JUST PLAIN LAZY?

I’m sitting back relaxing with my sweet heart for a few minutes, and I sit and think rather sarcastically, how very interesting I find the commercial on the television with the lady talking about the Giant Eagle curb side express who says, “I don’t have time to go to the store; that’s why I love my curb side express personal shopper, who picks out everything i need.” Now, clearly you must admit that it is quite obvious, that she is sitting in her living room the whole time, on the computer, with her little daughter chillin beside her, munching on a banana.

Now Iam not judging, but in my estimation, and I do not believe that Iam being unsympathetic, if you have time to sit on the computer and specifically place a whole grocery order, wait for someone else to run around the store and shop for you, then you get in your car, ride to the grocery store and go pick it up, and then they load it up for you. You still have to put it away! But I believe, that if you have the time to go through all of that, then you probably more than likely, have the time to get out of the car, and go into the grocery store, and shop for yourself. I believe our society is making us into a slovenly, unproductive populace.
But Again, that is just my opinion.
Tell me yours, at www.wordsthatlastalifetime.wordpress.com

RESOLUTE NEW YEAR

It has been quite some time since I last blogged.  But today I felt strongly compelled to share this thought that has been in my spirit with you.  Where we are right now is in a lull; an intermission; the time and space between events; such as, the joyous celebration of Christmas, and the impending entrance of the New year.  That space and time, is a hallway; a passage way; a gateway; an interval; a break, or a pause; a place between the old and the new; a p!ace between the here and the there; a place of decision.

It is a great place for some, but it is a tough place, a difficult place, a sad place, for others.  Because, it is in that place that we must release the old, and accept the new.  Not just the old year, but old things, old thought processes, old habits, old debt, old everything.  Unproductive, unregenerated, unprofitable ways.  Many of us become disheartened, depressed, even sad and low in spirit during this time, because we feel as though we are losing something irreplaceable, sort of like an old friend; and we are not willing to accept the changes, the shift that is inevitably coming.  But we prefer to just stand there, in the hallway, in the valley of decision or indecison, and just ponder; reminiscing, about the way things were; the way things used to be; refusing to let the past go, and to leave it behind.

But we can not hide or take refuge in the shadows of the past. And if we don’t walk into this gateway, through this lull, and step out of the hallway to the other side, coming into that new place, that new year, we will just remain there, stuck, in the place of indecision; stranded in the hallway by our own inability to simply, let go.

A resolution, or New Year’s resolutions, as we so nonchalantly refer to them, is simply a decision to change.  To do something, or NOT to do something.  To behave or NOT to behave in a certain manner. It is being resolved to change, or to make better.  To be purposeful and firm in a decision, thought, or action.

And so, as we stand here, on the cusp and brink of a New Year, let us not be afraid to make those unbendable, unwavering decisions of positive change and unshakable resolute action. Let us not be fearful to step OUT of the hallway, into the light of the other side.  But let us walk boldly, and face these new  challenges purposefully, intentionally and with firm resolution that WE WILL NOT be defeated by the ghost of our past, but we will walk into this fresh new place, with grace, dignity, and authority; and we will not just pursue our future, our destiny, but we will go after it head on, and chase it down, and apprehend it, and NOT let it go, until we have begun to walk in it, and have irrefutably established it as our very own. Now THAT is how you send the old year out, and THAT is how you begin a Happy New Year!

Now, tell me what YOU think.

COMMUNITY VALUES-“THE REAPING SEASON!”

Ok, here is a dilemma that seems to be plaguing our country.  I understand the emotional outrage that is going on right now in Ferguson, Missouri.  I completely empathize with the family, the friends, and the community as a whole.  The loss of this young African-American man, 18-year-old Michael Brown, is a travesty of immeasurable comparison, no matter what the circumstances that lead up to it, it is still a tragedy, that could have been averted had other more calming measures been taken by law enforcement.

However, one thing I DO NOT UNDERSTAND, is this person named Josie, who has been allowed to speak on live radio, and to give an account of what they did not know to be fact, but that they felt was an accurate account of the state of affairs.  Who was NOT in fact, an eye-witness to the situation, but WAS in truth a third-party person, the friend of the friend of the alleged officer, who had heard the account from the friend that was the friend of the alleged officer.  Hmmm.  That is not correct, not cool, and not good for the case.  And THAT in itself is a dilemma, but herein lies MY dilemma.

I know that people are angry, not only in Missouri, but in other parts of the Country, for what appears to be the needless systematic slaughter of the African-American male by law enforcement.   And I know that far too many of our young men have fallen in this almost identical manner, only to be forgotten when the next incident comes into the National spotlight.  Which most times, is more quickly than imaginable.  I know this.  I get it.  And I feel your anger.  I empathize with your pain.  But my brothers and sisters, it is senseless, illogical, and quite foolish for ANYONE to loot, pillage and plunder their own neighbors in the wake of what appears to be such an undeniable injustice.  But think about this;  YOU AND YOUR FAMIILY have to live in those neighborhoods after the situation has been dissolved.  You’ve totally torn up and robbed the electronics store.  You’ve trashed and ravaged the beauty salons.  You’ve demolished the Corner Variety and Grocery stores.  And everything else in between, you’ve burned to the ground.  Now, when the situation has calmed down, the Police presence has gone, and the National Guard has been disbanded, and everyone has at least come to grips with what has transpired.  Now, you have NO grocery or corner variety store; you have NO beauty salons; You have NO electronics stores or anything else that will promote YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD as being a thriving, viable, Community; because you have destroyed it.  THAT my friend, is the definition of “Insanity,” And THAT is how ghetto’s are created.  It is by far one of the stupidest most idiotic things that I have ever heard of, and it never ceases to astound me.  No business will be able to, or even WANT TO rebuild what YOU have destroyed, in YOUR community.  They can’t.  Not only is their determination to thrive in that community gone; their civic and community pride abated; but the insurance it takes to run that business, to re-build that business in that community, which is already much too high for business owners to even afford in the first place, I promise you this, that after incidents like that, the looting, the pillaging, the plundering, the burning, that their insurance WILL increase, if not be dropped completely.  Making it absolutely impossible for those business owners to operate at all.  These are people who were born and raised in your neighborhoods.  Their children go to school in your neighborhoods.  They started a business in that neighborhood loving that community because they were a part of that community, and believing that the people from that neighborhood or community would love and support them in return.  But what do you give them as an act of appreciation for their desire to operate a business in your community rather than in the suburbs?  You give them Thievery, robbery, hatred and greed.  Because truth be told, that’s all that it is.  That is EXACTLY what it is.  Simple Greed.  You are a taker and a user.  You use the events of your Communities weakness and outrage of a situation or occurrence, as an opportunity to exploit and capitalize on what others, the hard-working business men and women of YOUR community, have achieved, and built through blood, sweat and tears.  And you take what is not rightfully or lawfully yours.  Leaving in your wake an empty hole from the destruction and the devastation that you have wrought from your greed.  And that is not right in ANY culture.  It is madness.  It is insanity.  And God sees you.  And He WILL judge and repay you.  You WILL reap the destruction that you have sown.  Watch.

