Discovery

Today I had to do a presentation at work. I was so unnerved before presentation time. I felt like I wasn't prepared and my palms were sweating. IBS had kicked in because of my nerves. (TMI...I know. LOL!)I was running around the office trying to pull all the loose ends together. Time was my enemy. Then it was time to actually present. The adrenaline rush was unreal. I felt the heat from my head to my toes. I could feel the blood rush my face as I slipped in to character and delivered the goods. When I finished presenting and I got the feedback from my audience the satisfaction of knowing I nailed it by the looks on their faces and their comments was indescribable. When I went back to my office I could feel my body relaxing. My muscles were less tense. I could feel a cool breeze. You know, that feeling you have when you have built up tension and you gain relief and release in some form or fashion. That's the feeling I had. Kinda like childbirth too. I remember how it felt to finally let all of that go after holding it in for 9 months. (Whew, ok sorry for the flashback.) Anyway I got to thinking, (as you know I always do)I love this! I love the entire cycle. I love the nerves, the rush, the release. This is my passion. I discovered something that I absolutely love. I tapped into this discovery a couple of years ago when I was in full time ministry. I would have to run and rip and put on conferences and the apprehension, delivery, and successful completion of it would have my engines running. I felt invincible, cocky even! lol. So I got to thinking, why not pursue this. Why not do this kind of thing on my own terms? Yeah, why not? I guess we will have to see where this goes.

A Hard Pill To Swallow

The older you get the more you learn different layers to age old teachings. What am I talking about now you ask? Well you know things like doing to others as you will have them do to you. There are juvenile lessons you learn from these sayings and then when you get older there are adult perspectives that are added. The one that I reflect on today is just the lesson about not worrying about being wronged. I have some issues with that. It is really just sinking in to me that people can do you wrong and they can go on with their life as if nothing happened. They will live their life and actually thrive. They will have success and at times will not suffer for the wrong they've caused in your life. I had passed this lesson before. Recently, however, I had to have a refresher course. I have been really thinking about the depth of this. True indeed God has grace and mercy and I believe that is what saves these people from feeling his wrath. Looking at my life personally I know there are people that I have wronged and I didn't necessarily get the what goes around comes around treatment. Everyone has a measure of freebies I guess. What about the ones that do you really dirty when you are innocent in the situation? Shouldn't they have to pay? I guess we have to let God do what He does because He knows what He is doing. I had to swallow this hard pill again lately. I had to realize that there are some people that have done me really wrong and they are living their lives as if they never knew me. I can't wish ill will on these people. I can only release them and live my life. For the record, I will have to crush this pill the next time I have to take it because this time around it seemed to be a horse pill! lol

Ha!

It is the small things in life that make a difference. I was in a room full people who all had different issues and things going on. There was an awkward heaviness in the room that was easy to discern. We all have a story of course. There was casual conversation going on, but out of the blue a comment was made and a sly joke came in after that. The room erupted in laughter and all of a sudden the jokes and laughs were just coming. For those few minutes, people forgot what they were going through, and enjoyed the moment. We laughed and laughed until our sides were aching and the tears were flying. After that moment I, with my analytical tendencies, pondered the experience. I realized that the Bible is so correct when it says that laughter doth good like a medicine. We all left smiling, and the heaviness that was in the room was penetrated and destroyed just by a round of laughter. We as a people need to just laugh. Laugh until it hurts! Laugh until you are struggling to catch your breath.....live, laugh, and love!

Put The Gavel Down

I figured that I might as well weigh in with my 2 cents on this whole Bishop Eddie Long scandal. Of course the only information offered right now are the allegations from the now three men that claim to have had coercion from Bishop Long. Yet again, everyone gets to put on the black garb and put the pretty shiny gavel in their hands. I don't know if that man is guilty or innocent, but either way, it is not for me to know. It is for me to pray for all parties involved and move on to the next issue of life. I have said it before and I will say it again. We are too quick to judge people. We forget that someone could easily "out" us for things that we have done, or are doing. I pray that when the dust clears God will get the glory out of the entire situation. In the meantime, I am hoping society will "de-robe" and put the gavel down before the can of worms they are holding opens!

