Category Archives: Church

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Greenleaf Recap Season 4 Episode 9: God’s Justice…

Hello World,

Do you know what’s unjust? The fact that only ONE more episode is left in Season 4 of OWN’s “Greenleaf!” So please take all of the time you need to enjoy this Greenleaf Recap Season 4 Episode 9: God’s Justice…

In the Name of Justice…

This week’s episode begins with Judee, Grace and Connie, the head deaconness, meeting with Clara to discuss Clara’s vote in the upcoming Deacon Board meeting. These unlikely Three Musketeers try to convince Clara that Harmony & Hope having more board seats (a 50-50 split between H&H and Calvary though) will not affect Calvary’s independence. But after having been schooled by Lady Mae at her engagement party, Clara has questions. “What about leaving room for God?” she asks. Since Grace now knows that she will be at the helm after the board’s reorganization, she has an extra incentive to get Clara to see things her way and she does. She explains that H&H is willing to “pour millions” into the church and that an even split of votes will mean there will be more conversation before voting. Clara says, “I will see y’all at the meeting, and I will vote ‘yes.'” Shortly afterward, Karine comes to collect her grandmother. At this point, all of the deacons have been met with except for Connie, and you know how she will vote.

After the meeting is over, Grace speaks with Lady Mae on the phone. She tells her mother how Clara will vote. Lady Mae tells her daughter that Bishop plans to meet with Connie to discuss her vote. At this point, I must admit I’m a bit confused. It seems that Bishop doesn’t want Connie to vote yes although Grace wants her to do so.

Following that conversation, Phil DeMars meets with Grace. As he walks into her office, she asks, “Pastor DeMars, How can I help?” Phil replies with, “By resigning.” He tells her that he has proof that she lied to keep her son out of jail. Apparently, he doesn’t mind if the “wheels of justice” rolls over both Grace and A.J. She has until Sunday to decide if she will resign before he goes to the police. “God is good,” he says with a devilish smile as he strides out of Grace’s office.

At the Greenleaf estate, Kerissa attempts to be persuasive as well. Jacob is on his way out as he is going to see Dante at his new sports bar “Buckets.” (That’s kind of a cute name for a sports establishment, right?) “Before you go, ask your mother about the house,” she says. Yes, Kerissa is still trying to find out who will inherit the Greenleaf estate in the event of the demise of the elder Greenleafs. But Jacob refuses to do so. “That’s rude,” he says. She attempts to explain to her husband that she only wants to know because she wants to determine if they have a share in the home. And if so, she wants to be able to sell the share to get money to buy a home. Still Jacob refuses. “I’m happy living here,” he says. “I’m not,” she says. But Jacob tells her that if she wants to know so badly, she can ask Lady Mae herself. He even offers to pray for his wife as she approaches Lady Mae! LOL. She gon need it…

If anyone needs prayer before he or she approaches somebody, it’s Bishop. He comes up on Connie outside of her home (I think) to discuss her vote in the upcoming meeting. He tells her the H&H people are “carpetbaggers with Bibles.” She says that H&H is “marching the church into the pages of history.” He wastes no time in telling Connie that he knows that she took a bribe to hand over Calvary to H&H.  He also tells her that he knows she gave the money to her daughter for safekeeping. Connie says, “I’m not going to dignify that madness with a denial.”  Bishop tells her that everyone will find out about the money if she doesn’t vote against H&H having more board seats. Again, Bishop’s stance is puzzling as it goes against what Grace wants.

Another curious confrontation occurs when Judee approaches Karine about getting Calvary’s bylaws. Apparently, this is the third time that Judee has asked for them but for whatever reason Karine is stalling. Finally, when Judee is about to make her present the bylaws at that moment, Karine tells her that if she changes screens on her computer, she will lose the Amy Grant tickets she is getting for Judee at Judee’s request. Now Amy Grant is not an artist I ever expected to hear mentioned on “Greenleaf!”

I guess Jacob has prayed for Kerissa because she approaches Lady Mae and asks her who will inherit the house after her and Bishop are dead and gone. Of course, Lady Mae takes this as an opportunity to tell her that she is the one who cleared out the safe as she was going to be “jacked by my son’s wife.” LOL! But she does answer Kerissa’s question though. Grace, Jacob and Charity will have equal shares. I kinda think Lady Mae didn’t tell her the whole truth though. Why? Because Lady Mae is always a step ahead of her daughter-in-law. With one more episode, we will find out sooner rather than later…

In the name of some kind of justice, we know that Charity is stabbing her sister in the back. And Grace suspects that as well which is why she approaches her sister about Phil. “What proof does Phil have that I lied to the police? Tell me Charity.” Charity plays dumb. “I don’t know what Phil has.”

Grace knows that Charity knows. She tries to appeal to her reasonable side by telling her that she is playing with her son’s life which could be ruined if the truth comes out. Charity still continues to play dumb. Actually, she’s not playing. “I haven’t done anything Grace. You brought this on yourself.” I hope when Charity realizes that she was played Phil, she says the same thing.

