Jessie, Butterfly Blessings
Hello, my name is Kimberly Fife & I conducted my interview on my wonderful mother. I prepared a set of questions that would allow her the opportunity to introduce herself…
Hello, my name is Kimberly Fife & I conducted my interview on my wonderful mother. I prepared a set of questions that would allow her the opportunity to introduce herself and tell her story, along with leaving a piece of “HER”, with the readers. As my mother is an author of many pieces, I asked her if she would be kind enough to share one with us, and she agreed to bless us. I hope you enjoy this read,
Who Am I? I Am Jessie, Butterfly Blessings
MY NAME IS JESSIE YVONNE FIFE CLARK LEVERETTE. I WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 24, 1953 IN CHEROKEE COUNTY, ALABAMA TO VINSON ELTON AND WILYNE CHAMBERS FIFE. I HAD FOUR BROTHERS AND THREE SISTERS, ME BEING THE THIRD BORN CHILD. TODAY I HAVE TWO SISTERS AND TWO BROTHERS. MY CHILDHOOD WAS ONE FILLED WITH THE HAPPINESS OF BELONGING TO A LOVING AND SUPPORTIVE FAMILY. SADLY, I HAVE BEEN SCARRED BY THE TRAGIC LOSS AND PREMATURE DEATH OF MY FATHER WHEN I WAS 8 YEARS OLD AND MY YOUNGEST BROTHER, CHARLES(3), SHORTLY THEREAFTER.
GROWING UP I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME STAYING CLOSE TO MY MOTHER, WHERE I FELT SAFE AND SECURE. IN MY MIND I THOUGHT AS LONG AS I STAYED "UNDER HER", SHE TOO WOULD BE SAFE FROM DEATH. OF COURSE I HAD NO POWER OVER LIFE AND OR DEATH, YET I DIDN'T REALIZE THIS AS A CHILD WHO ONLY WANTED MY DADDY AND BABY BROTHER BACK, AND MY MOMMA TO STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM DEATH AS POSSIBLE.
THE REMEMBRANCE OF MY EARLY YEARS WAS SPENT IN THE COTTON FIELDS PICKING COTTON, TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUPPORT OF OUR FAMILY. EVERYONE IN THE HOUSEHOLD TOOK A PART IN OUR SURVIVAL, BECAUSE IT WAS OUR WAY OF LIFE. OUR FAMILY RAISED COWS TO SUPPLY THE MILK NEEDED FOR DRINKING, COOKING, AND CEREAL. WE RAISED AND SLAUGHTERED CATTLE, HOGS, AND CHOKED CHICKENS FOR MEAT, EGGS, BUTTERMILK, AND HOMEMADE BUTTER FOR THOSE SCRUPULOUS CAKES, PIES, AND COOKIES MY MOM WOULD BAKE.
ONE OF MY FUNNIEST AND FOND MEMORIES I CAN RECALL IS MY DADDY TEACHING ME HOW TO MILK A COW. I WAS ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD AT THE TIME. DADDY PLACED ME ON A STOOL WITH MY LEGS DANGLING, A BUCKET OF WATER TO WASH THE COW'S TITS, AND THE EXCITEMENT OF FINALLY MILKING THE COW BY MYSELF. WHAT AN ADVENTURE FILLED WITH AN EXPECTED END RESULT.
AS PLANNED, I MILKED THE COW AND FILLED THE FIVE QUART BUCKET WITH WARM MILK. WOW, WAS I HAPPY AND EXCITED AT THE SAME TIME. ME, A FIVE YEAR OLD MILKING THE FAMILY COW. WELL THE COW HAD A DIFFERENT REACTION. GETTING OVER MY FREIGHT AND MILKING THE COW WHICH PRODUCED A BUCKET FULL OF VERY WARM MILK FOR MY FAMILY WAS ONE OF MY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES THAT WAS FAR TOO FEW. WELL AFTER THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT, THE COW KICKED OVER THE BUCKET OF MILK AND I KICKED THE COW AND TOOK OFF RUNNING AND CRYING BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE COW WOULD CATCH UP WITH ME AND I WOULD BE A GONER.
AS A FAMILY WE LEARNED EARLY TO SHARE, WORK TOGETHER, AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER, PLAY, BE FAIR, EAT TOGETHER, AND PRAY TOGETHER BOTH AT HOME AND IN CHURCH. WE HAD FUN, CHORES, AND EACH OTHER NO MATTER WHAT. I WAS PICKED ON FOR MY FAIRER SKIN AND BEAUTY, BY MY SISTERS, BUT I NEVER WANTED TO FIGHT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS SO I MADE A POINT OF GETTING ALONG WITH EACH OF THEM.