Time On My Hands

It is about 3:55am and I am sitting here on my part time job. Yes, I know, it sucks right? I worked all day long from 7:20am - 5:00pm. When I left there I had to go get my kids, pay a few bills, feed them, and try my best to get a couple hours sleep to prepare for my midnight gig. Tonight isn't so bad. I must give partial credit to 5 hour energy. It has allowed me to stay alert and coherent and that is vital being that this position is security. I have done everything. I have a book that I am currently reading entitled, The 33 Strategies of War. This is a must read might I add to anyone viewing the blog. I am only in the first few pages but I am hooked already. My life has begun to transform with each turn of the page. I also have my arsenal of snacks (so much for that weight loss epiphany. lol) I have concluded to visit my local grocer to get healthier snacks for this around the clock battle. Lastly, I have been observing people as they come and go. I have been looking at them wondering what their story is. We all have one. I look and wonder why they work here and why they get out of their beds at such terrible hours to punch a clock and make just above minimum wage if that. I guess they are here for the same reason I am! Since I have all this time on my hands I figured I might as well make the best of it. I can continue writing my book and work on things that I have been longing to do. I can also submit more frequent entries to this blog! Hooray! Sometimes we are set up by God in the most peculiar way. I have four more hours to go. What will I do next? Hmmmm.....work maybe? LMBO! (oh and just in case you are questioning my work ethic, I did clear all of this extra activity with my supervisor. Turns out, it is all encouraged because they just want you to stay awake!) Until next time.......

Weight

As I get older I have a better understanding of the things my mother said and the things she went through. I sometimes long for the opportunity to just talk to her and say, "I see what you mean now". I guess my understanding about health and well being has deepened as well. I have taken on a more serious consciousness about my health and about what I put in my body. I know exercise is good for you and it makes you feel really good. There are so many benefits to it, but why is it so hard to get into a habit or routine? These are the questions that I pose to myself. One time before I had a similar epiphany on losing weight and being healthy. I went to the gym everyday for a month and a half. I was so amazed at how awesome it made me feel. My mood was happier. I felt like I could run a marathon. (only in thought..lol) I slept better. It was such a wonderful feeling. I even saw results in my appearance. Then after all that hard work of cardio and toning I stepped on the scale and noticed I had only lost 6 lbs. Now, I heard all the talk that the loss is in inches and not necessarily weight. People told me not to get discouraged and that I was doing really good. I thought I was still motivated, but in retrospect, I think that seed planted a give up bug in me that I never recovered from. Well I have found the antidote for this bug. It is called, determination. When did I discover it you may ask? When I walked by a mirror and backed up and noticed that I did not recognize the person looking back at me! It could have been a couple of weeks ago when I climbed a flight of stairs and had to beg my knees for mercy. It doesn't matter which incident led to my epiphany. The point is, I refuse to live unhealthy. Not to worry, I'm not going to turn my blog into a weight loss chronicle, but I will share with you a few of my ups and downs on this meandering road to healthiness!

Who Has Time To Cry?

