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Gone Fishin'

~ …“Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men!”

Gone Fishin'

Category Archives: Tribute

Tribute to Sheila McLeod (née Long)

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Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Tribute

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child of YeHoVaH, cousin, COVID-19, encouraging, epidemic/pestilence, evangelist, giving, godly, grandmother, kind, loving, mother, ordained minister, selfless, servant, Sheila McLeod, vivacious, wife, worship in song, Yeshua follower

Remembering a life well lived and all the joy it brought to so many. In memory of a truly amazing person.

The righteous one perishes,
    but no one takes it to heart.
Godly men are taken away,
    but no one discerns
        that the righteous man is taken from evil.
He enters into shalom.
    They rest on their beds,
    each who walked in his integrity. ~ Isaiah 57:1-2, TLV

And He said, “Watch out that you are not led astray! For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He’ and ‘The time is near!’ Do not follow them. And when you hear of wars and chaos, do not be terrorized. For these things need to happen first, but the end will not come at once.”

Then He continued telling them, “Nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes along with famines and epidemics in various places, and there will be terrors along with great signs from heaven. ~ Luke 21:8-11, TLV

While the above Isaiah 57 verses’ focus is on righteous men, the biblical truth mentioned in these verses can also apply to righteous women. My cousin Sheila McLeod was a righteous woman, and I believe YeHoVaH took her so that she could escape this evil world by entering into His heavenly rest.

On May 29, 2021, Sheila lost her fight against COVID-19 – one of the many pestilences (plagues, epidemics/pandemics) Yeshua prophesied would be an end-time sign. Thankfully, all her family members know that although she is absent from the Body of Yeshua, as well as absent from her own earthly body, she is now present with Yeshua and waiting to receive her glorified body.

Composed May 31, 2021

To be honest, I was speechless when I heard Sheila had died. It was a bit of a shock to me that YeHoVaH had called home this loving, encouraging, vivacious 63-year-old woman, child of YeHoVaH, and Yeshua follower who served others well. Sheila was kind to everyone. She was giving, too.

I remember how she lovingly invited me to come live with her and her family in Phoenix, when my marriage fell apart. She not only magnanimously housed and fed me but also let me drive her car, until I found a job and my own place.

Being around someone who loved YeHoVaH and Yeshua as much as I did was the spiritual medicine I needed to heal from my broken heart and broken marriage. Sheila was that someone.

We worshipped together in the same church and ministry. We discussed Scripture together. We discussed the importance of speaking in tongues, which she did first. We participated on several of CWDA Ministry’s programs. We attended gatherings in which some of Christendom’s well-known preachers and pastors were the guest speakers. We went to Gospel concerts together.

I was called into the ministry and ordained before Sheila, but maybe that was only because I was seven years older than she. Nevertheless, I cannot remember a time when Sheila wasn’t sharing Yeshua’s Gospel, so I knew it was only a matter of time before she would be called into the ministry and ordained, too.

Sheila loved to sing and to travel; furthermore, she loved to meet new people. She worshipped in song, and she evangelized wherever she traveled, which was all over this world. Sheila also befriended numerous individuals from the various places she visited.

My cousin was a godly wife of one husband, Eugene McLeod. Additionally, Sheila was a godly mother of two children – Denné and Jarret – and she was a godly grandmother to Alivia. My cousin loved and inspired them all, as well as loved and inspired her siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, and fellow co-laborers in the ministry. That is why there can be no doubt that these mentioned individuals and her beloved mother (Aunt Vera) will dearly miss Sheila.

For now, cousin, your work is done on this earth. Rest in peace in paradise, Sheila!

UPDATE:

The Obituary . . .

Sheila Arlene McLeod

January 6, 1958 – May 29, 2021


Sheila Arlene McLeod (Long) was born on January 6, 1958, to her loving parents William Henry Long and Vera Mae Wade (Long). She was the youngest of four children.  Although she was born in a Newark hospital, she was raised in East Orange, NJ.

Sheila received her formal education from the East Orange Public School system. After graduating from East Orange High School, Sheila went on to college at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI.  She originally started her college career to become an Ambassador. Later changing her major to Fashion Merchandising.

In 1979, Sheila married Eugene McLeod, from which two beautiful children were born. Of the two, the first was Denne’. Three years later, Sheila and Eugene followed her parents and her first cousin Althea Long to leave East Orange and moved to Phoenix, AZ. In 1985, their second child Jarret was born.