Justice League…

Judee is loitering in Phil’s office. When Phil asks why, she tells him she is simply waiting for her Amy Grant tickets and a copy of Calvary’s bylaws. She then asks him how his relationship is going with Charity. “It’s going very well,” he replies. But Judee knows the man. She tells him that he doesn’t love Charity. And if he does, is it because she’s black? Wait…What? Did she actually ask him why he chooses to love a black woman? That’s a weird question for a white woman to ask a black man about a black woman, right?

Nevertheless, he tells Judee that she and Charity are very similar underneath their skin. For starters, they are both the daughters of important men, and the fact that they don’t get their just due in the shadow of their important fathers. Judee asks Phil if the three of them can have dinner together. Phil obviously questions Judee’s motives, but she says, “I would never do anything to stop you from being happy.” Additionally, she questions Phil about why he doesn’t think that Grace has a chance to be named the long-term pastor of the church. “I have a feeling,” Phil says. She tells him she is feeling steak for dinner.

Feeling bad about his last interaction with Dante, Jacob finally gets over to Buckets to see Dante. He explains his feelings to the former NBA baller and apologizes. Dante says its all good. In fact, Dante actually wants to cut a check for Excellence Preparatory now. After having a conversation with the general manager of the Memphis Red Devils, he now believes a donation to the school would be a good look for him and get him a spot on the team again. He asks Jacob if his wife can set up press conference to get the word out about his good deed. After that, he gives the check to Jacob right then! I wonder how much he gave Jacob!

When Phil approaches Charity about having dinner with Judee, Charity wonders how much information has Phil given to Judee. “Does she know about Grace?” she asks. Phil assures her that she doesn’t know about Grace. Reluctantly, Charity agrees to have dinner with Phil and Judee if they eat sushi.

Speaking of Grace, Sofia knows about Phil attempting to blackmail her mother. While Grace and Sofia are together in their suite, Sofia calls A.J. to explain why he must come back. She doesn’t reach him, but she does leave a lengthy voice mail. “My mom could go to jail. If she goes to jail, I’m gonna lose my mother.” She tells him that although he may have reasons to be upset with Grace, he should consider Sofia’s feelings. “I haven’t done anything. I don’t deserve this.” I’m glad that Sofia is done punishing her mother for making a youthful decision to give her son up for adoption. She tells her mother that she is not going back to Hampton University – at least for now. “If I don’t stay for this, what would I stay for?” Amen, Sofia.

In Bishop and Lady Mae’s suite, Bishop approaches his wife-to-be. “I’m debating whether to tell you this,” he says. “But I’m feeling confident it will work out.” He tells Lady Mae about his conversation with Connie. “I’m flabbergasted,” Lady Mae says. This isn’t the first time this season she has told him to not use that information to get Calvary back. She wants clean hands in attempting to get back the church. She explains that “ungodly things” cannot be used in “Godly love.” But she does know that Bishop, however misguided, acted out of love, and she’s grateful for that. “If I didn’t have you, I would be drowning in a pool of hopelessness,” she says. And yet, she feels that “move against Connie is going to be our undoing.” She tells Bishop that she is going to her prayer closet where she will be until morning!

Grace should be in her prayer closet, but instead, she has to entertain the selfishness of her sister-in-law. Kerissa speaks with Grace about buying Jacob’s share of the Greenleaf estate. She explains that she and Jacob need more money to move out of the family home. She wants out like Jonah in the whale. Kerissa says that it should probably go for $1 million, but that they will accept anything over $2500,000. Grace actually tells her that she can swing it. And then this chick ask Grace where she got her money?! Aine that crazy?

Back at Calvary, Connie tells Judee and Phil that the motion to expand the deacon board must be amended. It can longer be a 50-50 deal. “The current members have to maintain control,” she says before explaining that Bishop knows about the money that H&H gave to her. Judee agrees to a 60-40 split and asks Connie who told Bishop about the money. Connie tells her that she suspects Karine is the culprit. Once Connie leaves, Judee wonders if the Greenleafs are experienced blackmailers. She fires Karine but not before calling her, “Little Missy.” Next, she goes to see Grace in her office. “Whose side are you on?” Judee asks. Grace tells her, “I need to know what you’re talking about.”

When we return to Greenleaf estate, both Kerissa and Jacob are in a good mood, and they do what two married people often do when they are in a good mood at the same time. I will give you a hint: Candles are everywhere you look in their suite. Kerissa has money from Grace apparently, and Jacob has money from Dante apparently. They can buy a house now! Life is good for the couple, at least during this episode. But somehow, I don’t think that will be the case next week. These two never realize when they are out of their league..

Poetic Justice…

Phil has to please two women – Charity and Judee. He brings the two of them to a restaurant where both steak and sushi are served! Judee lets it slip that she and Phil used to date.

