

“Dent, there is only one thing standing in my way in moving to El Dorado.”

“What?”

“The civil war! What if I get called up to serve in the war? What then?”

“That’s a strong possibility, one that we all may have to face,” Dent said.

“I’ve got to decide soon what to do. The Confederacy is thinking about passing a conscription law, which would force men between the ages of 20 and 35 to serve up to three years. If I were to enlist now, I might avoid being drafted and be able to opt out with a year’s service. Daniel Pratt thinks that doctors might be exempted from the war, but this is all speculation right now. I’m really struggling about what to do!”

“What would you do with Twin Oaks?”

“I’ve been thinking about that as well. I thought I would approach you and John to see if you guys might be interested in buying Twin Oaks.”

“I don’t know if we could come up with that type of money, Obadiah. I personally know what Twin Oaks is worth. If John was interested, I would be interested in exploring a partnership with him.”

“Why don’t you two talk about it? I know Father and Mother would want us to keep the plantations in the Bradford family. It’s possible that if you two wanted Twin Oaks, we could work out an installment plan. I’m sure I would need money for a down payment on the plantation in El Dorado. But after that, if I could get a yearly payment from you and John, I could make my payment on the property in El Dorado.”

“Do me a favor, Obadiah; don’t mention this to anyone, especially to Mr. Daniel Pratt. He’s always wanted Twin Oaks, and he has the money to buy it.”

“I promise I won’t say a word to Mr. Pratt.”

“Obadiah, are you sure you want to keep denying Penelope. You need her, and she needs you. What happens if you’re killed in a battle or injured so badly that you won’t ever be able to marry Penelope? Do you think she would want to take care of a cripple for the rest of her life? Are you listening to me, Little Brother?”

“I’ve been thinking about all of this as well. I don’t want to wait, but even if I moved to El Dorado what assurance would I have that I wouldn’t have to fight for the Confederacy as a citizen of the state of Arkansas. Then what would I do?”

“Obadiah, since you plan to someday marry Penelope why don’t you consider — I mean consider seeing her on the side? I know this goes against everything you believe in, but Penelope wants you as much as you want her. A year is a very long time!”

“I somehow knew you would bring this option up again. I don’t know what to do, Dent. It’s wrong to do what you’re suggesting. I believe God would punish me in some way if I did that. I’ve asked myself over and over what is more important in life: a life with a clean conscience and walking daily with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ or a life filled with sinful pleasures? I believe I will choose a life in Jesus Christ.”

“I’m telling you, Little Brother, you are more of a Christian than I am. I’m afraid I would have to have her now.”

“Dent, please pray with me on this. Do ask God what he would have me do, not what I want, but what he wants for me.”

“I just hate to see you miserable when I know you don’t have to be.”

“I love you, Dent. You’re my big brother, and I’ll always appreciate your thinking of my best interest. But I have to do what I think is right in God’s eyes.”

“All right, let’s go get some of Mattie’s dessert,” Dent said.

[berezina]

She thought about Nathan opening the bedroom door the day she had visited her, and finding the body. He said he knew she was dead right away not because her eyes were open but because her mouth was. It looked to him like a giant yawn that she never got to finish. He had run across the street to Teapot's Mamma, who, when she heard the news, said, 'Ho!' like the conductor on the train when it was about to take off except louder, and then did a little dance. None of the women left their quilt patches in disarray to run to the house. Nobody left the clothes halfway through the wringer to run to the house. Even the men just said 'uhn,' when they heard. The day passed and no one came. The night slipped into another day and the body was still lying in Eva's bed gazing at the ceiling trying to complete a yawn. It was very strange, this stubbornness about Sula. For even when China, the most rambunctious whore in the town, died (whose black son and white son said, when they heard she was dying, 'She ain't dead yet?'), even then everybody stopped what they were doing and turned out in numbers to put the fallen sister away.