Sheila spent the majority of her working years with Fennemore Craig Law Firm, 32 years to be exact. During those 32 years, she became a member of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, approximately in 1984, which was the beginning of her spiritual awakening and her journey to serve God.  After some time, Sheila became very involved in Christian Ministry. Other passions of Sheila’s were international travel and family genealogy. At one point, she studied to become a travel agent.

It wasn’t long before Sheila began traveling internationally for personal fulfillment and for Christian missionary ministry as a member of Christian Women’s Devotional Alliance (CWDA) and Oasis International Fellowship Ministry. Ultimately, Sheila became an ordained minister operating in the office of evangelism and the spoken word. Her last place of ministry was with Living Waters Church of Mesa.

Aside from Sheila’s work in ministry and her many travels around the world, she loved spending time with her immediate and extended family.  She comes from a family full of singers and musicians. It’s no wonder that one of her favorite passions was singing in the church choir and singing with her family. Sheila grew up singing with her sisters, her brother, and many cousins who were more like siblings than cousins. Sheila also took many cruises, and when she was at home she enjoyed her favorite TV shows – a shared family trait.

Sheila and Eugene were married 41 years. They had an undeniable bond that could not be broken. As the Scripture says, “a three-strand cord cannot easily be broken.” They lived their vows until parted by death.

Sheila heard the trumpet sound and received her wings on the afternoon of May 29, 2021. She will always be remembered for her strong opinions, her fierce sense of fashion, her perfectly posed pictures, and her love for her husband, children, and granddaughter. She loved her mother “Mommy,” her siblings, and her nieces, nephews, and all of her hundreds of cousins who were an extension of her sibling family. Sheila was affectionately called Grammy by her only granddaughter, Alivia, and aunty, aunt Shilla, or just “Shilla” by her nieces, nephews, everyone in the family, and by her friends. Anyone who had ever met her would quickly be corrected with the proper pronunciation of her name. She would say, “it’s not Sheela it’s Shilla.”

She leaves to cherish her memory her loving husband Eugene McLeod, daughter Denne’ Armstead, son Jarret McLeod, a stepson and stepdaughter Terrell Lucas and Qamar Cureton, a son-in-law David Armstead, one granddaughter Alivia Armstead, mother Vera Mae Long-Morgan, two sisters Maxine Marshall and Caressa Long-Golden, a brother Kevin Long, a sister-in-law Julia McLeod Traylor, four brothers-in-law Edward Marshall, Hallowell McLeod II, Larry Traylor, and Willy Bright, 12 nieces and nephews, 12 great-nieces and nephews, a host of cousins, and a tremendous number of beloved friends and co-workers. She was predeceased by her father William Henry Long, mother and father-in-law Hallowell Sr. and Artelia McLeod, and two sisters-in-law Robin Long and Linda Bright. She will be sorely missed by all but her memory will always be held in our heart forever.

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It’s My 70th Birthday

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Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Tribute

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70, 70 disciples, 70 weeks, 70th Birthday, Babylonian exile, completeness, full life, Jacob's family, Moses' 70 elders, Noah's descendants, seventy, special number

Today is my birthday – my 70th birthday. Even though the Bible doesn’t give specific customs that relate to the celebration of anyone’s 70th birthday,  the Jewish sages not only thought 70 was a special number but also thought that it was definitely appropriate for a person celebrating a 70th birthday to mark the occasion by expressing gratitude for having lived what the Rabbis considered to be “a full life.”

For sure, biblically speaking, 70 is a special number that appears over and over again in Scripture. Therefore, 70 is a number of significant importance, especially since 70 represents completeness – the completeness of the nations of the world, the founding members of the Children of Israel, and the components of the authoritative judicial body of Israel. These and other biblical 70 years, according to the Jewish sages, are also why a person who has reached the age of 70 has achieved a “fullness of years.”

