Hey Ma,
How you doing today? How’s everyone doing up there? What did you do for your birthday? I’ve always wondered what are birthdays like in Heaven. Or what about Holidays, since every day is like Sunday, are they still celebrated?! Hmmm….lots of questions but that’s not what I wrote you about. I’m writing you to tell you about my special encounter at Dolly’s House yesterday. One young shopper said something that will stick with me for life!
Before I tell you about the special encounter, let me tell you how well the young people did in leading us in service. Do you remember Kennadi from Logan? She was in Mrs. Ancone’s class with Emmanuel. She is growing up to be such a fine young lady, and just as pretty as she wants to be! Well she is our youth leader for the ECBC praise dance. Ma she is so talented! She dances and she took the time to come up with her own choreography in which she teaches the young girls who are interested; she even has Madison dancing in front of the church and you know how shy Madison can be at times! A young lady by the name of Sophia got baptized yesterday and she read Psalm 150 for the scripture reading. You would liking love Sophia and her sweet mama Jennifer, they both are artists and use their God-given talents to be a blessing to others. Lydia delivered the Preached Word yesterday and she did a phenomenal job! Your grandson William did the offertory prayer, Emmanuel was an usher, and Micah showed up with a good attitude (which is a win in my book! You would have been so proud of them Ma.
I wish you were there.
You probably would have been doing your two step to this song entitled Your Way is Better; it’s a really nice song!
Well now let me get to Dolly’s House. We had a lot of customers and from the looks on some of the folks faces, I think they were pleased. I was expecting two young ladies to show up but something must have come up, thank God we will have more to put out. The community has really responded well, just need to keep putting the word out so those in need can be blessed by this ministry.
So this young lady and her sister were shopping and she came up to and asked if everything was free. I quickly replied, “yes of course, there is nothing for sale in Dolly’s House. She went on to say, “what’s your name, are you Dolly, or can I call you Dolly.” I smiled and told her my name was Whitnee’, Dolly is my mom. I let her know you passed away and she said she was sorry for my loss. She went on to speak to me for a few more minutes and told me she was looking for a black sweatshirt and a pair of black dress shoes size 6.5 or 7. I helped her look and then got side tracked as I helped other customers but she continued to look but she was not successful.
Fast forward to when it was closing time. I locked the Boutique up shortly after 1 and headed home. I kept thinking to myself, “Are you Dolly!” In that moment I knew I had to do what only Dolly would do! I had to go find this beautiful young lady a black sweatshirt and the dress shoes she needed to complete her outfit. Ma it gave me so much life! It made me feel more connected to you and the mission you had. It’s like you were in the flesh helping me pick out and lead me right to what this young lady needed. I was so happy and I felt like I had purpose beyond the walls of Dolly’s House.
I remembered so many times you would go shopping for everyone and often times you wouldn’t even ask for your money back. I miss shopping with you ma. You want to know the funny thing?! When I shop with William it reminds me of shopping with you. He never gets tired of shopping and he tries to spend all of my money, sounds familiar lol?!
Do you remember when we went shopping for the youth who had interviews who lived in Transitions? Or all the times we shopped together for the seniors at the High Rise?
Ma you were always shopping. You were always doing for other people. I think that’s what I admired about you the most. I don’t know if I recall saying those things to you but the more time that goes by and the more I miss you, I find myself trying to fill your shoes but I know I’ll never be able to. There will only be one Willia Davis, but you left a stamp on all of our hearts and your mission lives on through all of us.
And guess who I saw today Ma? I got to see Stacey! We talked about you and we talked about how your spirit lives on in each of us. You would be so proud of her and the work she is doing. Over the last couple of weeks she has taken on blessing a young lady who goes to the church and whose kids you would absolutely adore! How she finds time and energy to do what she does is simply amazing! She is like the gift that keeps on giving. I pray when I grow up I can have that fire and be a beacon of light like the two of you.
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Ephesians 2:10
All the ways you gave back to people and how you allowed me to watch and help you have ultimately become my passion. I absolutely love the direction that Dolly’s House is going and the way it is growing. I am meeting so many beautiful people! Through people like Stacey, Kelly, Jasmine, Faith, Mrs. Rita, Mrs. Carolyn, Mr. Richard, Wesley, Mr. Hammond, Mrs. Edna, Terri, and others God has called us to truly love our neighbors.