It was Nel who finally called the hospital, then the mortuary, then the police, who were the ones to come. So the white people took over. They came in a police van and carried the body down the steps past the four pear trees and into the van for all the world as with Hannah. When the police asked questions nobody gave them any information. It took them hours to find out the dead woman's first name. The call was for a Miss Peace at 7 Carpenter's Road. So they left with that: a body, a name and an address. The white people had to wash her, dress her, prepare her and finally lower her. It was all done elegantly, for it was discovered that she had a substantial death policy. Nel went to the funeral parlor, but was so shocked by the closed coffin she stayed only a few minutes.

The following day Nel walked to the burying and found herself the only black person there, steeling her mind to the roses and pulleys. It was only when she turned to leave that she saw the cluster of black folk at the lip of the cemetery. Not coming in, not dressed for mourning, but there waiting. Not until the white folks left-the gravediggers, Mr. and Mrs. Hodges, and their young son who assisted them-did those black people from up in the Bottom enter with hooded hearts and filed eyes to sing 'Shall We Gather at the River' over the curved earth that cut them off from the most magnificent hatred they had ever known. Their question clotted the October air, Shall We Gather at the River? The beautiful, the beautiful river? Perhaps Sula answered them even then, for it began to rain, and the women ran in tiny leaps through the grass for fear their straightened hair would beat them home.

Sadly, heavily, Nel left the colored part of the cemetery. Further along the road Shadrack passed her by. A little shaggier, a little older, still energetically mad, he looked at the woman hurrying along the road with the sunset in her face.

He stopped. Trying to remember where he had seen her before. The effort of recollection was too much for him and he moved on. He had to haul some trash out at Sunnydale and it would be good and dark before he got home. He hadn't sold fish in a long time now. The river had killed them all. No more silver-gray flashes, no more flat, wide, unhurried look. No more slowing down of gills. No more tremor on the line.

Shadrack and Nel moved in opposite directions, each thinking separate thoughts about the past. The distance between them increased as they both remembered gone things.

Suddenly Nel stopped. Her eye twitched and burned a little.

'Sula?' she whispered, gazing at the tops of trees. 'Sula?'

Leaves stirred; mud shifted; there was the smell of overripe green things. A soft ball of fur broke and scattered like dandelion spores in the breeze.

'All that time, all that time, I thought I was missing Jude.' And the loss pressed down on her chest and came up into her throat. 'We was girls together,' she said as though explaining something. 'O Lord, Sula,' she cried, 'girl, girl, girlgirlgirl.'

It was a fine cry—loud and long—but it had no bottom and it had no top, just circles and circles of sorrow.

~Toni Morrison [buy]

[okeyouk-blog]

Never Give Up

A lady was driving along with her father. They came upon a storm, and the young lady asked her father, What should I do?" He said "keep driving".. Cars began to pull over to the side, the storm was getting worse. "What should I do." The young lady asked? "Keep driving," her father replied. On up a few feet, she noticed that eighteen wheelers were also pulling over. She told her dad, "I must pull over, I can barely see ahead. It is terrible, and everyone is pulling over!" Her father told her, "Don't give up, just keep driving!" Now the storm was terrible, but she never stopped driving, and soon she could see a little more clearly. After a couple of miles she was again on dry land, and the sun came out. Her father said, "Now you can pull over and get out." She said "But why now?" He said "When you get out, look back at all the people that gave up and are still in the storm, because you never gave up, your storm is now over. This is a testimony for anyone who is going through "hard times". Just because everyone else, even the strongest, gives up. You don't have to...if you keep going, soon your storm will be over and the sun will shine upon your face again. This story touched me! I hope it touched you! Feel free to pass it on to some people you know. Tell them:"Never give up, because GOD will never give up on you. ◆There are times when God will not get you out of the fire furnace, but like *Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego* He will keep the fire from burning you. *Daniel 3.16:27* ◆There are times when He will not keep you out of the lion's den, but, like *Daniel*, He will shut the mouths of the lions for your sake. *Daniel 6:16-23* ◆Still there are times when He will not keep you out of prison, but, like *Joseph*, He will shower you with immeasurable favour in the prison walls. *Genesis 39:20-23.* ◆And there are times when He will not take the cup away but, like *Jesus*, will give you the strength to drink from the cup. But in all these situations, there's a *calm assurance* : " l am with you always, even to the very end" *Matt 28:20.* Be Blessed

