FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY Made with an ACCENT

Do you have something you wish you could change about yourself? EVERYBODY has something about themselves that they don't really like. For me, it has always been how white I am and that I can't tan. But here lately, I have been wanting to change some other things.

If you haven't noticed when you have talked to me, I have a rather thick country accent. I always have, but I never noticed until people started picking on me for having one. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind people picking on me when I talk, I am totally used to it by now. But the reason I wish I could change it is because some other people want to change it, or they don't like my accent.

Ever since I started realizing how much of an accent I have, people have always told me to be proud of it, because "not many people talk that way anymore." I try hard to be proud of it; I love my accent. But then someone comes and reminds me that it's not "correct" to have any sort of accent.

This is hard for me, because I love to talk and sing. I love those two things (and Jesus!) more than anything in the world. And when you love to talk and sing, it's hard to have an accent and still remain proud of how God made you.

For example, in ensemble today at music school, we were practicing our song and Jessica kept saying that we needed to get rid of our twag while we sang, and naturally, everyone in the room looked at me and/or said: "Katieeeeeeee! Gehh' rrrrriddda yourrrr twwwwagggg!" I'm used to hearing these comments from Mrs. Covington, Evans, Alex and the rest of the Union County High School students, so I just laughed and tried. It really didn't  really work the way we wanted it to.

Then in group singing before lunch (which is probably where I should be now), Jessica got up in front of the whole group to lead some songs. AS SOON AS SHE GOT UP THERE, she starts in on how we need to change the way we speak when we sing. Guess what happens next. Everyone, even the piano player (whom is one of my really good friends) looked at me. At that point, I knew I couldn't take it anymore. I was officially fed up with everyone talking about my accent.

Don't get me wrong, I know that when singing in a group, we need to sound the same. But what I think people forget is that I grew up sounding this way: loud, proud and country. I try to change it, but the more I try, the less it feels like I am singing for Jesus and for me.

Today, I realized just how much I wish I could just drop the accent. I was fighting back tears the rest of group singing. I just sat there wishing that I could sound like they wanted me to, wishing that I could lose the accent so that they would consider me a "good singer."

In the midst of tears, a verse came to mind. "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." Psalm 139:14. For those of you who don't know this, Psalm 139:14 is my favorite verse. I quote it to mom all the time when she talks about how white I am. But when God reminded me of this today, it wasn't about my skin tone, it was about my accent.

That verse doesn't just talk about how you were physically made, it talks about your personality, likes, dislikes and yes, your ACCENT. I was made fearfully and wonderfully, why should I be ashamed of my accent? God gave it to me! It's something that's special, because not everyone has an accent like mine.

And as far as ANYONE at NGSGM thinking that I am a "bad singer" because of my accent, PLEASE go Google "Karen Peck." God can use people with accents too! I choose today to be proud of my country accent, because it's a gift God has given me.