ALTHOUGH THIS IS NOT MY FIRST CHURCH EXPERIENCE IT IS THE MOST EVENTFUL ONE ON MY CHRISTIAN JOURNEY/LIFE. I WAS SIX YEARS OLD WHEN I ACCEPTED JESUS CHRIST AS MY LORD AND SAVIOR. WHAT THAT MEANT AND CONTINUES TO MEAN TO ME IS A LIFELONG CONNECTION AND COMMITMENT TO LIVING MY LIFE AS A CHRISTIAN WHICH IS TO BE CHRIST-LIKE IN ALL MY DEALINGS.
IT WAS SUNDAY, AND THE DAY TO BE BAPTIZED HAD ARRIVED. EVERYONE DRESSED IN WHITE AS WE WALKED TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER RUNOFF. THAT VAST AMOUNT OF WATER WHICH CAUSED ME TO SHAKE AND TREMBLE WITH FEAR I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED BEFORE. I DARE NOT TELL BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO BE CALLED SCAREDY CAT OR A CHICKEN. MY OLDEST SISTER DORIS AND I JOINED THE CHURCH (MACEDONIA BAPTIST CHURCH), AND NOW WE WERE ABOUT TO BE BAPTIZED TOGETHER. ONLY GOD KNOWS HOW SCARED I WAS, ONLY HE UNDERSTANDS WHAT A LIFE CHANGING DIFFERENCE IT MADE IN MY LIFE.
YES, I WENT THROUGH WITH THE BAPTISM WITH THE COMMUNITY AS MY WITNESSES. BEFORE THE DEACONS SUBMERGED ME IN THE WATER I STARTED PRAYING TO GOD THAT THEY WOULD NOT DROP ME OR DROWN ME. THE TEARS OF FEAR WOULD NOT STOP AND NEITHER WOULD MY PRAYER THAT GOD WOULD RESCUE ME IN CASE THE MEN DROPPED ME. IT WAS DOING MY PRAYER THAT I PROMISED GOD I WOULD SERVE HIM THE REST OF MY LIFE. THE IMPACT OF THAT DAY HAS DRIVEN ME TO STAY DEVOTED AND ALERT AS A CHRISTIAN. I HAVE SPENT 63 YEARS AS A CHRISTIAN AND ALMOST 58 YEARS AS A TEACHER OF THE WORD OF GOD.
BORN IN THE SOUTH IN THE 1950'S ONLY MEANT THAT AS AFRICAN AMERICANS WE FACED CHALLENGES NOT FACED BY ANY OTHER ETHNICITY. OUR SCHOOLS WERE CLOSED AND WE WERE BUSED TO THE ALL WHITE SCHOOLS WHO DID NOT WANT US TO BE THERE. IT MEANT THAT WE LOSS OUR ALL BLACK TEACHING STAFF, YOUR SELF WORTH AS STUDENTS AND OUR POTENTIAL TO ACHIEVE FAR BEYOND WHAT WAS DREAMED FOR US AS STUDENTS. IT WAS DEVASTATING TO BE UPROOTED AND TRANSFERRED TO SCHOOLS THAT DID NOT WANT US OR DID NOT BELIEVE WE COULD NOT SURPASS THEIR EXPECTATIONS OF US AS A PEOPLE. AS FAR AS THEY WERE CONCERNED, WE WERE DOOMED AS FAILURES AND UNDER ACHIEVERS.
GOING THROUGH INTEGRATION, MEANT OVERACHIEVING, THRIVING TO BE THE BEST IN MY STUDIES, ON THE P.E. FIELD, BEING THE BEST AT EVERY CHALLENGE AND KNOWING I COULD DO WHATEVER I SET MY MIND TO JUST LIKE MY MOTHER TAUGHT MY SIBLINGS AND I. "WE DID IT."
BEING BORN AND RAISED IN A STATE GOVERNED BY GEORGE WALLACE MEANT THAT RACISM WAS OUR (AFRICAN AMERICANS) DAILY DOSE OF THE HATRED WHITE AMERICANS BELIEVED AND THOUGHT OF US. WHEN MY BROTHERS, WILLIAM AND SAM FIFE JOINED THE SCHOOL'S FOOTBALL TEAM IT WAS NIGHT AND DAY THE WAY WE WERE TREATED. THEY BECAME SUPERSTARS, ESPECIALLY SAM. CHEROKEE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL BECAME KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND THE LOCAL SCHOOLS AND NEWSPAPERS. EVERYTHING CHANGED AND NOW WE WERE ACCEPTED WITH THE FULL RIGHTS AND BENEFITS OF THE NOW INTEGRATED SCHOOL.
JOINING THE MILITARY WAS A LIFELONG DREAM OF MINE, THE NAVY IN PARTICULAR. I WANTED TO HONOR MY DADDY WHO DIED AT THE EARLY AGE OF 31 YEARS AS AN AMERICAN VETERAN WHO HAD SERVED HIS COUNTRY AS A MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY. I REALLY WANTED TO SERVE MY COUNTRY AS A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF SOCIETY AND COUNTRY. WHAT A DREAM COME TRUE BECAUSE I EXCELLED IN THE FIELD OF MY DREAMS.