“For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place.” – Jeremiah 29:10, TLV

“Seventy weeks are decreed concerning your people and your holy city,
to put an end to transgression
to bring sin to an end,
to atone for iniquity,
to bring in everlasting righteousness,
to seal up vision and prophecy,
and to anoint the Holy of Holies.” – Daniel 9:24, TLV

In the Torah (Old Testament), the number 70 is often connected with YeHoVaH’s creation of the nations of the world, according to the number of Israel. After the Flood, the world was repopulated through 70 descendants of Noah (Genesis 10). Seventy (70) souls of Jacob’s family went down to Egypt (Genesis 46:27). Seventy (70) elders were appointed to help Moses administer Israel in the wilderness (Numbers 11:16); the people of Judah spent 70 years of exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 25:11 and 29:10). Seventy (70) weeks, 70 units of seven for a total of 490 years, were decreed by YeHoVaH as the period in which Messianic redemption was to be accomplished (Daniel 9:24). In the New Testament, Yeshua sent out the Seventy (Luke 10:1, in some manuscripts the number is 72); Yeshua commanded forgiveness ‘until seventy times seven’ (Matthew 18:22).  

Once again, even though the Bible doesn’t give specific customs that relate to the celebration of anyone’s 70th birthday,  the Jewish sages not only thought 70 was a special number but also thought that it was definitely appropriate for a person celebrating a 70th birthday to mark the occasion by expressing gratitude for having lived what the Rabbis considered to be “a full life.” Today is my birthday – my 70th birthday.

Thank You, YeHoVaH, for letting me live to see my 70th birthday. Happy Birthday, to me!

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Blackout Tuesday Solidarity 2020

02 Tuesday Jun 2020

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Spiritual, Tribute

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All Lives Matter, all nations, Black Lives Matter, Blackout Tuesday, enough is enough, one blood, Solidarity 2020

24 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by hands. 25 Nor is He served by human hands, as if He needed anything, since He Himself gives to everyone life and breath and all things. 26 From one He made every nation of men to live on the face of the earth, having set appointed times and the boundaries of their territory. 27 They were to search for Him, and perhaps grope around for Him and find Him. Yet He is not far from each one of us, 28 for ‘In Him we live and move and have our being.’

As some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring.’ – Acts 17:24-28, TLV





Shalom . . .

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The Second Anniversary of an Untimely Farewell

02 Thursday May 2019

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Heartbreak, Poetry, Tribute

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2-year anniversary, Ade, anguish, child-loss, comfort, grief, Holy Spirit, homegoing, May 2nd, mini-memoir, Mothers Who Have Lost a Child Club, oldest son, Olumuyiwa Ade Keen, permanent member, raining nonstop, sadness, transitioned, untimely farewells

Today is the second anniversary of the day my oldest son died. What I say in my mini-memoir, Untimely Farewells, about that melancholy May 2 is that I was feeling apprehensive. So:

“…I thought that if I went for a walk that it would calm me. It didn’t. As soon as I started walking, I burst into tears. While wailing, I suddenly blurted out a desperate plea.

“Father,” I sobbed, “please take me, instead of my son. I have lived a relatively long life. He is too young to die. Plus, he needs to be here for his sons and his new grandson. They surely will suffer immensely, if Ade were to die. They can do without me, but not their dad. Please, Father, let Ade live, if that is Your Will. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.”

I prayed similar prayers during that twenty or thirty-minute walk, as well as throughout that day. Still, my uneasiness continued to intensify; so much so, that by six o’clock in the evening I felt too sick to be around my family — my younger son, his wife, and their children — so I went to bed.

By now, my entire body seemed to know that Ade was dying. That was why all I wanted to do was to escape that unbearable truth by sleeping my hurt away. I had not been asleep all that long before Tarik was sitting next to me on my bed, shaking me, and begging me to “wake up.” He repeated his plea. “Please wake up, Mom. You have to wake up, now.” It was 7:50 p.m., my time.

Awake but a bit fuzzy, I asked Tarik, “Why do I need to wake up,” and before he could say “Ade is gone, Mom,” I already knew it. I immediately started crying, while simultaneously trying to push Tarik away and asking, aloud, “Why, God, why?” However, Tarik wouldn’t let me pull away from him. We cried together in each other’s arms.” (pp. 172-173)

That day, I joined a club that mothers everywhere hope they will never have to join. I became a permanent member of the Mothers Who Have Lost a Child club. What I also say in my mini-memoir is it is unfortunate that “…even though I eventually could rejoice with God that Ade was no longer suffering pain, I couldn’t avoid grieving his loss” (p. 182).

Two years later, I am still grieving the loss of my son, Olumuyiwa Ade Keen. Even though I am not, nor have I ever been, paralyzed by a deep-seated depression, I do feel sad at times, even more so on days like today.