[goswagcollectorfire]

CARL’S BLOG: DARK CLOUDS OVER ALABAMA; carl’sblog.Online; http://sbpra.com/CarlJBarger; Arkansas-Hillbilly.com

12-22-19: Prattville Hospital off and running; Abe Lincoln elected President of the United States; South Carolina secede from the Union; and Christmas at Twin Oaks.

My mother continued her trips to Prattville twice a week. She went shopping and visited my sisters Tanya and Sarah on Mondays and played bridge with her friends on Wednesdays. Her health was holding up.

Mattie and Big Jim had another boy. They named him Henry. The birth of Henry gave Mattie and Big Jim two sons. I am amazed at how Mattie looks. Giving birth to two children has not hurt her looks at all. She’s still as beautiful as the first time I saw her in Selma, Alabama.

The hospital in Prattville is now up and running. Dr. Banister is doing a great job as its first administrator. My friends Dr. Jim Burroughs, and Dr. Frank Matthews, and I keep busy working at the hospital and making plantation calls.

Daniel Pratt has done it again. The hospital is a big success and was badly needed in our county. Our hospital beds are filled. I’ve always admired Mr. Pratt’s visionary qualities. He has a way of seeing a need for something and figuring out a way to make it happen. The citizens of Autauga County are blessed to have a man of his vision.

The summer brought good weather to Autauga County, and the cotton and corn were bumper crops.

Audrey was making slow progress. She could now say a few words but was still unable to walk and hold the children. Penelope continued to work daily with her. The children looked to Penelope for their needs since Audrey was not able to attend them. I know it made Audrey sad not to be able to pick up her children and play with them. At times, she breaks down and cries. Although I’m not one hundred percent sure, I believe that someday Audrey will recover most of the use of her body functions and mental capacity. I pray daily this will happen.

On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the United States. His platform included the prohibition of slavery in new states and territories. Mr. Lincoln won all the electoral votes in all the Free states except New Jersey where he received four votes to Douglas’s three.

As I read the newspaper article announcing Mr. Lincoln’s victory, I was reminded of one conversation I had had with Father. I remember Father saying, “Abe Lincoln from Illinois may someday be president of the United States. He’s a clever one, he is.” He went on to say, “Lincoln’s stand on slavery would be the end to the South as we know it. If he’s elected, our country will never be the same again.”

What was once calmness across the Deep South was no longer. Plantation owners were fearful that Lincoln would abolish slavery and free the slaves in the South. If that occurred, bankruptcy would be the death of many plantation owners.

The month of December brought on several incidents that made things even worse. On December 4, President Buchanan condemned Northern interference with slave policies of Southern states. He went on to say, however, that states had no right to secede from the Union.

On December 17, 1860, South Carolina called a secession convention in Columbia. On the second day of the convention, the representatives voted to move the convention to Charleston because of a smallpox epidemic which was running rampant in Columbia. While in Charleston, the convention’s business was held at St. Andrews Hall.

On December 20, 1860, the convention adopted the Ordinance of Secession on a roll call vote. The vote consisted of one hundred and sixty-nine yeas, and zero nays. The convention published a declaration of the immediate causes that induce and justified the secession of South Carolina from the Federal Union.  

The document cited several causes to justify their secession from the Union. Among the causes were, “Encroachments on the reserved right of the states,” and “an increasing hostility of the non-slaveholding states to the institution of slavery,” and “the election of a man to the high office of President of the United States, whose opinions and purposes are hostile to slavery.”