Now, tell me what YOU think,

 

“Standard Procedure” REALLY?

I have not written in a while because I have been extremely busy.  But something happened recently that caused me to have to write about it.  This may be a little harsh, and it WILL be a bit long, but it’s real, and I need for you to understand the true reality of it.  It’s just that deep.

In March of this year, I was called to an emergency situation at a local hospital, by a young man and woman who are expecting a child.  At that time, she was only 3 months along, when as she was sitting at home she began to bleed profusely.  She was immediately rushed to the hospital by ambulance an hour after they called them, with the pre-supposed deduction that she had lost the baby through miscarriage.  They called the ambulance at about 12:00 noon, and it was about 1:00 p.m. when the ambulance got them to the hospital.  When they arrived at the hospital at approximately 1:00 in the afternoon, they put the bleeding, crying, and frightened young woman in a wheel chair and rolled her into the emergency entrance.  The young man, as well as the ambulance attendants, informed the receptionist of the condition that this young woman was in, and that the young woman was pregnant and bleeding heavily.  And the receptionist’ response to them was, “You have to wait.  We have no room.”  Wow! I was always under the impression that when people came into a hospital emergency room covered in blood, that they were moved up to the “High Priority” list.  Hmm.  Well, by this time, the young woman’s mother had arrived, and I was told that the nonchalance of the hospital staff in regards to the young woman’s plight was inconceivable.

Two hours after they had arrived at the emergency room I received the distress call.  I left my job at approximately 3:10p.m. and arrived at the hospital by about 3:25p.m. from downtown Cleveland.  Yes, I was speeding a little bit, but when my young people are in distress, I respond.  As I entered into the emergency room I beheld a horrific sight.  The distraught young man who was now crying and pacing the floor; the still bleeding young woman who had by now,  stopped crying, and was hopelessly slumped over in the wheel chair, seemingly unconscious, incoherent, and non-speaking; Hair strewn wildly across her tear streaked face;  eyes closed; a mother who was anxiously waiting to hear what was going on with her daughter, and was wondering why they had not yet taken her in to be examined; and a supportive friend, who was there for that very reason, and that was to be a friend.  When the young man saw me walk in, he walked over to me and threw his arms around me, and wept.  His words to me were, “Please help us, they are trying to kill our baby.”  Tears filled my eyes, but I had to push them aside for now.  It was time for the Holy Spirit to go to work.

I told him to sit down, and assured him that everything was going to be alright.  I quickly accessed the situation, and did what I do; I took control.  I walked up to the receptionist and said, “Excuse me, I’m with that young couple over there.  could you please explain to me why it is that this young woman has been bleeding for over 2 and a half hours and you guys still have her sitting here in the lobby?”  Her response may shock you a little.  She said, “Mam, we know she has been sitting out here, but we have no beds available.  As soon as we have an available bed, we will take her back.”  That did not satisfy me.  So my next question was this.  “So, you all just allow people to sit in your waiting room, bleeding for 2 and a half hours and not knowing the cause?”  This will probably shock you even more.  She said, “Mam, we have this happen all of the time.  She is probably having a miscarriage, and in that case there is nothing we can do to stop it.  So when they get her in the back they will give her a pill, send her home, and she will finish miscarrying at her own home, in the toilet.  That is standard procedure.”  WHAT???? Are you kidding me?  Are you really serious?  So, this is what we have come down to?  The  systematic genocide of a people.  The extinction of a race?  How very clever and shrewd to craftily and conveniently dispose of the seemingly insignificant without anyone being none the wiser.  I looked at her, and this was my response to her.  “So that’s the way you all do it now.  You haven’t even examined this young woman and you assume that she has miscarried?  So, when you give her this little “pill,” she goes home, and continues what YOU assume has already begun, without further examination?”  Well, by now, I was angry and I’m sure it showed on my face and was heard in my voice.  So I spoke calmly.  Not screaming or hollering.  But with authority.  “Oh no.  that’s not going to happen, But here is what needs to happen.  First, you guys need to move her up on the priority  list and get this young woman a bed.  Second, she needs to be examined to determine what exactly is actually going on.  And third, YOU WILL NOT GIVE HER ANY PILL, FOR ANY REASON, unless AFTER you have examined her and it is deemed to be necessary.  THEN, we will talk.”

Within 5-8 minutes, they had called this young  name, and she was wheeled to the back for examination.  I told her mother what they intended to do, and we agreed that his was NOT going to happen.  By this time, my husband came walking in, because again, these are OUR young people, and when they need us, we come.  I quickly apprised him of the situation and he agreed with the assessment, and we began to pray.  Then he said, “It ain’t over until GOD says it’s over!”  They allowed us to go to the back with the family to check on the young people.  After the examination and the ultrasound, the doctor came out, and these were her words.  “The good news is, is that the baby is doing fine.  I know she had some bleeding, but I have had people that have bled, even have had a cycle for nine months of their pregnancy and have still delivered healthy, full term babies.  The bad news is that I might have to label you a high risk pregnancy, depending on if this happens again, and the amount of bleeding.  And you need to be on bed rest for the next few weeks.”  She continued to give instruction to the now smiling and jubilant young couple, who were released shortly there after, and all was well.  That little baby is still holding on to this day, and I imagine he or she has said in their mommy’s womb, “I’m NOT letting go, cause I have a purpose and a prophetic destiny to fulfill.”  Had we went along with the program of “Standard Procedure,”  this baby would now be gone from existence forever, never to even having known the purposes and the potential of God in their life.

