This One Was Born In Zion | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: This One Was Born In Zion | Previous Challenge Entry
By Carla Procida
02/28/13
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES

I was born and raised on Long Island and still live there after fifty five years. My grandparents came to America as small children at the turn of the twentieth century, my dad’s father from Denmark, his mom from Hungary and my mom’s parents both from Italy. By time I was born there were no other languages expect English spoken in our home.

My parents and five siblings all have such fine diction. My mom and sister’s voice are so lovely and cultured, my dad and brothers, baritone and clear. So where did I get my “Brooklyn” accent from? People tell me all the time, “Oh I love your Brooklyn accent”!
Please don’t take my comment the wrong way, I don’t wish to get angry e-mails from the good people of that fine borough of New York. It’s just that I’m not from there nor were any of my ancestors for that matter.

Another example. A few years ago I was making small talk to a Handy Pantry clerk in Massachusetts who was ringing up my order. After handing me my receipt he snickered and said, “You know you sound just like the nanny on that show”. I couldn’t have sounded like Fran Dressler, could I? Was she from Brooklyn or perhaps the Bronx I wondered? I quickly blurted out to the clerk without thinking, “Well you talk funny too!” Not how Jesus would have answered but then again He would not have picked on Brooklyn or the Bronx in the first place.

Except for me, you can usually ascertain where people are from just by their accent, especially if they are from another country. I think about the confrontation where the Bible records Peter as he watched from a distance as Jesus was led away to the high priest’s house for His mock trial. Those that warmed their hands on the fire with Peter that night recognized he was a Galilean like Jesus. They must have heard him speak and put two and two together for I believe it was his particular accent that gave it away more than
anything.

Then I thought about the fact that as a Christian, I speak with a Heavenly accent? I was born you know in Zion as the Psalmist declares. Of course I don’t mean with my natural speech but rather with my hands. Did I mention that I talk with my hands? Being fifty percent Italian I speak with them about half of the time. One of the greatest women I ever read about spoke with her hands a hundred percent of the time. She was the Proverbs 31 women. Just look at her credentials! She busily spun wool and flax, carried food from afar, handed over money to buy a field, planted a vineyard which to me spoke volumes regarding of her loving care of her family. Her accent spoke much louder than words, words of a virtuous women; not from around here that’s for sure! But rather one of the countless sojourners and aliens passing through this life, over high mountains and through deep valleys, on their way to the Promised land.

It didn’t end there for the Proverbs 31 women. She was also a hard worker, her hands busier than an Italian auctioneer with laryngitis! Busy through the night spinning thread, not her wheels, and twisting fiber, not her words. She extended the same hands to help the poor and needy and even quilted her own bedspreads (eat your heart out Martha Stewart). God’s godly woman rocked! If all that wasn’t enough, her hands made belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants. All she did with her hands spoke of a rare, disciplined, selfless life that can translate to our own lives here in the twenty first century by God’s unmerited grace!

In closing I shall ask the more important question, “How did I get my Heavenly accent”? It doesn’t make sense since I was originally born and raised in sin. In fact one of my oldest ancestors left a place called Eden and settled the whole human race in our own selfish, meaningless lives with no thought of God. But you see, way back, before even the foundations of this Universe, I have had a Father who has spoken and caused mountains to tremble, raging storms to cease, the sick to be made whole. Actually, I do know where I got my Heavenly accent, I inherited it from His Son.

PREVIOUS ENTRY | NEXT ENTRY
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.