One half this equation is the topic of discussion for Grace and her parents. She tells them that Charity will not admit what she knows about Phil’s blackmail. Bishop says that Charity is so hypnotized by Phil that she cannot even tie her shoes. Grace asks her parents for advice. She doesn’t know if she should step down or stay and fight. Lady Mae advises her daughter to tell everything to the congregation on Sunday including the fact that she lied to protect her son. That way everything would be in the open. “Let the church decide,” Lady Mae says. She explains that “this world is just a waiting room for the next.” And as a result, Grace needs to care for her soul if she intends to go to Heaven. “You speak your own truth,” she adds. Bishop has completely opposite advice. “You do what’s best for your son.” This sounds like good advice until Lady Mae ends with, “You do what’s best for your soul.” Amen.

Sofia no longer seems concerned about her soul and flaunts her new friendship/relationship with Dante at his new sports club Buckets in front of Zora and Nicki, Dante’s ex-girlfriend. Of course, fireworks ensue within the crew at the grand opening event. Sofia is basically mad and jealous bout Zora’s friendship with Nicki.

Charity is mad and jealous too after Judee’s revelation, but once Charity and Phil are alone in his car, he tells Charity that his relationship with Judee ended a long time ago. Doesn’t Charity know that Judee is married? I would be asking about that first! Did Phil date Judee when she was married? Charity wonders if she is being used, but Phil placates her by giving her the key to his apartment. He then tells her that she should feel free to peruse his apartment where she will find a page in his prayer journal that is dedicated to her and all of the things he wants to do for her. He ends with, “I love you.” He explains that he only agreed to dinner with Judee to “get her on our side.”

Sooner than I predicted, Jacob and Kerissa, unlike Charity and Phil, will be unhappy again very soon. Fernando Amable calls Kerissa to tell her insider information about the Greenleaf estate. We have to wait until next week though, the finale episode, to find out the particulars!

In the mean time, Judee has finally received a copy of the bylaws and discovers that in the event of a tie, the most senior member of the board can break the tie. That means Connie is the tie breaker! Uh oh. And keep your mouth open because more is coming.

On Sunday morning, Pastor Grace steps into the pulpit like she owns it and asks the church to turn to Luke 22:40 where they will focus on what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane. But then, A.J., clothed in white, walks in and Grace is shook. “I’m sorry church. There’s been a change of plans,” she says. “Effective immediately, I’m stepping down as pastor of Calvary Fellowship.” Yes, that’s right, Bishop’s advice prevailed, but maybe Lady Mae’s advice prevailed as well. Maybe she did what was right for her son and for her soul…Is that justice?

ONLY ONE MORE EPISODE LEFT, SAINTS…

Thank you sooo much for reading my Greenleaf Recap Season 4 Episode 9: God’s Justice… and my other recaps so far. If you would like to keep up with OWN’s “Greenleaf,” and my recaps, please click on this link to subscribe to my blog 🙂!

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Greenleaf Recap Season 4 Episode 8: Surprise…

 

Hello World,

I’m not surprised, sadly, that Charity still plays the fool, but other than that, there were plenty of surprises in tonight’s OWN “Greenleaf” so read on for for this Greenleaf Recap Season 4 Episode 8: Surprise…

You’re In For A Big Surprise…

Tonight’s episode begins with Judee Whitmore, Bob’s daughter, paying Grace Greenleaf a visit in her office at Calvary. She fawns over a picture of Lady Mae’s three daughters Grace, Faith and Charity, but Grace isn’t trying to entertain Judee and her fake smile. “What brings you to town?” Grace asks as she takes the framed picture from Judee. She asks if Charity’s changing up the welcome song a bit was the reason? Judee says H&H doesn’t micromanage like that… Of course not, I say (type) sarcastically. Judee says, “You’ve met Fernando? Is he not the handsomenest?” Grace continues to move the conversation until Judee tells her the real reason why she is in town and why Harmony & Hope bought up all of the land around Calvary. H&H wants Calvary to be on par with The Potter’s House in Dallas! H&H wants to build a community center, a gym, FIVE restaurants, more parking and more!!! “We were going to surprise you,” Judee says to Grace. “We hope to roll out in two weeks when Daddy comes to town.” Grace is flabbergasted.

Of course, Grace promptly tells Lady Mae and Bishop what’s up. “I don’t like it, and I don’t believe it,” Bishop says. Lady Mae asks Jacob if his wife, who is her new younger nemesis now that she is on good terms with Grace,  knew they were selling their land to H&H. She then accuses Jacob of being led like a “pony on a rope at a carnival.” She tells him that he should be in charge of their marriage rather than Kerissa running the show. She also notes that Kerissa would sell water from the lake on the Greenleaf estate if she could make some money. SMH…

Jacob attempts to take the pressure off of him buy bringing up Phil DeMars. “What has that greasy Negro done now?” Lady Mae asks. LOL!!! He reveals that Charity is seeing him. “According to her, they’re in love.” That did the trick. Kerissa is no longer on Lady Mae’s mind. She blames herself for being a bad mother as Charity continues to seek “unhappiness and disappointment” in her relationships with men. How sad…

While she takes a minute or two to lament another one of Charity’s poor relationship choices, she does move on to another important discussion. “We have to have a meeting with the deacons before they vote,” Lady Mae says. Obviously, she is not feeling this much larger and improved Calvary campus because she doesn’t trust H&H’s motives. Grace is reluctant to call a meeting as she doesn’t want to seem to be invested in either option – expansion or no expansion. “I have to be a good cop,” she says.