Many grief experts have come up with their own list of things a grieving person can do that supposedly will help him or her deal with the anniversary of a loved one’s death, but the truth is nothing and no human being can get me through today. Only the Holy Spirit can comfort me while helping me deal with Ade’s death, and He is doing just that. Thank You, Holy Spirit!

I wrote the following poem in August of 2017. It is about the anguish and sadness losing Ade has made me feel. I originally posted this poem on August 13, 2017, in one of my WordPress blog articles. At that time, I noted that this poem was from my “Deep-Rooted Disposition” manuscript. “Moody Woman” is now the title of that same manuscript. Once again, here is my poem:

Raining Nonstop in My Heart
 
 
Human life comes with no magical number –
Threescore years and ten not guaranteed to
Everyone into whom the Breath of Life is breathed,
Putting within all living souls an eternal soul –
An endless spiritual dimension of humanity.
 
Yet long-life promise Command is figurative –
At best, most days are long in Promised Lands
But years are far shorter than the psalmist’s seventy
Briefer still for countless parents’ beloved sons
Or daughters they received from Indian Giver:
Grief’s irate criticism of living souls’ Creator.
 
Heartache cosigns divers pejorative expressions –
Death makes them intensely strange bedfellows;
Thankfully, God’s Love covers a multitude of mindsets
Dead set on using finger pointing to hide the pain
That mentally fighting noxious emotional wounds  
Deepens as human nature ignores Spirit’s Healing.
 
Child-loss pain is without equal, unlike none other –
Uniquely categorized since it betters bereavements’
Other types, triggering rawest ever-conceived anger that
Wages war against the unfairness of it all, hardening
Hearts reluctant to see collateral beauty around them
Uninterrupted by undying love that sets off joy and hope.
 
Domino effect doesn’t just signify a future disaster –
It illustrates how love that is in the middle of all life
Is hearts’ forever falling domino concurrently connecting
By coupling each toppled one to grief, pain, suffering,
Loss, or varied other ripples, including death, as they
Form rings around unending love’s collateral beauty.
 
Even so, diabetes monkey wrenched my life –  
This pre-existing condition snuffed out
Olumuyiwa’s candle short of my often prayed for
Long-life plan for my eldest son whose
Given name means: ‘God provides this.’
 
I’m sure Ade, denoting ‘my crown,’ will get his –
For my strong soldier fought the hardest battles;
Still my heart misses its vital piece needed to fix these
Throbbing, flip-flopping, pounding, skipping beat
Irregular rhythms’ agonizingly irksome hiccups.
 
They’re from regularly reran videos of his life –
He’s infant, teen, adult; optimist then pessimist;
He’s laughing, speaking, leaving, returning, then dying
In my head’s wirelessly streamed detailed scenes
Of jubilation and desolation that wear me down.
 
Every interlude between reruns baits my fear –
Cruel taunts make me believe I have begun to
Forget the strong-willed, handsome, animated part
Of me that died, living now only in memories
Daydreams summon instantly without delay.
 
Losing Olumuyiwa unlocked soulish floodgates –
Now it’s heavily raining nonstop in my old heart,
Wet monsoons from an overflowing waterlogged soul;
Life is surreal like I’m imprisoned and dying in
The center of a floating no locks, no bars vast
Airless gravity-defying water designed bubble.
 
Losing Olumuyiwa aftereffect is canyon in heart –
This too wide to close gap prevents me from ever
Being same person, since grief has no expiration date –
Just a myriad of sadness and hopelessness tides
That confirm uncomfortable truth: he’s not here.
 

This second anniversary of Ade’s death is very significant. Thanks to Father God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, I have done something, which on May 2, 2017, I didn’t think it would have ever been possible. I have survived two whole years without my oldest son, who was and still is someone as enormously important to me as life itself.

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March Is My Birthday Month

04 Monday Mar 2019

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Tribute

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68 years old, aquamarine, bighearted, birth flower, Birthday Month, birthstones, bloodstone, born day, celebrate, daffodils, gift from God, honest, loving, March, March 6, moody, music lover, new beginnings, observant, party, rebirth, spirng, sympathetic, traveller, Women's History Day, Women's History Month

March Born Female

Every gift God freely gives us is good and perfect, streaming down from the Father of lights, who shines from the heavens with no hidden shadow or darkness and is never subject to change. – James 1:17, TPT

March is my birthday month. The 6th of March is my birthday. God willing, this year I will turn 68.