We all go through things in life that may lead to our hosting the infamous party. What party you may ask? None other than the classic pity party. Even the Bible says there is a time to laugh and a time to cry right? lol This morning I was all set. I knew that I couldn't go to work because of some other circumstances and I knew that I would have the entire day to just sulk. I invited Mr tissue, grabbed my Linus blanket(ok, so I haven't gotten a Snuggie YET), set the air on arctic and got ready to let the rivers of my pain seep from my eyes. Then I realized I had to iron a couple of pants for my kids uniform that I failed to do the night before. So I got that done. I thought maybe I would have a few minutes to run off in the corner and lick my wounds, but just then, my daughter's hair needed to be flat ironed. At this point, I got a little perturbed because I knew that their bus would be coming soon and I would have to wait at the bus stop with them. This caused the party to be postponed yet again. I mean who really wants a puffy red eyed mom waiting with them? (Especially not my first year at middle school, thinks she is in high school daughter!) Ok, the bus comes and I rush back home. I am thinking of all of the things that just aren't going right in my life and prepping myself for the pain to come. Wouldn't you know it, I had to take my friend to work. I figured since I was going that far away from home I might as well get dressed for the day. I took her to work and then I ran so many errands that exhaustion set in. By the time I returned home, I realized that I'm just too busy to have a pity party. I had a choice, get a good cry in before the bus comes to bring the kids home, or eat and take a nap. Yep, you guessed it! Tacos and power nap it was. Tom Hanks had a line in A League of Their Own that stuck with me. He said, "You're crying?... There's no crying in baseball!" I would like to tweak that just a little and say, "There's no crying in single parenting!" Needless to say, because I rain checked the impending pour down, I had an extremely productive day and I managed to make a lot of things happen with God's help!

Who's Bad?

No, I am not breaking out the silver glove, leather jacket, and white socks with black loafers. RIP...Mr. King of Pop! I am,however, disgusted with the reaction of people. Recently, there was a lady that was incarcerated after suffocating her children and putting them in the car and pushing it into the river. This story bears striking resemblance to that of Susan Smith years ago who was ironically from the same state and only two hours up the road. There were so many who wanted to throw this current lady under the bus. I've heard comments from those who say she should have no mercy and that they should give her the death penalty. There were so many comments swarming around that had absolutely no compassion for this lady. Now I am not saying in the least bit that her actions should go unpunished. Nor am I condoning what she did in any way. However, society is quick to throw stones and outcast our own instead of moving to the heart of the matter. We tend to think that because we have not murdered or done some other crime that we have the right to pick up the gavel and judge away. I mean think about it. How many people have we killed with our mouths? How many times have we scarred a person for life because we enforced our beliefs or opinions? How are we any better than this disturbed lady? There are so many factors yet to be heard surrounding this case. She cited her mother's disapproval of her parenting skills and the lack of employment as reasons for motive. It is unfortunate that the children have lost their lives because of underlying problems, but we have to become a more compassionate society. In displaying that compassion we will be able to help people so that this type of behavior will not continue.

Life Unpredicted

Last week I met with a client on Monday. We laughed and talked and he was so happy because I was able to help him fix a situation. He got up and kept telling me how I had made his day and how happy I made him. Then he said, "I am doing alright! Anything else that happens will be icing on the cake!" I laughed and watch him walk down the aisle with his "swag". I was informed today that this past Monday, a week from our encounter, this man was in a fatal accident and burned beyond recognition. Needless to say, I was devastated. I had shared a moment of this man's life. I brought happiness to his day, but little did he know that his icing would be the afterlife. Life is so unpredictable. I have thought about this situation all day. I wondered, how was I to contribute to him. Was I supposed to tell him about Christ even though I work in the confines of governmental employment? What really matters? We work our entire lives striving for a certain level of success for what? It isn't about us. It is about the Kingdom. I have had yet another wake up call.

You Are What You Eat And Say!

Have you ever heard the saying, you are what you eat? This saying is so true, but often looked upon from a health conscious view. Truly what we put in our bodies will manifest itself in several different ways. It could enhance or deplete energy. It can cause weight loss or gain. It can clear up or block passage ways, etc. However, I have begun to think about that saying more in depth. The bible tells us that as a man thinketh so is he. Which pretty much says the same thing. Whatever you allow your mind to eat and take in, you will believe and become. Whatever we say becomes truth. There are so many scriptures about guarding the tongue and the tongue being a two edged sword, and speaking those things that be not as though they were, etc. It is my belief that this is the foundational basis of many of your modern life coaches, motivational speakers, and even psychologist whether they recognize it or not. We are taught at an early age to speak positively and think positively. Many will go as far as saying that you should look in the mirror and recite affirmations and declare success. We are told to make sticky notes and put them all around our daily paths as reminders of what we are to keep our minds on. Therefore, what we think and say, what we "eat" with our eyes and minds, will determine our level of success and achievement. If we don't believe that we can make it or that we are capable of pulling off the next goal, we will fail every time. We have to become our dreams and aspirations. They have to manifest themselves in us first. Not just the dreams of one day being super rich or owning a business, but even simple things such as weight loss, parenting, reading that book we've been waiting to read, or yes, even.....writing a blog! lol When we have conceived who we are in our minds nothing and no one can deter our birthing of that ideal. So whatever your dream or goal may be; However big or small it is; I leave you with a few lines of one of my favorite movies, SOUND OF MUSIC, "Climb every mountain, Ford every stream, Follow every rainbow, Till you find your dream" Bon Appetit!