Lady Mae comes up with an engagement party for herself and the Bishop as the perfect opportunity to meet with the deacons without actually meeting with the deacons. Lady Mae also notes that they will get Connie to show up if they don’t invite her. “The poor thing can’t resist a chance to be rude.” “Mama, who is gonna talk like you when you’re gone?” Grace says. (*Clutches Pearls* Why is Grace saying something like that? When Lady Mae is gone? What’s going on here? Is this foreshadowing? I pray not.)

I don’t know exactly what Kerissa is up too, but she is also planning some surprise. Of that I’m sure. Later on that evening, in their suite, Jacob and Kerissa have an unusual discussion. Kerissa starts the conversation by telling Jacob that they didn’t get the house, according to Nadine the real estate agent. I’m glad they weren’t able to get it. Lady Mae needs more time to completely shut Kerissa down. She is getting on my last nerve this season. Anywho, after sharing Nadine’s news, Kerissa asks Jacob who would inherit the Greenleaf home after the elder Greenleafs die? (There it is again. Are the elder Greenleafs going to Glory at the end this season?) She then talks about the elder Greenleafs buying Jacob and Kerissa out as it to pertains to the home.

But Jacob also has a question for Kerissa. “What were you doing at Fernando Amable’s the other day?” “Getting you cuff links,” Kerissa says, obviously lying.

It’s obvious to Kerissa that Jacob suspects that Kerissa aine livin’ right. Lady Mae Wannabe Kerissa proceeds to call her husband a “son of iniquity” and “Jezebel’s favorite fool!” Wow! But Kerissa doesn’t stop there! “After all of the pain you put me through, where were you?” She recalls the “dozens of nights” she spent in bed alone.

Sophia’s in for a surprise as well. She has been replaced. Zora has replaced her cousin with Nicki, Dante’s ex. The two are giggling, sitting with their knees up on Zora’s couch, over pictures from a slide show that Lady Mae asked Zora to make in honor of the engagement party.

What A Surprise…

After Judee meets with Grace, she meets with Phil and tells him about H&H’s plan to expand Calvary’s campus.  “What do you think of the plan?” she asks. “Do I matter?” says Phil who is obviously in his feelings. He complains that Grace knew about the plan before he did. “Is there anything else I don’t know?” Judee answers with, “Just that things are going to keep progressing and that you are appreciated.”

Phil isn’t the only one in his feelings about surprises. Bishop is surprised that his baby girl is slithering around with Phil DeMars behind the family’s back. Charity complains that she can’t preach nor date. “What do you see in this man?” Bishop asks. Charity says, “He’s kind, hard-working, chaste.” She says also he knows what it’s like to be on a team but never be asked to bat. “Can you keep a secret?” Charity asks her father. Bishop agrees to do so. “Phil writes every word that Bob Whitmore says.” Bishop lets her have it. “He’s woefully ambitious and he’s also dumb.” But Charity tells her father that she is in love with him and begs him to give Phil a chance. Bishop tells Charity to invite Phil to the engagement party. “Tell him I will give him a chance.”

At Calvary it’s no surprise that Deaconness Connie shows up at Karine’s desk, fishing for information about the engagement party just as Lady Mae said she would. Although she wasn’t invited, Karine, who has received instruction from Lady Mae, agrees to put her on the guest list.

At the Greenleaf estate, Kerissa also goes fishing for information. She corners Bishop in his suite and asks to get a copy of the Greenleafs’ original marriage certificate, presumably for Zora’s slide show. “So you keep everything in here?” Kerissa asks her father-in-law as he haphazardly opens a safe that contains the document right in front of her. (Did you see him wringing his hands afterward? Remember Bishop is supposed to have Parkinson’s disease.) She pays attention to the numbers that Bishop uses to open the safe because you know she wants to get into it at some point without Bishop’s supervision. But he has no clue about her underhanded motives. “Handle that relic with care,” he says to Kerissa. “You know how Lady Mae gets.” Kerissa promises to do so just as Lady Mae comes into the suite. Bishop explains why Kerissa has a copy of their marriage license after Lady Mae gives Kerissa the evil eye. I kinda think something would have popped off right then between these two if Bishop hadn’t been around.