What generally has been said about people who were born in March is true about me. I am moody. I am observant. I love to travel. I love music. I am artistic/imaginative. I am bighearted and sympathetic. Once I love someone, I love that person forever. Lastly, I thrive on love.

I usually don’t celebrate my birthday like most people do, but this year I not only plan to celebrate my birthday but also plan to celebrate the entire month of March, as much as I possibly can. I am very thankful to God for allowing me to see another March, hopefully, another birthday, and March’s entire 31 days.

March 2019

Historically speaking, because of its association with the first day of spring, March was originally the first month of the year in older versions of the Roman calendar. In the past, March 1st was New Year’s Day. Today, many cultures and religions still celebrate the beginning of the new year in March. In fact, the British Empire and its American colonies still celebrated the New Year in MARCH until 1752.

Additionally, March is the only month of our current 12 months that was named after a Roman god. March got its name from the Roman god Mars (the god of War).

As far as birth flowers and birthstones are concerned, March’s birth flower is the daffodil. Daffodils symbolize rebirth and new beginnings, and the daffodil virtually is synonymous with spring. March’s birthstones are aquamarine and bloodstone, which symbolize courage.

Nationally speaking, March is Women’s History Month. March 8th is Women’s History Day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME ON MARCH 6th!

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15 January 2019 – 111th Founders’ Day for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

12 Saturday Jan 2019

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Tribute

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111, 15 January 2019, 1908, 25 February 1984, 34+ years, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., birthplace, college-trained women, famed, Founders' Day, Greek-lettered sorority, Howard University, North Atlantic region, pause to honor, pay homage, principles, scholarship, service to mankind, sisterhood, waiting

Nadine at Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc.’s July 1992 Boule in New Orleans

A K A birthplace
famed North Atlantic region –
Washington, D.C.

–  haiku by Soror Nadine Drayton-Keen

On 25 February 1984, I became a member of Kappa Delta Omega’s graduate chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. This February will be my 35th year as an AKA Soror.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated’s 111th Founders’ Day is on January 15. On this Tuesday, my Sorors and I will pause to honor the founding of our beloved sisterhood, which started in our nation’s capital on the campus of Howard University. Also  on January 15, my Sorors and I will pay homage to the vision, courage, tenacity, and oneness of purpose of the extraordinary women who dared to create the first organization for college-trained women.

One hundred eleven years ago, our founders designed a sorority in which the members would be bound by the bonds of sisterhood and empowered by a commitment to the following three principles: 1. sisterhood, 2. scholarship, and 3. service to mankind. Our sorority’s current members still abide by these principles.

HAPPY FOUNDERS’ DAY to all my Sorors!

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Founders’ Day – 15 January 2019

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My Mini-Memoir: Untimely Farewells

11 Saturday Aug 2018

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Tribute

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anguish, autobiography, child-loss, chronicling, death, expressive writing, grief, healing, heartbreaking goodbyes, inescapable, Life, mini-memoir, mother-son separations, newly published book, the ultimate farewell, therapeutic, unthinkable

Child-Loss Is Unthinkable! Anguish Is Inescapable!

You’ve kept track of all my wandering and my weeping.
    You’ve stored my many tears in your bottle—not one will be lost.
    For they are all recorded in your book of remembrance. ~ Psalm 56:8, TPT

 

I received my copies of my mini-memoir, Untimely Farewells, on Friday evening (8-10-2018). Xulon Press shipped my copies on August 6th, so if Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and The Apple Store have received their copies it still may take a couple of days before my book is available in the paperback format.

On July 24th, my publisher wrote in an email to me that  “Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com should have some information up about your book in 4-8 weeks, or sooner (this is done at their pace, as they are dealing with thousands of titles).” No doubt, the same applies to The Apple Store. Additionally, the eBook format for my book also may not be ready for a few more weeks, as well.

However, Xulon Press’ online bookstore has paperback copies of my book right now. You can find my mini-memoir by either searching by author or by title. Here is the link to Xulon Press’ online bookstore: https://www.xulonpress.com/bookstore/.