The convention also resolved that all previously federally owned properties in the state were now South Carolina’s. The Convention called on the federal government to restore South Carolina authority to Forts Moultrie and Sumter, the Charleston Arsenal, and Castle Pinckney.

South Carolina’s promise to secede from the Union if Abe Lincoln was elected was now history.

After reading the South Carolina Declaration of Secession, I knew we were in trouble. How could the Union allow South Carolina to take possession of these forts and assume a Union of their own? I had a bad feeling about all of this.

On December 24, 1860, South Carolina Governor Francis Wilkinson Pickens declared the act of secession in effect.

My sister Mary Ann Shadrack and her family arrived at Twin Oaks on December 24, 1860, by train from El Dorado, Arkansas. We had not seen them since their move to El Dorado. Dent and his family and my brother John and sisters Tanya and Sarah arrived early this morning. Mother had succeeded again to arrange for all of us to be present for another Bradford Christmas.

As the family visited over eggnog in the parlor, we could smell the refreshing aroma of the Christmas meal being prepared by Mattie, Betsy, Penelope, Big Jim, and Bill. These were some of my fondest memories of smelling the mouth-watering food cooking on Christmas morning. While visiting in the parlor, Dent and John approached me and asked if we could go to my room where it would be private and warm. I had a hunch about what they wanted to talk to me about.  

“Hey, what’s going on?” I asked.

Dent was the first to speak. Being the oldest he normally took the lead.

“Obadiah, John and I have been gravely concerned about where our country’s heading. With the election of Abraham Lincoln and South Carolina seceding from the Union, it’s looking bad. We’re hearing rumors of a possible civil war between the South and the North. Do you think we’re headed for a civil war?”

“I wish I knew the answer to that question, Dent. All I know is South Carolina has created a big mess by seceding from the Union. If South Carolina is successful in influencing other Southern states to secede, then Alabama will surely be one of them. I find this scary and dangerous for us in the South. Thursday, I attended a business luncheon as a guest of Daniel Pratt. He invited several big businessmen from different parts of Alabama to join him at convention hall in Prattville. The purpose for the meeting was to hear from other businessmen about how Lincoln’s winning the presidential race and how South Carolina’s secession would affect the economy in the South. The majority mostly felt that the economy would definitely be affected should additional Southern states secede from the Union. They were equally in agreement that President Lincoln’s stand on slavery could create outrage throughout the South and eventually lead to a civil war.”

“Obadiah, do you really think Alabama will secede?” John asked.

“Yes, I do!”

“Lord help us all,” John said as he dropped his head.

“If there is a civil war, do I fight, or do I stay at home and farm? If I don’t fight, I’ll be called a traitor to my country. My boys will want to fight for their country. I can’t very well let them go off to a war and me stay home. I’m telling you, brothers, we are in a heck of a mess,” Dent said.

“From what I’m hearing in Prattville, people are ready to go to war to protect their state’s rights. They think the Northern states are trying to take away their constitutional and state’s rights,” John said.

“That’s what I’m hearing in Selma as well,” Dent said.

“I pray there won’t be a war. I don’t think the South can win.”

“Obadiah don’t say that! At least don’t say that to anyone in Autauga County or anywhere else. Those words would make you very unpopular in these parts,” Dent said.

“Let me tell you why I don’t think the South can win a civil war. The North has the manpower. They are better equipped to fight a war. They have the factories to make military weapons and supplies. They have training facilities that we don’t have. They have all kinds of resources that we don’t have. If the North was successful in closing river ports and train lines, how would the South get supplies? Are you getting what I’m saying? We are noted for our cotton and that’s about it!”

“Lord, what can we do?” John asked.

“Let’s pray that a civil war can be avoided — that Mr. Lincoln can work something out with the South so that a war can be prevented,” I said.