Unlike Kerissa, Bishop aine tryin’ to give Phil DeMars any passes. But now that Bishop has at least agreed to invite him to the engagement party via Charity, she doesn’t waste any time. “Mommy and Daddy are having a party tonight and they want you to come.” She explains that it is an engagement party. But rather than be excited to have an opportunity to spy on the Greenleafs in their own home, Phil is reluctant to blur any lines. He says that he doesn’t want to make it to the finish line with just a girlfriend…Erea excuse me?! And to her credit, Charity responds to his statement by telling him that if making it to the finish line with a girlfriend isn’t enough for him, he can just keep moving – by his lonesome.  Phil realizes that he is making a mistake. “What time should I be there?” (You know when a man doesn’t care for you, he aine tryin’ to look your parents in the eyes.)

Judee is surprised to learn that the elder Greenleafs are throwing an engagement party.  She confronts Grace about the Greenleafs using the party as a way to convince the deacons to not vote for the expansion. But Grace shuts her up by inviting her to the party. “You can be my plus one,” Grace says.

Although Jacob no longer  officially counsels Dante formerly of the Memphis Red Devils, he still meets with him as he has an idea about how to repair his reputation following the brawl at his home. He tells Dante about how LeBron James repaired his reputation by opening up his I Promise School. He explains that he doesn’t have to actually open a new school but he can financially support an already established school like Excellence Academy, which is his wife’s school. Dante is rightfully angry about Jacob’s self-serving suggestion. “All I see are hands,” Dante says about people who want to be in his circle. Jacob realizes his error and clumsily tries to explain that he is trying to get on his wife’s good side. “I was going to sit down there and pray with you,” Dante says before storming off.  That was dumb on Jacob’s part. And it certainly surprised me. Well, maybe not. Jacob does owe a debt to Kerissa after his philandering ways earlier in their marriage, but it’s like a screw has come loose in Kerissa’s head…

Soul Surprise…

Speaking of new ventures, Judee meets with the deacons to explain H&H’s new vision for an expanded Calvary. They ask how will this expansion be funded. Judee explains that H&H will put up the cash for everything in exchange for 12 seats on a board that H&H believes will double as the campus expands. “A 5o-50 partnership,” Judee explains cheerily. As Judee, Grace and Phil leave for the deacons to discuss among themselves, Connie says, “I would love to find a way to do this.” Grace looks she aine feelin’ none of it. “Whose side are you on?” ask Judee “I’m on God’s,” Grace says.

It’s finally time for the engagement party. Grace and Charity get into a quiet disagreement as it cannot be heard above the din of the party. Charity says, “Don’t buddy up to me.” Grace tells her sister that she is literally in bed with the enemy. Charity comes back with the fact that Grace totally mishandled her son’s alibi and that if people knew what truly happened, they would have been run out Calvary and that it would have been Grace’s fault. “You are something else,” Charity says to Grace. Charity, baby girl, being smart and wrong every once in a while is permissible but being dumb over and over again is unacceptable.

Speaking of family members at odds, Zora and Nicki continue to hang out together so much so that Karine’s mother Clara mistakes Nicki for Sofia. Sofia is so insulted that she leaves the party. She eventually runs into Dante at Zora’s place as he is dropping off Nicki’s items there. Out of the blue, he asks her to take a ride with him. Some of the best romances have started that way…(And since Nicki took Sofia’s cousin Zora away from Sofia, it is only fitting that Sofia take Nicki’s man 🙂 )

But what Phil and Charity have is not a burgeoning romance. I was kinda willing to give Phil a chance too, but after tonight’s episode, I’m done with him as well. After speaking with Phil about Charity, Bishop tells Lady Mae that either he is “insincere and unbelievable” or “sincere and utterly unfeeling. He will never get my blessing.”

And it’s a good thing too because Charity doesn’t know is that Phil was once with Judee. After she spots him with Charity, she says, “Fraternizing with the locals?” He says with Charity, it is different. “Like it was with me?” Judee responds.

After all of that, it’s finally time for Lady Mae to deliver one of her speeches and her engagement party is the perfect setting for such. In her preacher voice, Lady Mae tells the partygoers that she is looking forward to being a partner with her husband again, but that it will not be a 50-50 partnership because God is part of the partnership, and that no partnership, personal or otherwise, should be so-called equally  portioned because God has to be included. “….We have to leave space at the table for God.” Of course, Lady Mae’s speech is all about convincing the deacons to not go into a so-called equal partnership with H&H.

While all of this is going on, Kerissa goes back to the safe in the elders’ Greenleaf suite and finds it empty! She should know by now that Lady Mae is always a step ahead! LOL

Judee goes outside after Lady Mae’s speech as she clearly recognizes what has transpired. “What a freaking mess!” she says to Phil who has followed her. She reveals that her father just told her about H&H’s plans for Calvary three days before and that her husband has filed for divorce. So Phil is an opportunist, I’ve decided, and now that Judee is free and feeling somewhat unsettled about her father’s plan, Phil will come to the rescue in more ways than one.