Ma I can’t tell you how happy I am and just wish you and Daddy could be here to see how Spry’s Durty Kitchen is growing, to see how your grandsons are growing into handsome young men who put God first, how Dolly’s House just started out of the house (sounds familiar) and how Eau Claire Baptist has given me a home/space thanks to Mrs. Sandi where people can come shop. It’s more than just clothes and shoes Ma, soon it will be a “one stop shop” where folks can get their toiletries, clothes, shoes, household items, furniture and more.
You made a lifelong commitment to serve God and you were so faithful Ma, even to your last breath, you remained faithful. When I was younger I didn’t value the blessing you were because I was looking through the lens of a child, but as I got older and started maturing in Christ, I realized that God had given me one of the greatest gifts…you as my Mother. At times when you were sick I would say I was going to send you to Shady Pines, but everything you did was to push me to do and be more. You know I would be complacent and wouldn’t push myself and I thank you for that.
Ma you see how hard we are pushing past this financial crisis we are in and still trying to allow God to use us to be a blessing to other people. You taught me thought! You taught me to not worry about my circumstances but to help others in the midst of my trials. All I can say is it’s nothing but God because He gives me the peace that surpasses all understanding even when I don’t know how we are going to make it. I can’t thank you enough.
All I ever wanted to do was make you and daddy proud Ma. All I ever wanted to do was help people the way you and Daddy did. At times I feel like I could be doing more but I live on to fight another day.
You know I’m long winded Ma, I got that from you.
Make a long story short, thank you Ma for the life you lived, the lessons you’ve taught me, and for blessing others through your purpose and your passion.
Give Daddy a hug for me. I love you and I miss you Ma.
Signed,
Whitnee’
This had me in tears and deep in my thoughts Mrs. Davis…one today is my Dad’s birthday. I believe you may or may not have met him while the both of you were still here on this Earth, I can’t remember…but not sure if you would recognize him by my description of him now because I know that the scripture says that our bodies will be made perfect when we are in Heaven and I am not so sure of that will look like. But just ask my loud brother Marc. I know he up there problem getting on your nerves too like he did our Mother… he would aggravate her until she started to buss out laughing. But anyways tell my Daddy Happy birthday and I am still holding on to his ashes….I haven’t let him go yet….not until I get married. I have to have at least one parent sitting in the chair while I walk down the aisle. Tell him I plan to let him go in a beautiful vacation place that my husband and I will be and it will be a special memory that I will always cherish. Oh and 2. I might say you have one optimistic daughter and her service skills are off the charts like you…well almost because here it is you were on your sick bed still concerned about the men in high rise…I can’t say that I will be concerned about them if I was in your situation let alone your daughter. I might say Mrs. Davis Whitnee never fails to amaze me with her positivity. It always seem like certain people try to make her or me look bad but she always go for the good in them like God says we are to. We are to turn the other cheek. That’s still something that I am working on because Lord knows I have my blow up moments. But I truly thank God for having her in my life and my children’s lives. Lord knows when they are scared of me they look up to her and want to love and live with her. lol. Ms. Davis, forgive me for not eating a bag of Lay’s Potato Chips or eating some junk as I am trying to control this diabetes. I would of eaten a whole bag of ruffles just for you…but like Whitnee says these times are hard financially for the both of us right now and I can’t even afford a bag of Lays right now. But I will continue to trust in God because he is my Jehovah Jireh, my provider. And I will continue to trust God and do what God tells me to do. Right now I started writing for the prayer walk I would like to do in November. It’s on being stuck, how many of us probably feel…I pray that God gives me the right worlds and scriptures to say and that I will make an impact on the people that I come in contact with. Oh and Tell Marc, I am starting a prayer line soon. I spoke with my Tati and she is ok with it. Tell him Tatayana, the shy girl that he gave a hug and kiss to when I was in high school and you made her almost cry…No one ever seen the love and affection that you showed your little sister, a hug and kiss. It moved a lot of people which the affection and love is missing today in many siblings lives. Glad we could show the love we did to encourage others. I