Be Careful What You Ask For...

I am in such emotional distress at this very moment. I have wanted some things so very badly and now it seems that some of them may be obtainable, but at a very high cost. I find that we never know the way life is going to happen. We often times have a mental pic of how things will be. These ideals are shaped and molded as a child and develop into our goals. When it doesn't go according to plan we tend to have several discomforts. I am learning that I have to just roll with life and make the best out of every situation. Decisions, mistakes, and experiences help to take us to the ultimate purpose and destiny that we strive to achieve.

Letting Go

Today was pretty rough for me. I went to work and had to say goodbye to someone who had become far more than a coworker. I am realizing now more than ever that people have various functions in our lives. They come through and make their deposit whether it is good or bad and we have to receive it and grow from it. Life is all about growth and I am experiencing growing pains for sure. I understand that certain people have seasonal roles. I understand that what was good for you at one point can also at the next point be toxic for you. I just want to know what do you do to ease the pain when you want to hold on and keep the ones that are good, but have to be given back? Enough rambling for now...

Father's Day

Yesterday was Father's Day and yes, again I found my self surfing the cyber waves of Facebook. I started to notice how many women are truly scorned. Father's Day turned into a bash fest for all of the dad's that were not in the adults lives as well as the ones who were left as single mothers of their children. I happen to be a single mother of three and my father passed away a few years ago. Now I have to say that at the start of the day I too had drunk a sip of the bitter cup. However, I quickly dismissed the thoughts that I had. My father left when I was 5 yrs old. He left my mother and I to make it on our own. My mother's profession was teaching. She also worked a second job as a GED teacher for the community college and ran her own catering business on the side. How she did it still amazes me to this day. I am sure she had her share of heartache and pain that I will never know. My dad didn't pay child support so our sole income was received by the sweat of her brow. My dad decided to pop back into my life by phone briefly when I was 19. Can you imagine that phone call. That didn't last long and he dropped off the scene yet again. The years passed and I did give him a courtesy call in 1999 when my mother passed away to let him know that she was now gone. He cried and talked about how we needed to stick together but his efforts ended when the call did. My father then popped up again a few years later stating that he wanted to come from Hawaii, his home, to NC, my home, to live. I didn't know what to make of this but none the less a glimmer of hope came when I thought we maybe able to work at our relationship, especially with my best friend, my mom, being deceased. To my surprise I was able to identify him right off when I saw him at the airport. I looked this stranger in the eye and embraced him, my hope clinging to him stronger than my arms. Then it happens. I find out that the man came all the way from Hawaii to NC just to be taken care of. He was literally crazy. He saw demons, talked of witches, saw body parts, totally unstable. To add to that, he was deathly ill. Needless to say, he was in no condition to rekindle any type of relationship. At that point, he could barely live. I often wonder if I have ever dealt with that because I can't remember the day he died. I have no idea. If I think really hard I can recount the month and year, but I have to calculate it based on other things in my life. To some this may be sad, or a poor reflection of myself, but I have to be candid. I choose not to be bitter about what has happened between my father and I. There is no use. There is nothing that can be done about it besides learning the lessons and growing from the experience. I also have three children and thought I was doing it the right way to have them all fathered by my then husband. Never in a million years did I believe I would be a "baby mama". It wasn't supposed to go this way, but it has. Therefore, I pick up the pieces and put the blame game back in the closet and deal with the decisions that I have made that drove me to this point, thank you Chris Gardner. I am victorious no matter what path my life takes because I have overcome and I am an over comer! We all suffer set backs and things happen that we are not happy about, but resilience is the key.