Now, I know that was very long, but it was also very necessary.  So my question is this,  Why? And has our hospitals, care physicians and medical industry become so overwhelmed or uncaring and corrupt that they willfully, knowingly and conveniently just dispose of the unborn so haphazardly and callously?  Who is in charge and responsible this systematic desecration of human life?  And how many more that may not have had an advocate, may not have had anyone to speak up for them, have gone in and have gone through this “Standard Procedure?  Well, from the words of the one I personally spoke to in the emergency room, “They do it all the time. It’s,  “Standard Procedure.”  And that should not be.

Now, tell me what you think,

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, FIND OUT WHAT IT REALLY MEANS!

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R-E-S-P-E-C-T, FIND OUT WHAT IT REALLY MEANS!.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, FIND OUT WHAT IT REALLY MEANS!

Here’s a good question.  Why is it that people tend to do things in other folks neighborhood that you won’t find them doing in their own?  For example; I have literally sat and watched people who were not from “certain neighborhoods,” run stop signs; go right through yield signs, as if they had no clue what “YIELD” really means; go through school zone lights doing faster than the mandatory posted “20 mph” speed limit; speed down residential streets, where there are children clearly playing in plan sight in the parks; allow their pets to use the rest room in people’s lawns or in community parks without using the mandated poo poo bag that they would use in other neighborhoods; blatantly throw trash out of their car windows right into the street; or open their car doors and sit it politely on the ground beside their vehicle just before the light changes and the speed off; illegally dump large items and trash bags in empty fields and in alleys when they think no one is looking.  Why is that?

Also, I ride through different “specific types” of neighborhoods on a day-to-day basis and I see these “Traffic Enforcement Cameras” on every other corner in the “inner city,” but I don’t see them in the suburban neighborhoods.   Why is that?  Are these  “ENFORCEMENT CAMERA’S” truly for the benefit of assisting law enforcement agencies with traffic control? Or are they  simply another governmental ploy designed to purge. squeeze, and snatch, more of the already hard-earned ever decreasing finances and funds that these people have to literally fight for on a continuous basis, from their grasp?  They are already struggling, do they really need some camera that only works half of the time, monitoring their driving habits for the benefit of financial gain to that city?  As a matter of fact, here is a very amusing and strange thing that happened to me one day.  While I was driving down Euclid Avenue, I stopped at a light in East Cleveland at the corner of Forest Hills and Euclid Avenue.  Everyone on every side of me was just sitting there waiting for the light to change in their favor.  Moments went by.  When suddenly there was a bright  flash, and then another.  The camera’s begin to go absolutely wild flashing, one flash right after another.  None of the motorist were moving at all yet mind you, so I could see everyone looking around confused and wondering why this camera was flashing, and which one of the vehicles had violated the law by running the light, or by being too far past the line, or what ever other traffic infraction they nab you on with these devises.   We all looked around to try to figure out what exactly was going on, and the ONLY thing we saw moving, was a relatively good-looking shapely young woman in some very tiny shorts, who was walking from one side of Euclid Avenue to the other side of the street.  At first I thought nothing of it, until the camera flashed again, and still no cars were moving.  It flashed yet again, until she had gotten completely across to-the-other-side-of the-street.  True story.  I tell you folks, I sat there with my mouth opened wide astounded by what I had just seen.  I looked over at the driver in the car next to me (it was warm and the windows were down); and I said to him, “You have got to be kidding me right?”  He  simply shrugged his shoulders, shook his head in disbelief, looking just as stupefied as I was.  The light changed, and we pulled off.  Now THAT was one of those things that make you go, hmmmm.

There are many things that we can go on to question that occur in our “inner city neighborhoods” that you will not find happening in the suburbs.  (Even though no doubt, they may have their share of problems as well).   But I could go on and on naming various different and interesting situations that occur in the “inner city,” that perhaps should not.  You can no doubt think of several yourself.  What I’am simply saying is this; The “Inner City” is not a dumping ground.  It is a place just like any other place, where families live, raise children, go to school, work,  shop and grow.   The people and families that live there deserve respect, just like Pepper Pike, or Solon, or Westlake, or Parma.  It  may not be the ideal place that people have chosen to live, but there are some awesome and incredible people who have chosen to make their homes in the “Inner City.”   And this I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt; you can be Black, White, Asian, Hispanic or any other Nationality, and you can go to the park and swing your children or play basketball in the “Inner City,” go to the store and shop in the “Inner City,” get gas or get your car fixed in the “Inner City.” or simply chose to walk down the street after dinner in the “Inner City,” and I promise you, that no will call the police, no one will look at you strange like you are not supposed to be there,  no one will even ask you why are you there, and no one will bother you, unless of course it is select foolish crowd, that does not even know who they are themselves, and in that case, it’s not just you they would bother, but its ANYBODY!  But in most cases, what you WILL find, is beautiful, friendly, sociable people, who are willing to step outside of their fears and uncertainties, and accept and embrace you, just for who you are.  Color doesn’t matter here.  It is not a determining factor.    Ethnic heritage doesn’t matter here.  Rich or poor doesn’t matter here either.  What matters is, that you ARE somebody, a human being, and you deserve respect, just like everyone else does.  So does the “Inner City.”  Sometimes people don’t have a choice where they live, for one reason or another, but that does not make them any less valuable, any less important, any less significant, any less worthwhile, or any less due respect for who they are and where they have chosen or  not chosen to live.

Now, tell us what you think,

“New Year, New Me, New You.”