am getting off track, Mrs. Davis Tell my Dad we are going to have to celebrate his birthday next week along with yours… and Mrs. Davis, my daddy was a country boy. I remember when it was just EJ, I told him I would take him where ever he wanted to go and you know what my daddy said???! Take him to KFC 😆. I’m like what????? No California Dreaming? No Red Lobster? Not ever Buffalo Wilde Wings? Nope KFC it was and he ordered the chicken pot pie which was really good I might add. We laughed and talked that day. Ok Back to Whitnee…Dolly’s House is a true BLESSING. It’s like your own clothing store with good quality clothes and shoes for free! Oh How Ondodn not have this growing up. I remember what holes in my shoes at one point, but what a blessing this is and I am not going to talk about Spry’s Durty kitchen. What a soul food restaurant it will be one day and along side with her Just Fried, my restaurant as well. You know Mrs. Davis I keep saying this but God knows what he was doing when he let Whitnee met Faith…because my God, we feed off of each other. When one is down the other encourages the other to keep going or get back up. This is a never failing relationship. If one is mad at the other it won’t be for too long and God WILL make a way that we talk to each other…Sometimes it’s like we are on a sea-saw. But I know pretty soon God is about to move SUDDENLY and we both will have our restaurants side by side. Money will no longer hold us back. Jeremiah 29:11 reads,For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. I know that is very close. We will have our homes built. We will have our rocking chairs. Our dreams will come true. I know this. I feel it in my bones sometimes more than others…yes all these distractions and weights of life try and weigh us down but we remember Job in the Bible. We remember Joseph in the Bible. We remember Elijah in the Bible. We remember the other obedient faithful servants. We know that they remained obedient to God’s Word and God blessed them with interest. We know that we serve a faithful God…and one day Jesus will come and meet us in the sky and we will all come home and they will be no more separation and missing each other because we will be celebrating and having the biggest family reunion in the history of the world. Hallelujah!!! I feel like praising and shouting right now. Glory be to God! My soul cries Yes! Yes! Yes! Every time. I will dance like David and don’t care who looking at me! Hopefully we will all be dancing together..rocking Heaven singing all praises to God! And Everyone will be together forever! Amen.
🎶 Down in my soul cries Holy 🎶 Down in my soul cries HOLY…in my sanctified soul…cries Holy 🎶
As I took my time and read this message tears of happiness and tears of sadness fluttered through as I thought about 1st grade Faith, 5th grade Faith, military ball Faith, baby daddy Faith (inside joke), and now working, mother, about to get married Faith. Boy we’ve been through a lot together and you are right, you get on my last nerves sometimes but I love you. Always have and always will.
Little do people know it’s you that encourage me to write when I felt like no one cares what I have to say. It’s you that support Dolly’s House and put in physical labor to help make things happen and even have your kids come help make Dolly’s House what it is when my boys too stuck on basketball or themselves to help me.
Happy Birthday Mr. Clarence! How special it is that God would give me a word on your birthday that would inspire your daughter who touched my soul. You too would be so proud of your baby girl because no matter how tired she is, how sick she is, or how frustrated she is and thinks about the days when it was just her and Daisy, she is raising her kids to love God, speak and teach His word and learn scripture, and she is setting an example that many of us admire and hope to be. No she doesn’t have it easy, but she tells the story of what remaining faithful, dedicated, hardworking and never giving up looks like. She defines what resilience looks like, although she doesn’t see it. Every tear, every struggle, every corner she thought about standing on to make sure her kids had the life she wants to give them will all be rewarded justly in due time and when it matters the most. Not sure if y’all have chicken pot pie in Heaven but I know you eating good.
Good night horse nose, I love you!
Let me know when you celebrate Mr. Clarence birthday maybe we can tag team and I can celebrate my moms day too.
Another masterpiece from the sweetest sister in the world! Thank you for LIVING what you believe! There will never be another “Willia Davis” but there is Whitnee Davis Spry!!! And she is amazing!
Grateful to follow the road pathed by Beautiful PIONEER women like you and sweet Mama Rita!
I lovvvvvveeedddddd this one. I may have missed it did you find her black top and shoes? Happy belated Birthday Mrs. Dolly 💜💜💜💜💜
Yes I found them on Sunday! 😊