Spoken word by the spiritual poet

A tribute to my beautiful Sister-in-law’s 60th Birthday Celebration last night. From my heart with love.

“Do not persuade me to leave you or go back and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried…” Ruth 1:16-17 – HCSB

Maxine Ricketts embraced us into her life over thirty years ago and time to date, testifies that she is a living, breathing, quintessential embodiment of the abovementioned proclamation of commitment to her holy union and communion with community, kin and clan. In the face of our fault-lines, flaws and familial fleshy ways, she has remained undaunted, undeterred and unwavering in her devotion, due diligence and allegiance to family. We declare she is our bone, she is our flesh, she is our root and we declare she has become one with our God. Therefore, we no longer call her friend but family as we are persuaded by her kindred spirit that she is one in body, one in mind and one in soul solidarity with us, her people.

Do not be deceived by her unassuming smile, her unassuming style and her unassuming demeanor albeit perceived as modest, moderate and sometimes riled. Do not be deceived by her unassuming attribute, her unassuming attitude, and her unassuming aptitude. Do not be deceived by her unassuming frame, her unassuming name and her unassuming reign. And do not be deceived by her unassuming walk, her unassuming talk and her unassuming signature, signet ring or symbolic mark. For hidden beneath this ebony soul exists a woman who is beautifully, fearfully and wonderfully made. Hidden beneath this ebony soul exists a woman who is wise, winsome, warm and worthy. Hidden beneath this ebony soul exists a woman who is fearless, focused and ferocious when needs be. Hidden beneath this ebony soul exists a woman of virtue, independent genius and vigilant victorious vision. Hidden beneath this ebony soul exist a woman of content, character and compelling commendable convictional creed. And hidden beneath this ebony soul exist a woman who is sturdy and staunch, stunning and statuesque who has endured the grit, grind and gridiron of life’s hardship and today, she is walking in the sunshine on the summit of her promises and prayers past, present and posterity.

So, we the people have spoken and now we say, do not persuade us to leave you or go back and not follow you. For wherever you go, we will go, and wherever you live, we will live; your people will be our people, and your God will be our God. Where you die, we will die, and there we will be buried. For you are now inextricably and unapologetically part of our ancestral kin, clan and covenant community of faith.

Therefore, it is with great honor that I stand and it is in great honor of you with which we gather to applaud, praise and welcome your 60th birth year. We rejoice in your celebration of life and we pray that the strong GOD of your salvation will grant you His strong grace, strong faith and many, many more strong years that’s hidden beneath this ebony soul.