Well here we are, we’ve made it.  We are at the beginning of a brand new year.  We’ve had some great times, some bad times, some happy times, and yeah, some sad times in 2013.  Some may say good riddance to you 2013, I’m glad to see you go.  Others may cry, sensing a feeling of loss, remorse or even become melancholy at the exodus of the old year.  But either way we all must take a step back and look in retrospect at the old year, and decide definitively, “What am I going to do now?”  Will I move forward, or will I stay stuck in 2013, or any other year that has passed in auld lang syne?   Which for those that don’t know means, long, long ago.  Will I make this year a great success, or will I meet you here next year, same bat place, same bat time, (for those old 1966 Adam West BatMan sitcom watchers).   Not having moved, nor having accomplished anything?  Will I advance toward my goal, or step into my destiny?  Or will I sit with my one talent, hide it in the ground and wait for my master to return, who in my heart I secretly harbor ill thoughts toward of being too hard, unjust and unfair.  Then run and dig up my one talent that he gave me when I see him coming, just so I can show him that I saved my one little talent exclusively for him, and have done nothing with it, and even worse, have not to share it with anyone else?  Nobody even knows I have it.  Hmmm.  Will I embark upon a new adventure, or begin a new quest?  Will my pursuit of excellence and a renewed state of mind stop if I hit a road block on my journey?  Will I give up my goal, my voyage, my expedition when I’m meet with a seemingly overwhelming and difficult challenge?  Will I listen and giver ear to the nay sayers, back bitters and dribble talkers as they try to expel their venomous toxins upon my dreams.  Will I just lay down and roll over as if for dead when everything does not go as anticipated with my strategic plan, in my trek to greatness?  Will I just sit back and wait for things to happen, or take what it is that someone else thinks I deserve?  I think not.  For I am determined, and I am prepared, and I am resolute in this new year, to take my life back into my own hands, and to put it firmly into the hands of the Lord.  To meet my challenges head on.  To not stop until I have apprehended my established goal.  To not back up.  To not take down.  To not give in.  To not surrender, relinquish, hand over, give up or give away, ANYTHING that God has declared unto me, and has said is mine.  Even if He has only released it in the spirit and has not yet revealed it to me with my physical eye.

And so I present this last thought to you my fine ladies and gentlemen.  Boys and girls.  Children of all ages;  We do not have the time to waste our lives on foolish and trivial things.  Things that perpetually hold us back and keep us in bondage.  For time waits for no man.  It passes you by, and leaves you wondering exactly where it went.  And so, It is time to change our mindsets.  It is time THIS YEAR, to stop being mad.  Time to stop being angry.  Time to forgive those who have wronged you.  And to FORGET the wrong that they have done towards you.  Time to allow the love of God to shine through us.  Time to love the un-lovely or un-loveable.  Time to use wisdom in every decision that we make, and if we don’t have any wisdom it’s time to ask it from God, who said that He will give it to us generously and not hold it back from us.  Time to be generous, courteous and kind to all.  Time to stop being so selfish and self-centered and self-willed.  Time to bear up our brothers and sisters in the spirit of love and longsuffering, and to not just point the way, but to help them on their way to their victory.  Time to stop using the excuse that “God knows my heart” to be and act ugly, and to do what we know is wrong.  Time to stop slithering around dark corners, peeping and creeping, trying to hide what we may be doing that we think no one sees.  Time to stop perpetrating, trying to be something that you know you are not, when you know EXACTLY who and what you are, and EXACTLY who and what you have been called to be.  Time to stop trying to blend in.  Chamilionizing yourself.  It’s time NOT JUST TO KNOW THAT WE ARE THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD, BUT TO LIVE LIKE WE ARE THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD.  It is time for the church of God to stand up and BE the church of the Living God, VICTORIOUS again.  It is time to rise above our circumstances and to stop settling and accepting second best.  It is time to declare the Word of the Lord in our lives, and in our atmospheres, and in our homes, and to change our situations.  NOW is the time to reach for those goals again; to dream those dreams and to make them finally come true.   It is time to seize this moment in time, and to not let it go until it has blessed your very soul.  It is time to apprehend and fulfill that purpose and those promises of God in our lives.   It is time to let the FAITH OF GOD so come alive in us, so that we can accomplish every word that He has released to the heavens for and into our lives.  It is time for us to allow the very Word of God to become life and breath to us.  For then shall we make our way prosperous, and then we shall have good success.   NOW,  is the time.

Now, tell us what YOU think,

“And Justice For All (who can afford it)!”

Lets just begin this post by saying, “WOW!”  Why?  Because I was watching CNN this morning and the case in the news where a  drunken Texas 16-year-old driver caused the crash that killed 4 people, including the a mother and her daughter, the young woman who they had stopped to assist in changing her tire, and a youth pastor, whose wife not long ago had a little baby.  This young man received 10 years probation, with the possibility of jail time if he violates his parole.  Lets try that beginning again shall we? “WOW!”  It was found out through investigations that this 16-year-old young man whose blood alcohol level was .24, which by the way is 3 times the legal limit in Texas, had first been observed with some friends stealing beer from the Wal-Mart store.  Then they had gone to a party where they continued their drinking binge.  Later taking off from the party at a high rate of speed, where he then apparently lost control of his vehicle, collided with these good Samaritans and the young woman they were helping on the side of the road, and he lived, but they all died.   Now, of course he was arrested, and he was charged with 4 counts of intoxication, given a ten-year probation, ordered to go to alcohol Rehab, that of which his parents MUST agree to pay for the half a million dollars in treatment for his undoubtedly torturous stay at this posh, luxurious and elegant rehabilitation center.  Really, you have got to see this place.  I WOULD LIVE THERE!  BUT, if he violates his parole then he could possibly serve some jail time.  Hmmm.  And here is the biggest part of this farce folks.  The psychologist on the case testified under oath,  that he believes that the reason this young man is not guilty, and therefore should not serve any jail time is because he is the VICTIM of AFFLUENZA.  ARE YOU REALLY SERIOUS?  DO YOU KNOW WHAT AFFLUENZA MEANS?  I know it sounds like some sort of contagious disease, but it is really the derivative of the word “Affluent,” which quite simply means, rich.  wealthy.  prosperous.  comfortable.  Well off.  Well to do.  You know, Rich.  But what it really means is that his parents are so wealthy, have so much money, and have raised him in such a lavish and privileged lifestyle that he does not understand that there are consequences to his actions, because he has not been taught this, and of course, it was an oversight on their part.  The psychologist said it, so the defense attorney ran with it, the judge believed it, and guess what?  It worked.  CAN YOU REALLY BELIEVE THIS?  I haven’t seen washing this clean since I mistakenly poured a half a bottle of Clorox bleach in my white clothes some years ago.  Of course they had holes in them, but they were definitely clean.