Cherish the Moments

It seems now more than ever that people are slipping away from this world. There are so many stories that plaster our newspapers and tv screens daily about tragic deaths and unfortunate accidents. There is no way of knowing who is promised tomorrow and because of this we should take special care about loving everyone we meet. I am a facebook junky, yes, I must admit. One day I thought about a guy that I grew up with. We lived side by side, but because of my mother's choice, we did not go to the same school. However, I used to watch him wash his car and watch him come and go. Occasionally, his sister and I would play and talk to others in the neighborhood. As time passed we all grew up and I saw the graduation celebration and even the young lady who eventually birthed his daughter. Time passed and life moved on and his parents 'moved on up' to better housing. I went off to school and eventually came back to that house for a while. As I laid on my bed the other day, I wondered, where is he? He was always very good eye candy to say the least. So I jumped on my old faithful, facebook, and commenced to tracking him down. As I began to search I found a high school memorial page and his name on the list. This couldn't be, I thought to myself. On one of the comments there was a young lady I knew that said this was her cousin. I inboxed her a message and she told me that it was unfortunately, my next door neighbor from years past. Wow, I was devastated. Not only had he passed away at such a young age, but he did through the hands of violence. He was murdered in another state and the killers have yet to be found and it has almost been a year. I sat there after handling my grief and thought about how so many persons I know have left this life. Then I began to think about those whom I care about who are still here. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone. We never know when we will wake up for the last day. That is why we have to live life to the utmost. We have to savor every moment taking not one smile, laugh, or I love you for granted. We must live and love with all our hearts so that when our loved ones are gone, there will be no regrets. Live, laugh, love....

Relax, Relate, Release...

Relax - I never realized the true benefits of relaxing until recently. I went to the beach all by myself. I felt as if I was going on a mission and the mission was to unwind and regain my sanity from the insanely busy lifestyle I live. Locale, Virginia Beach! I arrived at the beach fully prepared. I went through my mental checklist, beach chair, check, umbrella, check, lunch box, check, sunscreen, check, beach read, check, notepad and pen, check, no kids, super check! I fed the meter and took off toward Mr. Neptune. When I got on the sand I noticed that there were miles of shoreline, but the shoreline was packed with human bodies. I scanned the area for a spot that I could settle in. I took off my clothes that covered my bathing suit. I sprayed on my sunscreen, sat back, exhaled and embraced my view. Oh it was so beautiful. This was living. Somehow I managed to jump into a land where problems no longer existed. I didn't have to think about what I was cooking for dinner, when was this bill due, what am I going to do with the children, etc. It was just me and the ocean. Despite the fact that it was Memorial day weekend, I was the only person inhabiting this space.

Relate - After the "ahhhhhhhh" factor I began to analyze, as I so often do, my surroundings. I looked around and saw mothers playing with toddlers, family units burying themselves in the scorching sand, young teens laughing and giggling as the ocean waves slapped them in their faces. I began to see that there was a common thread between all of us. We all had different faces, body types, skin colors, hairstyles, socioeconomic statuses, but we all just wanted to have fun and relax. We all came to become one with this beautiful body of water that seemed to personify and speak to our very souls. It brought back the point that at the end of the day we are all human and at the core of everything, we all just want the same thing, the implanted "American Dream".

Release - Coming to the end of my brief trip to my personal oasis I began to realize that things were going to be ok. I realized that no matter what I was currently going through, somehow, things would work out. I was able to release all of my stress and focus on the important things of life. I wasn't boggled down with my home environment or the problems that awaited my return. I was at peace.

