Reality Check with Ann Downing...

I was blessed, and ADM was blessed, last week to have been given a booth space at NQC...in a big booth that was called "Memory Lane". Guess it's obvious that this was for some of us who've been around a while, can't stay at the convention all week, but when there, need a place to "hang out". Many thanks to Ralph Moore, former driver for the LeFevres and a promoter of gospel concerts for a long time from Alabama, for putting this together...and thanks to Les Beasley for providing this spot. It was an opportunity for me to be reunited with some folks I hadn't seen in many years...other gospel singers, in many cases going back to the 60's. I'm just grateful that there are unselfish people who are still willing to provide for some of us who are in a different place than we were when NQC began, but still have a "presence". 

Recently I attended the ceremony inducting some folks into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.  I went at the invitation of a friend, Sheri and her daughter, Averi, who drove up from North Georgia and invited Karissa and me to join them.  I'd not been to one of these induction ceremonies in many years, maybe once since my induction in 1998.  To be honest, I'm not usually sure of what to expect when I walk into these kinds of events...times like this is when I really do miss another side of Paul, he was completely at ease walking into a room without any preconceptions as what to expect.  I'd just "hang onto his coattail" and walk right in with him greeting everybody, most of the time making them feel much better than they did before he came into the room.  I don't do as well as Paul, so last night I wasn't having tooooo great a time until I started seeing some faces that I hadn't seen in ages...hollering with glee at some of those faces...hugging, laughi...

Last week, Karissa and I were in Iowa, driving through Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri to get there. I grew up on a farm, but I was again amazed to see those endless rows of corn and soybeans...green as can be during an awfully dry and hot summer. I was reminded by Duane Nicholson, who grew up in those corn fields of Iowa, that science has produced ways now of developing seeds to draw the water from deeper in the soil than in years past...a change in the shape of leaves in order to catch more moisture (dew, etc.) and hold it, and more development that I can't remember. In spite of brown, barren hillsides, highway shoulders, lawns, those fields are doing just fine.....what a miracle...lots of miracles... Those corn and soybean fields should be dead, but they were "popping green"....God is never done with teaching us....

I love to raise tomatoes, 'cause I love tomatoes :).  I will have to say, though, that my "not so long" patience is tried in growing 'em.  Seems those plants produce yellow blooms reeeeaaaaallllll quickly after setting 'em out.  That's good, kinda gets me excited that soon and very soon there'll be fresh tomato sandwiches for lunch.  But alas, if you know anything about growin', then you know that those "quick" yellow blooms can be deceiving if you're lookin' for "fast fruit", 'cause it will be a long long long time 'til those little bitty green things grow and grow and grow and then finally turn sorta whitish and thennnnnnnnn a tinge of pink, leading finally to RED.  I have to admit I pull some as they're just beginning to turn and bring 'em in the house, seems they ripen a little quicker inside, off the vine. Don't know why I can't remember and keep in mind that it's gonna take this long t...

I just had my 67th birthday...oh wow, I admit that was hard to say!! 67 years I've lived on this earth? I remember when I used to think it was kinda silly to talk "age" at all....especially in looking back over our lives...our years past. Mama used to say, even up to her 94th birthday before going to Heaven, that she didn't understand why people talked so much about being "old" :). I haven't "talked" age all that much during these past 67 years, admittedly more the past "few" :). But I find myself looking back, then looking forward, then thinking..."more behind than before....now what in those "past years" am I gonna use for my "before me years"? Hopefully, I will have learned some lessons that will make my next ???? years be even more fulfilling than the past "few". I wrote it in a song several years ago...it applies here, I think....."after all these years, Your love is still the same...

Oh wow, haven't heard this song, "Why Should He Love Me So?" in many a moon....then all of a sudden today it started traveling in my head and down to my heart. I'll have to say it didn't put me on one of those trips where I feel like a "worm", not worthy of love of any kind from anybody for any reason. It did start me to thinking that it really is an amazing mystery how God, my Abba Father, could love me so much. That got me to remembering that classic of Dottie Rambo's... "He left the splendor of Heaven, knowing His destiny 'twas the lonely hill of Golgatha, there to lay down His life for me... If that isn't love, the ocean is dry, there're no stars in the sky, and the sparrow can't fly If that isn't love, then Heaven's a myth, there's no feeling like this, it that isn't love" It's now floating around in my head and heart that I don't have to dig and dig and dig to know why He'd love me so....

I always knew I had a good woman for a Mama. Mama wasn’t known for her words, although she spoke plenty of good ones!! Her favorite way, in my opinion, to show her love for my sister, Lavern, and me was in her consistent, quiet steadfast support, many times not saying a word but just being there as if to say, “nothing can make me not believe in you and love you”. I’ve learned a lot from Mama….and the more days that pass since she went to Heaven just confirm that she was one of the wisest women who ever lived. Every morning in my devotions’ time as I’m journalizing I most always write out my thanks to God for my Mama….and the legacy she left behind. Mama went to Heaven on Mother’s Day, 2005. I only hope and pray that the rest of my life here on earth reflects just a smidgen of her grace and dignity…and consistent love. I sure do miss you, Mama!!! Ann D