I promise you this , that if that had been lets just say, “SOMEONE ELSE,” quote, unquote, that they would right now be spending the rest of their natural lives, or a good portion thereof, in prison.  Don’t pass go, don’t collect $200 dollars, just go directly to jail.  Little orange jump suite and all.   SOMEWHERE I’m sure that there is SOMETHING that says “With Liberty and Justice for All.”  Someone please refresh my memory.  Well, they certainly got the “Liberty” part right.  That is of course, if you have enough money.   But where is the justice for that wife and that new baby?  That mother and that father? That husband and father, that after 25 grueling weeks had to sit and listen and look at smug faces, while this sentence of “NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF AFFLUENZA” was passed down.  Because of course, he didn’t know what he was doing, they said.  This just allows us to see even further, that contrary to popular belief, there IS disparity between people.  Between having wealth and being poor. Between The haves and the have not’s, so to speak.  And it also once again proves definitively, that if you have enough money, you can buy your way out of ANYTHING!  And even more importantly, that justice is DEFINITELY NOT blind;  but that she indeed sees quite well, exactly what she wants to see.

Now, tell us what YOU think,

“The Greatest Love of All”

There is a song sang by the late great Whitney Houston that says, “Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.”  Although that is by far one of the most beautiful songs that I have ever heard, I must beg to differ with it.  Allow me to state my case.  I mean since we are in the Holiday Season and all.  And yes, it is time to trim the tree.  Time for mistletoe and holly.   Time for peace on earth, good will toward man.  But even considering all that, I place before you, a world gone mad.  A world that by all means and purposes seems to be turning completely upside down, ready to implode on itself.  To self destruct.  And even in this the most blessed and Holy seasons, it sometimes seems to be impossible to find as much as a hint of rationality, stability or sound judgment in this world.  Not to mention any of those other wonderful fruits that the Lord God happened to talk about in the times of yore.  You know, the ones like love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, meekness, longsuffering, gentleness, faith, temperance, against any of these there is no law.  Let me give you a few examples or present to you exhibit A, as to how far we have fallen off track all around the world everyday, but it seems to be more prevalent during the Holiday season and especially on “Black Friday.” (And this is taken from 98.7 WFGR Radio Station Website).

In New Jersey: A woman was arrested for spitting on anther shopper and her children.  Why?  Los Angeles: 20 customers (including kids) suffered injuries after being pepper sprayed by a fellow shopper. Police say she used the spray to get a better shot at a discounted Xbox.  In San Landro, CA: A shopper was shot after fighting two armed men who were out to steal his purchases.  Upstate New York: Two women were arrested after fist fighting in the electronics department.  In Kinston, NC: Cellphones marked from $200 to $35 caused fists to fly between customers — security had to use pepper spray to regain order.  Right here in west Michigan – Muskegon:  A teen was treated for injuries after being trampled repeatedly by customers rushing to the electronics department.  In Phoenix, AZ: A grandfather who put a video game in his waistband to lift his grandson above a rowdy crowd for safety was thrown to the ground by police.  And Wal-Mart stores in Woodland Park, CO, Neosho, MO, and Bentonville, Ark, all received bomb threats.  Really people? For something that they are going to play with for 5 to 10 days then toss to the side?

Someone, please tell me, what happened to the good old days, the simpler days.  The days when you could pick a pine cone up off of the ground, paint it a pretty color, stick a bow on it, some glitter or some other decoration, present it as a gift from the heart,  and that gift be received with genuine joy and appreciation.  Or when someone would crochet an afghan, a hat and scarf set or some mittens, or cross stitch a table clothe or pillow cases and the recipient have more joy and awe and appreciation for that gift than ANYTHING you could have possibly purchased out of a store.  We’ve got it all twisted folks.  This is NOT the way it was originally meant to be.  In St. John 3:16 it says that, “God so loved the world that He GAVE His ONLY begotten son, that WHOSOEVER believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”  The part I want you to really pay attention to is, For God so loved the world, that He GAVE…….. THAT, was the greatest love of all.  He gave all that was dear to Him, all that He had, so that we, who fight in Wal-Mart over some trivial electronic gadget.  And we who spit on people.  And we who pepper spray people and yes, even we who send bomb threats to Wal-Mart for no apparent reason, can have the chance to have everlasting life once we believe on Him.  That’s not a small thing, because I don’t know any person who would sacrifice not one, not even the worst of their children, for someone else.  I know I wouldn’t.  But He did, just for you.  Just for us.  Think about it.  So during this Blessed Holiday Season, while we are acting like some primitive, uncivilized, unrefined, unregenerate, Philistines that came out of a cave or slide from underneath a rock, stop.  And think.  Seriously. Is this what our God sacrificed all for?

Now, tell us what YOU think,

“WORLD CHANGERS”

There’s an army rising up.  A mighty moving force, that is about to spread across the land.  They are young, and they are strong, and they are determined to deliver the message that they have been entrusted with.  They are determined  to be a living breathing example of the epitome of what righteous living truly is.  To proclaim the unadulterated word of the Lord.  They are determined to be the epitome of priesthood, manhood, husbandhood, fatherhood, and brotherhood.  To teach those younger men what real men really are.  And real men are not afraid to worship God.  Only when me worship God can they become the true fathers, husbands and sons that they need to be.  They are determined to break the chains, reverse the cycle and change the mindsets that have plagued their generation for so long.  The mindset that has made men abandon their children and families, leaving mothers to raise their sons, their daughters, their children alone, and causing a breach that has created a substantial ripple effect in society.  They understand the importance of a man raising his family and that it is so fundamentally critical to their essential growth and development, and that it is so much the very foundation of their children, their sons, their daughters, that the effects of him NOT being there is sociologically and statistically astounding.  They understand that their mothers, and grandmothers, their sisters, their aunts, and their nieces, are queens and princesses, and should be treated as such; with honor, reverence and respect.  That their woman, their true soul mate is the stabilizing force, the very fiber that upholds the greatness that is the man.  And that it is his job to, and he must nurture, cultivate, encourage, support, develop, protect, defend and love her.