Also on the way out the party, Connie claps as she walks up to Lady Mae and praises her for her performance at the Sisters of Tamar meeting and the party. She calls her a “one-woman repertoire.” I cannot believe that someone told what they heard Lady Mae share in that meeting. What a violation of trust! Lady Mae, however, manages to keep it together and tells Connie to, “Go with God,” as she escorts her out the door.

Later that night, after the party, Bishop goes to see Charity in her suite. He asks her to put her relationship with Phil on hold until Grace becomes the permanent pastor at Calvary. “Grace first and then me?” Charity asks. Bishop tells her, “If this is the great love that God has for you, then it will keep.” He knows good and well that Phil is not sent from God for his daughter…Of course, Bishop’s request is just the incentive she needs to tell Phil to finally use that recording with Grace admitting that she lied to be her son’s alibi.

But that isn’t the biggest surprise of the night! Judee comes to see Grace yet again and she has more news! The reason why H&H wants to secure those 12 seats is that H&H wants to install Grace as the permanent pastor going forward. Even Phil doesn’t know. “It will only happen if you get those seats on the board,” Judee says. “You are full of surprises,” Grace says.  Do you believe her? I wouldn’t be able to trust her…

Only TWO more episodes are left…at least that is what I saw as I was watching…

Thank you sooo much for reading my Greenleaf Recap Season 4 Episode 8: Surprise… and my other recaps so far. If you would like to keep up with OWN’s “Greenleaf,” and my recaps, please click on this link to subscribe to my blog 🙂!

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Greenleaf Recap Season 4 Episode 7: Reunited…

Hello World,

Y’all already know that Bishop and Lady Mae officially reunited in tonight’s episode just by the title, but trust me, there is a LOT you don’t know so keep reading this “Greenleaf Recap Season 4 Episode 7: Reunited.”

We Belong Together…

Although a family belongs together, A.J. aine trying to reunite with his mother again. In a panic, she calls her other child, Sofia. “I haven’t heard from A.J.,” Sofia says from her Hampton University dorm room. But when she gets off of the phone with Grace, we see A.J. lounging in her room. “Just go home,” she says to him. “You’re innocent.” “I can’t,” her brother says to her.

At the Greenleaf estate, Charity belongs somewhere else…I’m thinking it’s a sanitarium of some sort because this chick is straight preaching to herself in the mirror and she appears to believe what she is preaching. “satan got you good,” she says to her image. Then she admonishes her son Nathan to not be like his Aunt Gigi. “See that’s that pride.” She is truly jealous of her sister and I don’t entirely get why. Grace’s life is far from perfect either, especially now.

Anywho, Charity has to stop preaching to herself in the mirror because Bishop calls a secret meeting of his children. “I think you like secret meetings,” Jacob says to Charity in an accusatory tone. Speaking of Phil DeMars, Grace arrives to the meeting a little late because Phil held her up. Apparently, he wants to build extra sparking spaces on Calvary’s property because of Calvary’s increased attendance. And although Calvary has experienced growth, he doesn’t acknowledge Grace’s preaching as a reason why the growth occurred, Grace tells her family. Charity attempts to stick up for her secret boo. “Are you talking Phil DeMars’ side in this?” Bishop asks Charity, looking at her like the traitor that he doesn’t even realize she is…

Charity tries to explain Phil is simply her “brother in Christ.” So that makes Jacob mad. “He got me fired,” Jacob says. I mean her actual brother is also her brother in Christ, but I guess that’s beside the point as she cannot suck face her with her actual brother. Charity tells him that the 10 stitches and a trip to the emergency room that someone received courtesy of him in the Memphis Red Devils’ fight is what got him fired. Grace says Jacob was attempting to be peace maker before the fight got out of hand.

But before their bickering gets out of hand, Bishop tells his children why he wants to meet with them. “I want you to work up a song to put her in the marrying mood.” Yes, Bishop and Lady Mae belong together and it’s finally time that the two get back together officially. He’s going to propose to Lady Mae, and seeing her children serenade her should convince her to say, “Yes.” But what’s funny about this secret meeting is that it’s not a secret. Lady Mae happened to overhear Bishop’s plan but she doesn’t tell anyone that she knows what will happen in the near future.

Speaking of Lady Mae, she aine playin’ with Kerissa. While Kerissa is relaxing in her suite, Marisol shows up with a camera to take pictures of the surroundings purportedly for insurance purposes, Marisol tells Kerissa. But y’all already know that she is documenting anything in case Kerissa tries to “hold something” on the way out, and Kerissa knows that too. She wonders what would happen if something happened to Lady Mae…Where would her furniture and more go then?…

But Lady Mae has more real rather than hypothetical matters to attend to at the moment. Karine calls Lady Mae to tell her that Misty has put a critical item on the agenda for the Deacons Board meeting. She wants Lady Mae’s name removed from the scholarship fund that she created! I think Lady Mae’s name belongs with the scholarship fund that she created.