When I returned home I was a much happier mom. My coworkers could not understand my radiant glow nor my overly hyper personality. I was revved up and raring to go! Who knows if it was the warmth of the sun on my face, the wind that kissed my cheeks ever so slightly, or the water that cooled me down and spoke to me all at once. Who cares? The point is that vacations have a definite positive psychological affect. I understand now why people actually invest in this; for investing in vacation is liken to insured security of sanity. Everyone needs one at some point and it should be a regular event. Of course it takes money, but plans can be modified so that you capture the essence of why you went in the first place...to relax, relate, and release! Happy Travels!

L-O-V-E.......Hmmmmm?

'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.' This is a famous quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson. I have been pondering this quote for quite a bit of the day. I really wish that I could have a word with Mr. Tennyson to see just exactly what he meant by this statement. I would have a few questions for him. For example, if I never loved and didn't know what it felt like, what would I really miss? This is like telling a child that cotton candy is great, melts in your mouth and leaves a sugary goodness that dances on your taste buds. If that child never experiences the sweet satisfaction of cotton candy, what has the child missed? I would ask Mr. Tennyson, what about those who have loved and lost and never regained or found love again? Is it really great to have had such a feeling that can't be explained only to have it snatched from you, never to be returned again? How do you deal with the agony of the void that is left? Then I would want to know which love he was referring to. Is this in relationship to spousal love, family love, parent/child love, etc? All of which can be quite different but yet equally passionate.

I am wondering if true love really exist in this day and age. Is there a love that is so great and deep that someone is grateful just for the experience even if it doesn't last? (and if it doesn't last can it really be identified as true love) Are marriages today built on this same love? If so, what happened to that love that somehow ended and contributed to the 50% divorce rate? I believe that type of love can be obtained but you have to choose to love. You also have to work hard to keep love, or do you? Did this love die with Tennyson? My inquiring mind needs to know.

Time Waits For No Man

I just had the worst wake up call yesterday. I realized that I am actually getting old. My son and I were watching a movie, Julie and Julia, and there was a scene in the movie that flashed "2002" as the time frame. Well my son looks at me with his doe eyes and says, "Mom is that the way it looked back then in 2002?" This threw me for a moment. "Back then" kept resonating in my head. "Back then?", I started asking myself. I mean for me, "back then" represents the 50's, 60's, maybe even the 70's. "Back then" was a question that I asked my own mother. Surely "back then" has not traveled through time ran ahead of me, turned around and smacked me into reality! Unfortunately, it had. I then thought well maybe he is trying to be funny. He just wanted to throw a little playful jab with his words, but then it dawned on me. My child was born in November 2001. Therefore, he sincerely meant, "back then". Talk about a ton of bricks that jolts you into reality! I could not believe that I am now answering a "back then" question. This lit a fire in me that will not be quenched. We only live once. We have to live life to the fullest. We must accomplish our goals and conquer our fears. Once time is gone, it can never be regained. Life goes on, time moves on, but when ours is up, it's over. Carpe Diem - Seize the day!

Train Up a Child...

I am really perplexed at the mindset of so many people. Not only that, I am realizing that the seeds we plant as parents to our children is so much more important than what is stressed. What happens in childhood flows into adulthood. If that misfit child grows to be a troubled adult with children, its descendants are duplications of dysfunction. Day in and day out I talk with people who lack ambition, intelligence, and zeal. For example, I spoke with a young lady who was looking for a job. She told me that she was looking for a position in a grocery store. I know it takes all kinds to make up the world we live in, and I also know that if we didn't have people to work the grocery stores we would have even longer lines and more disgruntled customers. However, her reasoning for wanting a position in the grocery store was because her mom worked at the grocery store for her entire life and she retired from there. That may have worked for her, but why not aspire to be more? Maybe its my upbringing that causes this uneasiness. It is so hard for me to fathom anyone not wanting to excel beyond the norm and excel beyond where you or your preceding generations have been. What we model to our children will determine their mindset as adults. They mimic our moves when we don't know it. Every comment that we make in general conversation or when we are handling business shapes and molds the mindset of the ones to come. We must push our children and even the children that we have not birthed to strive and thrive! They have to know that the life we live is only a pillar in their impending success. It is meant to be the boost to help achieve life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Therefore, the cycle never ends. We must do what we can to be the best stepping stone for the generations to follow. He have to provide good footing for the mountains and obstacles that lay wait for our children. Preparation, education, execution, and wisdom are all needed components to becoming the wind beneath their wings. We must get busy! I concur with the lyrics of Whitney Houston's The Greatest Love of All, "I believe the children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way."