Because of their ideology, they are coming to a greater understanding of way things SHOULD be structured.  They understand that only having a religion, or a form of Godliness, just will not do.   They understand exactly who they are, and that they have the power to change and create their own destiny’s.  They understand that everything  happens in the perfect will and timing of God and for His purpose only.  They understand that God is EVERYTHING and that they are nothing without Him, and that He is the very air that they breath.  They understand that God truly sees the heart, no matter what you may act like.  Whether that be good or bad, so it is best to be true and real, not fake or pretentious.  That everyone’s level of duty may not be the same, but that everyone does indeed have a duty or a level that they MUST pursue and ultimately obtain.  They understand that you are a leader or become a leader sometimes even before you know that you are one, because you are different.  You may try NOT to be different.  You try to blend in, to camouflage,  but you can’t.  You can’t being who you are.  You just stand out because you are who you are, and you are marked by the hand of God.  They understand that they must be an example, mentors to our young men, and nurturers to our young women to bring them back to health and wholeness that has been lost to them because of the influences and demands of society.  They understand that they are priest of God.  Kings in the making.  And that God is linking them up together with their queens, their other halves, their soul mates so that they can together, conquer the territory and accomplish the supernatural and divine mission that has been set before them by the almighty.  They understand that the decisions that they make will inevitably affect more than just them, but that they will affect everyone around them and their entire generation.  No matter where they are, no matter what they are doing.  They may ultimately have to be elevated to a higher position, a higher calling, so that they can do the job that they need to do, because the only way for them to be able to touch the lives of the people that they MUST touch, they MUST  excel to that higher place.  They have humble hearts, and they are willing vessels, but they are not wimps.  They are up for the fight, and they will NOT take what the enemy has been handing out lying down.  Because he is not and issue, and he never was.  They don’t take lightly the charge that has been placed upon their lives.  They welcome it.  They call for it.  They challenge it.  And they are not afraid.  There is advancement and elevation for this chosen generation as they assemble, as they connect, as they are drawn together from all parts of the country, all regions of the world, and prepare for the awesome challenge of this great revolution, and as they take this world by storm.   They are right now being spiritually armed and equipped.  For they WILL break the chains that bind up their generation, and you WILL hear the chains breaking and falling off.  They are called and sanctioned not by man, but by God.  Who are these “World Changers?” you may ask.  Just open your eyes and look around, they are here, and they are there, and you will know them when you see them.   They are, “The World Changers.”     

“IN THE NAME OF DEMOCRACY?”

I have been following the news concerning the partial Government shutdown that has recently occurred.  I sat and listened, in appalled surprise, as Ted Cruz, U.S. Senator from Texas, sat and read Dr. Suess’ “Green Eggs and Ham” to his children over the phone at bed time, on National Television in an act of filibustering, in order to run down the clock on the decision of whether to shut down the Government or to continue with Obama Care.  Wow!  I believe that we have other and more important things to be concerned about in these United States of America.   You disagree too much.  You fight too much.  This side does not agree with that side.    This one doesn’t see eye to eye with that one.  She does not want to support him, and he does not want to be on the same side as her.  Nobody acts like they like ANYBODY.  And NOBODY wants to support the ones that actually NEED the support.  The people.  You have opposed one another and fought one another for so long that you have lost focus on what is really important.  The people.  You remember?  The ones that you have sworn, and promised, and have taken an oath, to Govern and to care for.  To support, and to protect.  REALLY?  SERIOUSLY?  Well please explain this to us, Mr. Senator, Mrs. Senator, Mr. Congressman and Mrs. Congresswoman;  (Ms. for everyone else that falls in between, so that we can be politically correct).  But I’m talking to those of you who represent this great United States of America.  And here is the question.  How does this in any, way, shape or form, benefit the people.  YOUR PEOPLE?  The ones that before now had only 2 choices; either you die slowly, or you die now.  Either way, you die.   Because they didn’t have health insurance coverage, and they wouldn’t  be covered by insurance anyway because oops, they made a mistake and got sick.  And because the insurance companies just do not care.  If you can not pay, you will not be served.  Is that the America way?

And here is an even better question Mr. Senator, Mr. Congressman, and everyone in between.  If the Government is shut down, and literally hundreds and thousands of workers across the United States are “Temporarily Unemployed” and are therefore NOT getting paid, then how are YOU getting paid?  How are YOU getting YOUR check?  How are YOU paying YOUR mortgage and YOUR car note?  How are YOU buying groceries for YOUR family and children?  Did YOU give up YOUR check or take any pay cuts?  Are YOU “Temporarily Suspended or Unemployed?”  That’s exactly what I thought!”  Now that’s something that makes you go, “Hmmmm.”   And then tell me this.  Just what kind of formidable authoritative force do you really suppose that we are to the world right now, while we sit back and read “Green Eggs and Ham” on National Television, and the world laughs.  Oh, don’t you think for one second that they are not.  What weight do we hold while we allow such a selfish inane act under the guise of “This is MY right as a U.S. Senator to have MY moment, because I’m due this time.”  HEY!  Our troops are out there fighting on a daily basis, not only for our freedom, but for own their lives as well.  Thousands of our children, husbands, wives, sisters and brothers, nieces, uncles and aunts put their lives on the line for this thing we call “Freedom” everyday.   Not for the opportunity for us to abuse that freedom, but for the right to embrace that “Freedom,” that “Liberty,” and that spirit of Democracy  that we hold so dear to our hearts.  So what, you don’t like the President!  GET OVER IT!  We can call in to question more than half of the Presidents that we have had thus far.  But this is the set man who has been appointed unanimously by “We The People” for such a time as this.  You need to stop all this foolishness.  Get with the program.  Begin to contribute constructively to the issues at hand, and to assist this man, this president, this Commander in Chief, in the EFFECTIVE running of this great Government, this great Country that we call the UNITED STATES of AMERICA.  If we truly are what we say we are, then come together, stop the filibustering, and make some positive decisions that will truly benefit “We The People.”  For Together we stand, but divided we will fall.