As many of you may remember, I lost my son, Ade, last May. Coping with his death was difficult for me to do at times, and that was why I started writing about all the times he and I had been separated. I had heard years ago about the therapeutic benefits of writing a novel, but I had no idea that my reasons for chronicling the many heartbreaking goodbyes I faced in my life would lead to Untimely Farewells.

My mini-memoir begins when I was 20 years old (1971), and it ends when I was 66 years old (2017). Last year I had to say my final goodbye to Ade.

Death and life have taught me that child-loss is unthinkable, and they have taught me that anguish is inescapable. Additionally, death and life have taught me that grief has no expiration date. As a result, the separation I have yet to bounce back from is the ultimate untimely farewell (Ade’s death), which was the last separation Ade and I would have. These and other events from my life are in my newly published autobiography—Untimely Farewells.

 

~ This book is dedicated to you, Ade.  Rest In Peace In Heaven, my son . . . . .

 

Untimely Farewells - MockUp4

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First Anniversary of Ade’s Death

02 Wednesday May 2018

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Heartbreak, Tribute

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Tags

1-Year Anniversary, Ade, critique, death, diabetes, Heaven, l, memoir, mother-son bond, mother-son relationship, mother-son separations, new book, oldest son, Olumuyiwa, pain-free, resting in the Lord, ultimate separation, untimely farewells

Ade's Senior Picture 1990 001-2-3

Olumuyiwa Ade Keen 

April 30, 1972 – May 2, 2017

He always comes alongside us to comfort us in every suffering so that we can come alongside those who are in any painful trial. We can bring them this same comfort that [YeHoVaH] has poured out upon us. And just as we experience the abundance of [Yeshua HaMashiach’s] own sufferings, even more of [YeHoVaH’s] comfort will cascade upon us through our union with [Yeshua HaMashiach].

If troubles weigh us down, that just means that we will receive even more comfort to pass on to you for your deliverance! For the comfort pouring into us empowers us to bring comfort to you. And with this comfort upholding you, you can endure victoriously the same suffering that we experience. ~ 2 Corinthians 1:4-6, TPT

I have been up all night—not because I was worried about how I will handle today. I have been up all night, because I was making some very minor revisions to my memoir. Praise Good!

It’s amazing how God had me working on my memoir, starting last night and ending early this morning.  It is no coincidence that my manuscript focuses on the many times Ade and I have been separated—all our untimely farewells, including the ultimate separation.

Where Ade is concerned, his ultimate separation happened on May 2, 2017. It didn’t take this first anniversary long to get here. It really seems like Ade went home to be with the Lord just yesterday.

I couldn’t visit Ade’s earthly resting place in person, but I am definite there in Spirit. I know he knows how much I love him and miss him. Those are messages I can send from wherever I may be in this world on any given May 2nd.  Still, in my absence, I would love it if his grave is adorned with beautiful flowers that are from the family.

In addition to the flowers and the narrative that I have dedicated to Ade, I plan to look at many pictures of my son today. I am sure there will be some photos that will make me cry, but so far today I’ve only been smiling.

Ade's Gravesite1-1,jpg

For this one-year anniversary of Ade’s death, I am re-posting the poem I wrote for his homegoing service’s program. As I say in my memoir, this poem captures my understanding of the God-kind of Hope He gives to parents who have lost a child. My poem is as follows:

 

Just Sleeping: Only Believe

Nothing in life happens by chance
Neither by accident nor happenstance;
The Fates can’t override providence
Or replace it with inevitable dominance.

Destiny may be written on some stars
But only Creator knows how long ours
Has until we are snuffed like a candle—
On the fade to black shut-eye channel.

Death brags with no reason to be proud
For he claims no life God hasn’t allowed;
Sorrows touch humans for many reasons
But He who changes times and seasons
Raises the sleeping; changes bad to good,
And upgrades His aggrieved to sainthood.

The saints who still move and still breathe
Must exercise the faith needed to believe
They’ll see their gone-home family again
Healed from all misery, illness, and pain.

 

 

Ade was 24 years old when he was diagnosed with Diabetes. From that day forward, most of his adult life was full of excruciating pain, yet he never complained. I truly am thankful to God that Ade is no longer in pain, but because on Earth grief has no expiration date my pain won’t ever end.

On this May 2, 2018, I am sending up this message on the Wings of The Dove:

I miss you, Ade. I love you, Ade. I think about you, Ade. I won’t ever forget you, Ade.

