unisouthwest

Two days ago was my oldest son’s birthday. Of course, my husband and I decided to surprise Olamide by blessing him with a new car of his choice. (Thank God he did not choose a Bentley) haha! Jokes apart, before anything else, he was blessed by the laying on of hands at dawn to the glory of God.

So we went out to lunch at Cracker-Barrel, the restaurant of the birthday boy’s choice. We experienced firsthand racism as we signed in to be seated, an experience that has become all too familiar. After all we live in the South right? I was not going to be perturbed by it because I am a Christian and one that attend church for that matter. When you attend church in America, especially if you attend a predominantly white church while you are black, you are bound to experience racism in the highest order. Although very subtle, but speaks louder than someone actually calling you the ‘N” word to your face. Because church folks are very sophisticated with how they do most things especially the way they express prejudices.

So it was our turn and the waiter gets to my kids and me, (a party of 5) after registering the crew ahead of us, the waiter decided to walk away from her podium without eye contact in acknowledgement of us. She returned without apology and took our information still without eye contact. She suddenly beckons on the lady far behind us with a smile on her face and says “how may I help you ma’am” while I was as still standing in front of her thinking she was still attending to me, because our interaction to me had not concluded.

I looked at my son, whose birthday we were celebrating and he did not like what was taking place either by the look on his face. He usually does not address racism and he gets very uncomfortable when I make a fuss about it. I believe partly because he grew up in a white church and 98% of his friends are white. But today, he agreed with me and even said “you have to say something to her mom” I was shocked to hear this from him, and felt obligated to give this woman a piece of my mind. So I did while the lady that was being attended to who literarily pushed her way though us had to step aside quickly so I can have my audience with this waiter who all of us were caught unaware of this unrehearsed event unfolding before about 8 people.

So I told the waitress that I did not appreciate what she had just done, she immediately began to apologize profusely; and my children and I walked outside to wait for our group’s name to be announced and be seated.

So we eventually got called and were seated in what I consider the most prominent table in Cracker-Barrel. As I replayed and berated the event in my mind, I felt unease and was directed by something to look to my left, and I saw a white family of 5 sitting and waiting for their meal. Finally our foods came, and we prayed and began to eat but the family to my left just sat there without food for almost an hour. Then the manager came and spoke to us about our meal, still the family with 3 little children just sat there without being served. One thing that also caught my attention was how well behaved the little children were especially waiting so long for their food. Then I saw the manager come over to their table and squatted beside the head of the family, the man and spoke to him. At this point I knew something was definitely not right.

As I tried to listen, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper to me. “You must pay for their meal” I wanted to shake it off, but I heard the voice again, so I looked over to my son and told him what I just heard, and he said yeah mom right on. So we held hands and prayed for the family without making a scene.

I called our waitress and informed her that I will be paying for the family and she must not let them know that I did. As we finished our meal getting ready to leave I had another nudge to bless the kids, so I left some money on their table and asked the mom to take them to sweet frog as we walked to the register. While trying to pay, a lady came over with tears in her eyes and touched me telling me how she believed God used me to lift her spirit because she and her family had been going through so much all day (this was when I realized she was the family that was sitting next to us). She thanked me and we hugged really tightly while tears rolled down her eyes.

I felt so blessed and knew beyond a shadow of doubt that God has given my son the best birthday gift that anyone could ever ask for. A gifts far better than his new car by allowing me to see that although I felt discrimination when I walked into the restaurant, that someone else had it worse than me, and that I had to listen to God so I may see Him in action and know that He has called me to live among a different race, but He is with everyone and He will use anyone no matter the color of their skin to bless His children anyhow He pleases.

I was particularly glad that the entire episode took place in front of my children unrehearsed to the glory of God!

So what is your experience? How are you paying attention to your surrounding? How are you listening to the still small voice that quickens you to do the will of the Father whom you profess, but too sidetracked and selfish to do what He is calling you to do? How are you even handling this race issue that has openly confronted the United States especially within these past few days? I do believe that discrimination is sometimes allowed to occur in order to get us to die to self and love more and harder in order to reflect the image of Christ in us. Do you know that you have severe racism tucked away in your heart just waiting to be agitated to unleash the venom, (and this goes for black, white Hispanic and all of us) but blame others for the guilt you harbor on the inside?

Give yourself a chance to fellowship with people of other races and background. Jesus did, your ancestors did, especially our American ancestors who came here and took the land of the Indians, worked the slaves, killed some of them, yet could not annihilate them because God’s will is far greater than that of mere mortal; and they left so much for all of to enjoy today.

My son is dating a beautiful young white woman who has become like my own daughter, and she is not only gorgeous on the outside, but also very beautiful on the inside as is her awesome family that has become like second parents to my son as well. We are created to LOVE EVERYONE! And love is what will conquer racism and discrimination of any kind.

Yes, I am AFRICAN AMERICAN and I love people, white or black people! And I will not stop loving people just because someone chooses to display their ignorance! HAPPY BIRTHDAY again Olamide, you are dearly loved and highly favored my first-born son!