Now, Tell us what you think,

“SMELL THE ROSES, AND LIVE”

While working a stint at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, or the BOE as we fondly refer to it, I had the awesome opportunity to observe several things.  Now mind you, it has been quite some time since I have held a regular job in corporate America being an “At Home Mom” and all.  But I was called to do my service to the County, and I went.  So, I packed up my lunch in my little striped bag, got in my little car, and headed downtown to the BOE.  I was so very excited to be heading back into the world of the gainfully employed.  Allow me to share with you some of the things that I observed.  One of the first things that I observed on my daily commute to and from work was the courteousness (facetious tone) of my fellow drivers.  I observed a “STOP” sign that apparently did not really mean “STOP” because drivers were zooming past it like it was not even there.  Hmmm, that was quite a peculiar occurrence, since I have been taught since my early childhood that red meant “STOP.”  Then, I sat at a yellow yield sign that was being obliviously run by everyone, for about 5 minutes while drivers who had no obvious understanding of the word “YEILD” continued on in a long straight line, seeing us sitting there, but not even attempting to stop for one second to allow the merging traffic to come onto the roadway.   Well, as I continued on my merry way to the BOE, I experienced yet another enigma; vehicles dashing right in front of me narrowly missing hitting my truck because they were  trying to get out of the lane that it was quite evident had parked cars all along the street on the right hand side for about a half a mile down.  Wow!  That was close.  Then vehicles moved through that flashing yellow “School Zone Sign” and past the public servant that was so diligently crossing the school children across the street in safety, so quickly, passing me as though I were sitting still while I moved at a snail’s pace through the zone.  I on the other hand, thought the sign read “20 miles per hour.”  Hmmm, that was odd.  Yet another conundrum.  Perhaps it was me that was mistaken, for it did not appear to have the same meaning for them as it did for me.    Oh, and there were lots of conversations going on and people looking down at their cell phones.  Amazing!  Because I have never mastered the art of driving while looking down at my phone.  And the motorist who zoomed past me in a 35 MPH zone, probably should have left just a bit earlier.  Then they would not have had to speed to get to work.  It certainly makes sense to me.  And the people on the street as I walked from the parking lot to the BOE?  Faces that looked like they were made of stone.  I said Good Morning to a few, with no discernible response in return.  I wanted to yell and tell them that “Hey, It’s ok to smile, to say hi, good morning or even nod your head in acknowledgement of another individual.  Life cannot be that miserable or depressing that you can’t muster up a common courtesy.  As one of my co-workers so eloquently put it, “Good morning is free, and a smile does not cost you anything.”

I’ve learned a lot these past few weeks.  And from what I’ve learned I do know this; that while this scurrying back and forth everyday in our quest to achieve the American dream may indeed be a necessary evil, so to speak, it cannot, nor can we allow it to take the place of our very lives.  Our humanity.  We must continue to live, and love, and laugh, and to be happy, and to just enjoy our “God Given Lives.”  We are all awesome and incredible individuals, with some beautiful smiles that can quite literally light up a room, who have all been given the opportunity to breathe the breath of life one more day.  And we all deserve respect for who we are.   And we must understand that a little common courtesy goes a very long way.  So, we may not be able to come to a complete stop in our incessant quest for greatness, or cease from catering to our unremitting responsibilities, but we can surely allow just a little kindness for our fellow-man to come forth from our ever stone facades.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and so is the next person, and we must remember that.  And I believe that if for just a moment, just one moment, we slow down, even stop, and just breathe in the very essence of what life is, God’s life, then we would suddenly remember that we are here for only a moment, an important moment, and that we must learn to value one another, to respect one another, to enjoy life and one another.  And then, we will stop and smell the roses, while we still have time.

“FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN”

It’s good to be back everyone.  My computer was down for a little while with a virus, but I had some awesome technicians at a little computer shop on Lakeshore Blvd. called “Y Pay More” that got it right back in order for me quickly.  Thanks Eric and William.  You know I love to shout out to people who do others right, offer a good product or service and don’t try to take advantage of them.  Now, here is what I would like to talk about today. 

Recently over that last few years I’ve noticed that we have been experiencing an increased rash of violence in our schools with  our students, and on our streets with our young people in general.  Students can’t even go to regular education schools anymore because of the threats of physical violence that they are experiencing on a daily basis.  For example, a young woman that my daughter knows was just pulled out of mainstream regular education this week by her parents because on the very first day of school her life and the life of her unborn child was threatened by someone she didn’t even know.  A few years ago, my daughter herself was on her way home from school, having missed her connection with her brother who she normally rode with, and right in the RTA Rapid station at tower City, where we are supposed to have increased security and cameras, she got cornered by 3 students, 2 girls a 1 boy that she was not even acquainted with, but who knew someone else that she knew, and who went to the same school that she was attending at the time.  The boy held her arms behind her back while the girls proceeded to punch and beat on her.  They then knocked her down, kicked and stomped her to the ground, then left her there, walking away as if they had accomplished some noteworthy and extraordinary feat by beating up a little tiny girl who was all of 4’11” inches tall, (Not even 5′ tall) and weighed slightly over 105 pounds on a rainy day, and was alone.  Wow!!! THAT took great courage to go up against HER!  (The writer says facetiously).   That is the way of cowards.  After we took her to emergency we discovered, thank God , that she had no broken bones or permanent injuries, just a lot of bruising.  But we did make a police report.  Now here recently, my son went to school last Monday just like everyone else in the City of Cleveland did.  But after school while all the students were trying to get on the RTA buses, cars came driving up and students from a rival school jumped out and begin to jump the students from my son’s school.  My son got broadsided, (Punched) in the side of his head for no apparent reason, other than the fact that he was not from the same school as these trespassers.  Yes, Cleveland Police and the Gang Unit showed up and pursued after the intruders, but that does not negate the fact that these young people were not only threatened with physical bodily harm, but were assaulted as well while simply trying to get home from a long day at school.  Something that in all practicality should be easy enough to do, but seems to be becoming an increasingly difficult task. 

