Sweet Amy Grant Memories

By, Stephanie Denham, editorial assistant

My oldest daughter, Lorien Lea, loved music from the time she was born. One of her first "favorites" was of Amy Grant. I can so vividly remember driving and looking into the rearview mirror to check on her when she was in her car seat in the back seat. Her head was just moving so sweetly to "El Shadai" and moved faster to "Sing Your Praises to the Lord". As she got a little older, she talked really early and could talk in sentences and sing songs by the time she was a year old. She would sing those songs all the time completely through. Years later when she was probably eight, I took Lorien and we drove to Jackson, to see Amy Grant in concert in the coliseum there. She fell asleep amongst all the noise and opening acts, which absolutely amazed me. I woke her up when Amy Grant came on to play. She evidently had had her a "power nap" because she stood in her chair and sang almost every song to the top of her lungs with Amy. As most people around here know by now, Lorien Lea was killed by a drunk driver here in Meridian. Her crash happened on Palm Sunday in 1991 and she died on Good Friday and we buried her on April 1, the day after Easter Sunday. I have often thought of how awesome it must be to be in heaven on Easter and Christmas. I know that Lorien has enjoyed singing her "Praises to the Lord" for 17 years now. She would have just turned 26 in February. But I can close my eyes and see that baby's head bouncing and swaying in perfect timing to Amy Grant's songs.