WHEN I ARRIVED IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, I WAS A BRAND NEW MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY. ALTHOUGH I WAS AFRAID, IT WAS NOT A FEAR THAT WOULD DERAIL MY HOPES AND DREAMS. I EVEN BECAME A MOTHER OF A BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER, KIMBERLY FIFE, WHILE SERVING IN THE NAVY. WOMEN IN THEE MILITARY WERE NOT PROTECTED NOR WERE WE EQUAL. I WAS RAPED AND IMPREGNATED, TOLD TO ABORT, FORCED TO HAVE HER TWO MONTHS EARLY, DUE TO A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. MY BABY WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD. I CRIED OUT TO GOD, BECAUSE I KNEW HE DID NOT ALLOW ME TO SUFFER ALL I HAD BEEN THROUGH, TO LOSE MY BABY. SINGLE PARENTHOOD WAS SO SCARY, BUT WITH GOD ON MY SIDE I KNEW I COULD DO IT.
I FOUND MY CHURCH, THE PILGRIM PROGRESSIVE BAPTIST BY LISTENING TO THE FOUNDING PASTOR, DR. MARVIN C. HINES ON HIS GOSPEL RADIO STATION CALLED “THE SONGS OF ZION”. 47 YEARS LATER AND I'M STILL A PRODUCTIVE MEMBER OF MY CHURCH AS A SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER AND AN EVANGELIST, CARRYING THE WORD OF GOD TO THOSE WHO ARE LOST.
FOR ALMOST 58 YEARS AS MENTIONED BEFORE I HAVE BEEN A TEACHER OF GOD’S WORD. I HAVE ALSO SERVED AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE YOUNG MATRONS MISSIONARY MISSION, WHICH WAS AND REMAIN A JUNIOR MISSION FOR YOUNG WOMEN. IT TEACHES THEM HOW TO DEVOTE THEMSELVES TO WORKING FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY. I ORGANIZED AND LEAD THE NURSING HOME VISITATION MINISTRY, AND DEVELOPED THE “FEED THE HOMELESS MINISTRY”. FEEDING THE HUNGRY AFTER SHARING "THE WORD", IS SECOND NATURE TO ME AND IS SOMETHING MY FAMILY STILL DO TODAY. I ALSO SERVED AS MY CHURCH'S SECRETARY, CLERK, AND A MEMBER OF THE TRUSTEE BOARD.
I'VE SERVED AS A MEMBER OF THE MINISTER'S WIVES AND WIDOWS. IN THIS CAPACITY, I TAUGHT LESSONS THAT BEING A MINISTER'S WIFE OR WIDOW FACED. I'VE TAUGHT EVANGELISM IN THE SOUTHWEST BAPTIST DISTRICT AS WELL AS THE WESTERN BAPTIST STATE CONVENTION OF, THE NATIONAL BAPTIST CONVENTION: USA, INC.
MY TEACHING BEGAN WITH THE 2 TO 5 YEAR OLD, MOVING TO THE 6 TO 8 YEAR OLD, THEN THE 9 TO 12 YEAR OLD, THE 13 TO 15 YEAR OLD, THE 15 TO 18 YEAR OLD, AND THE YOUNG WOMEN'S CLASS FROM 35 TO 99 YEAR OLD. THIS CLASS I CONTINUE TO TEACH TODAY.
AFTER 25 YEARS OF BEING A WIDOW AND NOT EVEN BEING ON A DATE, I MET MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND, WALTER LEVERETTE IN A THERAPY GROUP. WE DATED, WERE ENGAGED, GOT MARRIED AND OUR LIVING OUR BEST LIFE!!!! LOVE WINS!
I WOULD LOVE TO LEAVE YOU ALL WITH A POEM THAT HAS MOTIVATED ME THROUGH THE YEARS IS THE FOLLOWING BASED ON (MATTHEW 6:34 KJV)
“THE DAY BEFORE TOMORROW”
THE DAY BEFORE TOMORROW
IS A VERY SPECIAL DAY
AND I FEEL I SHOULD LIVE IT
IN A HAPPY KIND OF WAY
TOMORROW'S SO MYSTERIOUS
THAT I CAN NOT FORESEE
THE THING THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING
AND THE WAY THAT LIFE MIGHT BE
BUT. THE DAY BEFORE TOMORROW
THAT'S QUITE A DIFFERENT THING
THOSE HOURS ARE SO MUCH CLOSER
I CAN GUESS WHAT THEY MIGHT BRING
I'D RATHER BE A SPARROW
OR A LILY OF THE FIELD
AND JUST WAIT FOR GOD'S WILL FOR ME
IS FINALLY REVEALED
I'LL PUT ASIDE THE GRIEFS AND CARES
THE TROUBLES I WON'T BORROW
AND JUST BE GLAD I'M LIVING IN
THE DAY BEFORE TOMORROW
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