December 2004
What a surprise! Three years ago my friend, Shirley Berry from Water Valley, told me I needed to do a CD and she would help. I giggled about that but went on to the studio and "played around". I messed up some songs and had fun with some others. I never really thought it was something that anyone would want. Then I got REAL busy and never seemed to be able to find the "right" songs or enough songs for what she wanted to do. Eventually I just "let it go".
While I was there in the studio, she told me to pick out a hymn that was meaningful but not something everyone else always used. I picked "Throw Out The Lifeline". When I was four years old they were still having the big community revivals at the Tabernacle by Big Sand Creek. Of course, I was there early with Daddy and had to sit on the front bench. (I remember it so well because the mosquitoes were horrible and Mama let me take a bathmat to sit on so they wouldn't "sneak under the bench" and bite me!) I heard a quartet (famous, I think, but I don't remember the name) practicing. I loved the high tenor. So I watched him and listened to him all night. During the service before they sang he gave a testimony about his brother drowning and throwing him a rope - a lifeline. That stayed with me.
The pond on their place is a special place to both of us. We usually went there to pray - hence, the picture. She asked me early on to whom I would dedicate it and I told her I would pick mama and daddy, and that's what she did. She named it "Life Line" because of the song but also that was a "time" in my life when she saw me "hanging on to a life line" and she thought it was appropriate.
So last Sunday (December 19 - Daddy's birthday) when I went to Water Valley to hear the Christmas music and to deliver a few gifts - I got the surprise of my life! Shirley and Jimmy gave me the finished CD! I got to the church and found out that she had already sold several copies before I even knew it existed! She told me again that the Lord told her to do this. I'm still in shock and feel a great responsibility about it all. My hope is that it will minister to people and bring glory to the Lord! I hope you enjoy it!
Paula
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