 

Love,

 

Your MOM . . . . .

 

 

P.S.

 

Here is a critique of my soon to be published new book, Lord willing. This book is my memoir that I plan to give the title of Untimely Farewells. The critique is as follows:

 

“This is a beautiful and moving story that depicts the ups and downs of a wonderful family, and the relational interactions between each member; especially between the mother and her 1st born son. It is obvious that the mother-son relationship is of utmost importance and you do an exceptional job of painting a verbal portrait of this.

The writing is done well and the story also flows well.  There is a cohesiveness and a natural flow to the content.” ~ Desireé Harris-Bonner, MBA

Managing Partner

#Spiritual Midwife for Emerging Authors

DHBonner Virtual Solutions, LLC

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Black History Month 2018

01 Thursday Feb 2018

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Poetry, Tribute

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

African Americans, African-Americans’ achievements, annual celebration, Black History Month, Black Is Beautiful, Black Woman, Blacks, Carter G. Woodson, central role, Father of Black History, many shades, Negro, U.S. history

Happy Black HIstory Month

 

February is Black History Month—an annual celebration of African-Americans’ achievements. This month also is a time for recognizing the crucial role Blacks played, and continue to play, in U.S. history.

Black History Month grew out of “Negro History Week,” which was the brainchild of the Harvard-trained Carter G. Woodson—a renowned historian who in 1915 received indispensable help from other notable African-Americans to establish the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. This organization was dedicated to researching and promoting achievements by African-Americans and other peoples of African descent.

Every U.S. president since 1976 officially has designated the month of February as Black History Month. Furthermore, in other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, a month to celebrate black history also has been established.

Thank You God For Making My Black So Baeutiful

 

Black Woman

Your skin’s as light as white, brown, or darker than blue
You wear cornrows, afros, the straight and curly look, too.
Your Black beauty’s a mystery—a wonder to behold
Your queenly gate—that soulful stride—says ‘I can’t be sold.’

Though shadows of darkness have burdened your life,
Whether by misery’s battles or modern-day strife,
You continue chanting: A change is going to come,
While strategizing ways you can get that job done.

Praise goes to the Black woman for her intestinal fortitude
An unwavering perseverance that endures forced servitude.
Honor goes to her too whose Black pride took a backseat
To her bitter, insensitive foes now under her dusk-colored feet.

– composed by Nadine Drayton-Keen in the 1980s

 

HAPPY

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

 

Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief]. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty [conceited, self-important, exclusive], but associate with humble people [those with a realistic self-view]. Do not overestimate yourself. ~ Romans 12:15-16, AMP

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110th Anniversary of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

11 Thursday Jan 2018

Posted by Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen in Tribute

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1-15-1908, 1-15-2018, 110 years, AKA, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., bonds of Sisterhood, colors, dignified, elegant, Founders' Day, green, haiku poem, honor, illustrated haiku, pink, Sorors, strong, threefold cord, unbreakable strand

AKA 110 Years - January 15, 2018

 

 

Happy 110th Founders’ Day (on January 15, 2018) to all my Sorors. I have been a Soror for 33 of these 110 years. My 34th anniversary is on February 25th.

In honor of my Sorority’s 110th anniversary, I wrote the following haiku poem on January 9, 2018:

 

AKA Colors

 

The Pink and The Green

join agreeably –

dignity and strength.

 

My “AKA Colors” haiku poem also is in the above Founders’ Day image.

One of my first Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated haiku poems that I illustrated is in the below graphic. I call the haiku poem in the following image simply, “Sisterhood”:

 

Sisterhood 2015 Illustrated Haiku

 

A wise man describes the utmost unbreakable strand. Solomon’s symbol for durability is a cord consisting of three strands. His threefold cord represents an indestructible union—one that could be created between three or more friends (who can be any combination, including merely three Sorors).  Solomon writes:

 

By yourself you’re unprotected.
With a friend you can face the worst.
Can you round up a third?
A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped. ~ Ecclesiastes 4:12, MSG

 

May each of my Sorors honor every Soror on Founders’ Day. May our bonds of Sisterhood always be strong, dignified, and elegant.

 

Y'all Ready J15

 

HAPPY FOUNDERS’ DAY SORORS . . . . .

 

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Rev. Nadine Drayton-Keen

Sanctified Child

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