(dedicated to the life and testimony of Edna Faye Watts, my mother who I love dearly)
As a little girl I sat and studied my family’s bowed backs
Toiling daily in the heat in another man’s pea patch
Wondering if I dared to hope for more or if this was all my future held in store
And so at an early age I found a special place where I could always go to find God’s grace
I’d just close my eyes, find a favorite scene
Run in a flowered pasture, splash in a cool, clear spring
And as a soft breeze stirred I’d hear the words an angel softly sings
Let joy fill your heart, my child, and dare to chase your dreams
The youngest of twelve in our sharecropper family
A late life surprise when my mom gave birth to me
Sure we had our share of hard times but never more than we could bear
We lived off the land and trusted in God’s plan for why he put us there
And whenever I got to feeling low I had a special place I could always go
I’d just close my eyes, find a favorite scene
Run in a flowered pasture, splash in a cool, clear spring
And as a soft breeze stirred I’d hear the words an angel softly sings
Let joy fill your heart, my child, and dare to chase your dreams
I remember that star-filled state fair night when a tall, handsome fella caught my eye
He’d walk nine miles just to see me smile and I knew I’d found my Mr. Right
We got on a bus with a quarter to our name--never found riches, never looked for fame
But we taught our children what love and family means
And gave them the courage to dare to chase their dreams
And I carry with me always that special place where I can go and find God’s grace
I just close my eyes, find a favorite scene
Run in a flowered pasture, splash in a cool, clear spring
And as a soft breeze stirs I still hear the words my angel softly sings
Let joy fill your heart, my child, and dare to chase your dreams
You see my parents gave us the hope of a better life
If you worked real hard and lived it right
No homestead, no vote-the poll tax saw to that
But they had their faith, a compass sure and they walked a righteous path
They taught me what love and family means
And gave me the courage to dare to chase my dreams
bjw
Mother’s Day 2009