Oh Be Careful Little Mouths What You Say

I was sitting at a table with a group of spirit filled believers one day and they were discussing a young lady. They talked about how this young lady was 38 years of age and had about 15 or 16 children. The children ranged in age from 4 months old to 20. They talked about the fact that the lady had to drive a 15 passenger van to carry the children from place to place. By the time the conversation ended these people had already doomed the lady to never having a peaceful day. She would not be able to survive financially and she would be dead before 60 years of age. We must understand the importance of being watchful over what we say. The Bible says that the power of life and death are in the tongue. Therefore, whatever we say can bring life or death to our situations. The Bible also says to speak those things that be not as though they were. Meaning we can create situations, blessings, curses, just by speaking a thing. That is powerful! We are all guilty of this act, including myself, but this particular situation served as an eye opener for me. We can be really quick to speak negatively about individuals. People have a hard enough time trying to make it as it is. They do not need to have our words hovering over them and bringing impending doom.

THERE IS NOTHING TO FEAR BUT FEAR ITSELF

In my line of work I see people daily that are in despair. Some are hanging to that last string of hope, some have simply given up. When I say something like, "God has not forgotten you" or "It will get better" or anything like that, they seem to grimace in pain. Some immediately shut down and their dropped head and drooped shoulders secretly whispers what lingers in their mind and soul, "God doesn't care about me". I am guaranteed to hear the question daily, "What am I going to do" as the person's eyes hopefully search my face awaiting my answer. This is a challenging position to find yourself in. I often times feel like Peter when he spoke to the lame man in Acts 3:6, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have, give I thee..." Meaning, I don't have money to give you, nor do I have a tangible solution, but what I have to give you will keep you when money can't.

I believe that there is a terrorist on the loose and it lives amongst us. It lies dormant and just as 'sleepers', it awakes at the most inopportune time. I discovered the name of the terrorist and it is, FEAR. People are afraid. When 9/11 happened there was a seed planted throughout the land. Some think we have recovered and that it is just a mark in the timeline of US history. It is so much more. People may feel more safe due to the publicised efforts of Homeland Security, but there is a disparity that lingers. The majority have gotten over the fear that we are going to one day go out and be blown away by some type of bombing, but a new branch of fear came on the scene. This descendant of fear caused people to become afraid that they will now be blown away in the financial hurricane that brings floods of stress as they drown in debt. The Obama Administration is bringing a ray of hope, but the damage is done, and truthfully, some will never make it. There is a system that is more so now than ever before of "haves" and "have nots". Daily congressional laws are being implemented, employment trends set, and banking procedures revamped that will all contribute to a silent caste system. However, there is no need to fear these aspects. If we allow fear to dominate us, we will be debilitated and forever paralyzed. Even though we see things are a certain way, we must be determined not to succumb to our present circumstance whatever it may be. God sees and knows all and has plans for us. He also has given each of us a talent and gift that will provide for us. We must find what that gift is and apply it to our lives and not shy away from taking risk.

We can not put our worth in what job we hold or the material things we have obtained. President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated in his Inaugural Speech on March 4, 1933, "So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance." He made this statement when the Nation was at its lowest. We were in the height of the Depression and it was a dark moment for all who lived in the US. It was amazing to me when I researched his speech that he said some of the same things that I aforementioned. This was 77 years, 1 month, and 3days ago. It was the same season, Spring. The Nation and all therein was on a crucial and pivotal period of birthing, as we are right now. I challenge you to remember that fear grips your every being and there truly is no need to fear. At this moment we should have already planned the next move for evolution and we should be implementing and executing this plan now. If you have not made the move, do it now. Don't be fooled by the scare tactics, instead, call FEAR's bluff and excel!