And you know who doesn’t belong together? Phil DeMars and Charity, according to Jacob. He tells his baby sister that he saw her with Phil at Calvary late one night. “I saw you with your tongue down his throat.” He gives her four scenarios about why they are seeing each other – 1) He’s using you. 2) You’re in love with him. 3) He’s forced himself on you. Or  4) You’re spying on him for the family. Charity originally claims 4, but then she admits to 2. Of course, Jacob argues with her about her questionable choice in men, but Charity has made up her mind about Phil. “He’s straight,” she screams at Jacob. But was so was Jabari and that didn’t stop him from playing Jacob’s sister…

“What’s going on here?” Grace asks about the ruckus between her younger siblings. “We were arguing about what song we’re going to sing,” he says choosing for the moment to keep Charity’s confidence. He tells her that Charity wants to sing “Reunited.”(Gotta love that classic by Peaches & Herb! It’s probably the best break-up-and-get-back-together song ever!) “What’s wrong with that?” says Grace.

Ex-Factor…

The x factor that can spoil the plan of Charity and Phil is that now Jacob knows there is some sort of unholy alliance at work. He may not be a woman with an intuition but he knows his sister. When it comes to men, her decisions just don’t make sense. Charity rushes to Phil’s office after her discussion with her brother. “Have you sent the file?” she asks him. Remember that Charity recorded Grace saying her answer to the police about her whereabouts as it pertains to A.J.’s alibi was less than truthful. She tells Phil that he cannot anonymously send the file (presumably to the police) because Jacob would figure out that Charity was the snitch behind it all. “Jacob saw us kissing the other night.”

So I can’t figure this next move out. Phil agrees to hold off on sending the file for at least 24 hours to give Charity some time to decide what she wants to do. “I know I can’t force this on you. Your trust and love are my priority,” he says. “Are you for real?” Charity responds. “For better or worse” is Phil’s answer…So what was that wedding wording reference about? Is this some sort of Jedi mind trick that Phil is pulling to pull the wool over Charity’s eyes. Or does he actually care for her? I think he cares for her, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t care about his cause and or himself more…

The x-factor in A.J.’s life is his little sister. He tells her she is the only one in their family who actually treated him like he is family. Sofia pleads with A.J. again to just go home. “You’re innocent.” “It doesn’t matter if I’m innocent or guilty. I’m a black man.” (Man…I hate that so many black men have to contend with this issue in 2019.) A.J. then explains that Sofia has had it pretty easy as a pretty, light-skinned young woman. He then stomps out as he’s on the hunt for cigarettes before he officially tells his little sister good-bye.

Also filed under heartfelt discussions, Nicki , the girlfriend of Memphis Red Devils’ b-ball star Dante Saunders, comes over to Zora’s spot to confide in her about Dante. Apparently Dante refused to give some speech which would pave the way for him to return to the team, Nicki tells Zora. As Nicki vents, Zora is looking through her Bible. Wow. I cannot believe it. While Zora will probably never be as squeaky clean Christian as Sofia was, her faith in God is starting to grow. But Nicki is insulted. “If you talk to Jesus, you better hope He pays you better attention than you just paid me.”

Zora’s favorite Auntie Gigi (I’m guessing so…) tries to figure out the x-factor in a discussion with a gentleman whose nearby land was bought by City on a Hill. “That sounds like Christians to me,” she says to the man.  The man agrees but other than that, Gigi is clueless about the connection of City on a Hill and Calvary. She is following Phil’s lead in trying to secure more land for parking spaces, but she is hitting some roadblocks as she finding out the land surrounding Calvary is not available for sale.

As of this moment in the episode, Jacob doesn’t know about City on a Hill and Calvary, but he does know about Charity and Phil. Since he has already confronted Charity, it’s time to get at Phil. “You know about my relationship with Charity, and you’re trying to get your job back,” Phil says. Nope, that would not be correct. Jacob, unlike his sister, is not willing to use his family relationships to gain a position, at least not in an underhanded way. He explains that Charity hasn’t had much luck in the man department. “Kevin, Jabari, the list goes on.” Phil assures Jacob that he’s got the best of intentions. “I told you I won’t hurt her,” he says. “That’s all I wanted to hear,” Jacob says although it’s clear that he is still jonesing to whoop Phil.

While Jacob is worrying about Charity, he needs to be watching his wife. This woman has a discussion with the City on a Hill executive. Jokingly, she discusses what what would happen to the Greenleaf estate if Lady Mae and or Bishop went on to glory. The buyer encourages her to find out the answer to her question. He is such bad news. Then he tells her that he has reserved a room for the two of them at a hotel. But Kerissa tells him that she wants him right now in the office. “Let me let my assistant go,” he quickly says in response.