Why Did I Get Married Too?

I went to see Why Did I Get Married Too yesterday. I had a pleasant experience. It was a good movie, but with every Tyler Perry film there are many critics laying in wait to pounce on it before the credits can finish rolling. The comments people make about Tyler Perry movies are amazing to me. They often say, he should have developed this portion more, or I would have done it this way. In actuality, the majority of the people who make such absurd comments would not have a clue how to begin creating a story line. Instead of bashing the next person, society must find a way to uplift and encourage the efforts of our brethren. The movie was good to me and with all movies and things it is a matter of opinion. Tyler Perry always delivers a central message with everything he does. Whether it is a play, sitcom, or movie. His message screams loud and clear in this latest production. Instead of finding what is wrong in the movie and with the movie, I believe everyone should listen to the message and apply it to our lives. I applaud him for his most recent accomplishments and wish him the very best.

Don't Take It Personal!

I am baffled as I watch the daily news, read social network post, or simply eavesdrop around the water cooler. The passions continue to soar when it comes to health care reform and other political dilemmas. The Obama Administration is one of the most intriguing Administrations in quite some time. There are those who normally would not care about the political debates, State of the Union addresses, and House and Senate votes, who actually follow every move now. There is a heightened sense of responsibility to the nation that never before existed. Some may argue that this inflation is more so in the African-American community, but I have noticed this trend in all genders, creeds, and colors. However, I happen to believe that this Administration represents so much for so many people that people begin to take anything done or said personally. Whether it is some conservative screaming our Nation’s leader is a liar, or someone in Smalltown, USA willing to physically come to blows if there is one contrary utterance against Obama’s leadership and decisions. People have taken a stand. I believe that people have found what democracy was intended to do. It has given a voice. They have identified themselves and raised their voices in a unanimous cry…WE THE PEOPLE of the United States…! People are raised differently and in different eras. Cultures dictate our views and acceptance of what is right and what is wrong. When things are said or done that are against their belief system and upbringing, it is viewed as an attack on their person. Therefore, the defenses are raised and people go into a mode of protection. I believe that people view this Administration as an attack on everything they are founded on. Change in the eyes of some means that their parents and others in preceding generations were wrong. Change simply denotes evolution. It is OK to disagree, but when "politics goes postal" there is a line that must be drawn. Death threats to lawmakers and politicians for favorable votes is a bit much. The Word of God says in Matthew 12:25 and Mark 3:25 a house that is divided against itself will not stand. I personally believe that this applies to our Nation as well. Many moons past it was established that we are of course, One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for All! scheduled 11:40:00 AM by Dinah Delete

A Battle With A Blackberry Alarm

I normally use my phone as my alarm. This morning I heard the alarm going off, but as many of us do, I laid there hoping that it would soon stop without my having to cut it off. As my mind began to approach consciousness I realized that somehow my phone had found a new home overnight and now resided under the bed. By this time, I am extremely angry with myself because I normally turn the alarm off on the weekends because Sat is my only day to sleep in. I tried to get off the bed but fell off the edge landing on my side and leaving behind one leg to wrestle with the entangled covers. After breaking free, the fumes began rising from my crown as I slid my arm under the bed to get the phone. The phone must have decided to play a game of "you can't catch me" because the tips of my fingers barely reached the phone and they danced until I finally pull the phone in my grasp. I felt as though victory was mine, much like a marathon runner who is ahead of the pack and sees the finish line. Ahhh, I thought to myself, I can turn this off and get back in bed before I fully wake up. As I dismissed the alarm the phone seemed to smile back at me as I read Wed 3/31/10. UGH! I dropped my head in defeat and went to wake the kids and prepare for work. What a cruel joke! Such a nice prelude to April Fool's Day!


Dinah