Right Back Where We Started From…

Sofia looks through A.J.’s backpack and finds medicine bottles. She confronts her brother when he returns to her dorm room. “Why’d you go looking in there?” he says. She tells him that she was going to try to sneak some cash into his backpack since she wasn’t sure that he would take it directly from her. Now, it seems the two are strangers like when they first met. “My mother lied for you,” she tells A.J. “I don’t owe you any explanations,” he says. She pleads with him to turn himself in. “Go ahead and call the cops. I don’t care. See you next lifetime.” He leaves her dorm room and maybe her life for good. I’m convinced he’s sick. What does he mean by “next lifetime?” What y’all think?

Their grandmother Lady Mae finds Misty and confronts her about wanting to have her name removed from the scholarship. (What older grown black woman is named ‘Misty?’) Misty tells Lady Mae that it was Connie’s idea after the Calvary member’s daughter was raped by Lady Mae’s brother Mac.

Thinking about Mac, I have to think about Grace and what brought her back to Memphis. She is always searching out the truth (although she did ignore her truth for years). She goes to City on a Hill to see if she can learn something about the company. To her surprise, she sees her sister-in-law there. And she has a discussion with Fernando, Kerissa’s new lover. He says, “I’m deeply concerned about the future of Calvary and as soon as I’m authorized to share my plans with you, I will do so.” As soon as she leaves, Fernando calls Bob Whitmore.

Grace is not the only one seeking answers. Zora goes to her grandfather for wisdom on how to be friends with people i.e. Nicki who don’t have the same Christian beliefs as she now does. “All you can do is love, listen and wait. There is so much power in waiting,” Bishop says. Amen, but waiting is so incredibly hard…

In the next scene, Grace gets Aaron to find out the identity of the owner of City on a Hill. She is flabbergasted to discover that Harmony & Hope is the owner of the company.

And in probably the best scene of the episode, Lady Mae speaks with Vida the daughter about why she started the scholarship and why she hopes to keep her name associated with it. She explains that she wants the women who receive the scholarship to gain skills that would boost their self esteem. She too suffered from low self esteem she revealed. In tears, she explains that she didn’t know that her brother was using the scholarship to victimize young women and that he also victimized her daughter Faith. But she apologizes for his actions nevertheless. She also reveals that Mac likely learned his behavior from their father who did the same to her. “I didn’t know,” she says as she continues to weep. It’s clear that her conscious mind wouldn’t let her know even if somewhere in her subconscious mind, she did.

Vida recognizes that Lady Mae is a fellow survivor and asks her to come to a Sisters of Tamar meeting held at Calvary. “You should come,” she says. “They don’t want to see me in there.” “It’s not about what they want. It’s about what you need to say.” They cry as they hold one another. Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve seen a breakthrough at long last!!!

Back at the Greenleaf estate, the Greenleaf adult children should be practicing their song but they argue. Grace confronts Jacob about selling his land to Harmony & Hope and asks why Kerissa was at the City on a Hill office earlier! “Every piece of land that borders our church is owned by Harmony & Hope.” Of course, he didn’t that H&H was behind the sale, and he doesn’t know why his wife is still conversing with the buyer of their property. Jacob reveals that Charity is seeing Phil! Bishop interrupts them and reminds them they should be practicing.

But in the midst of all, Lady Mae shows up, looking shell-shocked. After a brief word with her family, she retreats to her closet where she sits on the ground, still in a daze. Bishop joins her on the ground of the closet. She says, “I know you had plans for tonight and you were going to ask me something.” “Which one of these untrustworthy scoundrels told you?” Bishop replies. Lady Mae says the evening may be no longer appropriate for the question, but she does have an answer for Bishop. Of course, Bishop wants to know the answer. “I would trade a million years at the feet of God’s heavenly choir.” “Yes,” she says simply. Awwwwwwwwwwwww 🙂 Reunited and it feels so good….

Speaking of not reuniting, Jacob goes to his bedroom where he sees Winkie in the bed with Kerissa. She tells Jacob that he had another bad dream and that’s why he’s there. Jacob volunteers to sleep elsewhere since Winkie will be tossing and turning. But I think it’s actually because he realizes that Kerissa is doing something shady after what Grace told him.

Charity also believes that Phil is up to something shady. “Why didn’t you tell me that Harmony & Hope is buying up land all around the church?” she asks Phil later. She overheard Grace and Jacob discussing that earlier. “Are you Bob’s right hand or not?” Phil says he didn’t know that information either. Hmmm….not sure if I believe him but whatever…

Another revelation takes place in another part of Calvary. Sophia returns to Calvary and shows up in her mother’s office which used to be Bishop’s office. She reveals that A.J. was with her although he’s gone now. She tells her mother why she came in person to tell her. “I wanted to be here for you when you hear what I have to say. I found a bunch of prescription drugs in his backpack, Mom. He’s guilty.”

(And where is Noah? He must be walking to Memphis…) See I told y’all that y’all don’t know everythang….

Thank you sooo much for reading my Greenleaf Recap Season 4 Episode 7: Reunited… and my other recaps so far. If you would like to keep up with OWN’s “Greenleaf,” and my recaps, please click on this link to subscribe to my blog 🙂!

Any thoughts?