The safety net of being on your own school property no longer exist.   What are our children to do?  My son, while he fought the intruders back, was out numbered 4 to 1.   But he stood his ground, not allowing the perpetrators to know whether he was afraid or not.  He only ran for safety when his own schools security came running out.  So shy did he run when he saw his own schools security and not feel just a little bit protected, comforted and safe you may ask?  Because of the school policy that says, WHENEVER a student is caught fighting, whether they initiated the fight or just merely defended themselves, they too will be suspended.  Now I don’t know if this is a written policy or if it is just implied, but I have seen it happen myself several times in the past, and my son did not want to get suspended in the first week of school, so he ran.   Now that to me is a bit odd, because it stands to reason that if I’m being harassed, and I defend myself against the harasser that I should not be punished as the harasser is.  Shouldn’t our children feel safe in our schools?  Shouldn’t they know that they will be protected and not punished for protecting themselves?  Shouldn’t we be doing more to increase the safety in and around our schools.  And shouldn’t our security extend just a little further than the outside of the school?  Is this what we’ve come to, a completely online education society because there is no safety in the schools?  If you ask me, I think it’s time for us as parents, to being to press and pursue criminal charges against ANY STUDENT who threatens the safety and well-being of our children, no matter what school or area they come from.  That’s what I think.

Now, tell me what you think,      

 

Family Reunions

I recently went to my family reunion in Charlotte, NC.  My cousin’s Forrest and Simone did such a phenomenal job that it just didn’t make any kind of sense.  (That’s an oxymoron in case you were wondering).  These folks spread out the red carpet for us and showed us such love and hospitality, that some of us didn’t even want to leave and come back home.  They worked non-stop and tirelessly to ensure that we had a good time, and plenty, I mean plenty to eat.  And then sent us off on our merry way with yet even more to eat.  Well done Forrest and Simone and NC crew.  We really appreciate and love you.

We had family come from everywhere; from Ohio, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and many more places.  (Forgive me if I missed your city).  Many we did not know, and had never even met, but when we saw them, we embraced them and claimed them as family.  We even made our bus driver feel like family.  Shout out to you Virgil.  There were not any isms, or schisms.  No hidden agendas.  No friction.  And most of all, NO DRAMA!  Young people bonded and made new connections, and new friends.  We were united, if but for those few short days.  We talked, laughed, ate, shared our opinions, our past present and future hopes and dreams; and we passed the torch from one generation to the next, assuring that the legacy of the Banks-Fields family would continue, and that the next generation would grab ahold of it, embrace the challenges of it and continue the traditions that were put in place by the matriarchs of this great family some 50 years ago.

But everyone does not have the kind of family that we do.  A close-knit family that will pull in and adopt ANYONE AND EVERYONE that wants to be a part.  A family that will love you, despite all of your flaws, defects, imperfections and faults.  A family that will back you, and stand up for you.  Is it a perfect family?  By no means, but it is a family that flows with the unbiased, impartial, unadulterated, unpretentious, true, love of God.  And THAT, you cannot buy, batter, beg, steal or negotiate for.  And in a world that is so troubled, and filled with so much sorrow, pain, dispassion and hate, THAT means all the world to me.  Long live, the Banks-Fields Family and everyone in between.

Now, tell us what YOU think,

“Inspired by God”

Inspiration. The act of inspiring; the quality or state of being inspired or influenced.  There are many things that inspire us.  A marriage; the birth of a baby; a new boyfriend; a new job or house; or something as simple as a good book.  Many things inspire us, but sometimes because  of the tough things we must invariably go through in life, the death of a loved one.  The loss of a job or career.  The break-up of a failed marriage or relationship.  The discovery of something catastrophic in our lives, such as illness or disease.  A situation that is so far beyond your control that there is nothing you can do but just sit, and wait, and trust and pray;  inspiration can seem to be really hard to find.  Many things that afore time may have inspired us, just doesn’t seem to do it anymore.  Even though the sky is still blue.  The leaves on the trees are still green.  The birds are still singing sweetly in their branches.  The buzz buzz and the scurry of little insects and animals are still going on; but you feel somehow, detached.   Alone.   You go through those dark and lonely places that we talked about a few month’s ago.  A place where it seems like you can’t find your way back from.  Yet, you take everyday, a day at a time, reaching.  Where is the connection?  Where is the help? That place of solace?  Who will hold your hand and walk you through the valley of the shadow of death?

Jesus walked this lonesome valley all by Himself.  Nobody was able to do it for Him.  Why then, do we feel that we are any different or any  better than He?  But it still doesn’t make it feel any better.  Oh, life is so wonderful when things are good.  When you are on top of the world.  You’ve got a little money in your pocket.  Relationships are working.  You’re experiencing a little bit of righteous living, and the prospects are looking good.  But have we forgotten in our moments of splendor to pray.  To seek the Lord.  To acknowledge our Father who art in heaven.  Who’s name alone is Holy and Reverent?  Is that why we have to revisit the dark and lonely places, so that we will remember?  Perhaps.  But sometimes perhaps not.  We serve a God that is good, loving, kind, faithful, just, wonderful, Holy, righteous, reverend, omnipotent, omniscient, Omnipresent, and all that and more.  He is not spiteful or vindictive or petty, and doesn’t punish you for having good things.  He GAVE you the good things.  As a matter of fact, He is so good, that He is down right, “The Bomb.” Yes, He may get a little jealous at times and have to remind us who we belong to, but what parent wouldn’t be.  Imagine if YOUR children professed their undying love to another mother or father right in front of you.  Or treated someone else like they were more important than you.  Or even talked to and called another man and woman, mom and dad.  Oh, I would be royally ticked.  Let me give you an example.  My oldest son was home for a few days from the service.  And my nephew who had initially came to see him stayed in the kitchen for the majority of the time talking to me because we do some business together.  But to both of our surprise and humor, my son stopped what he was doing in the other room, came into the kitchen, stood right in his cousins face, nose to nose and loudly proclaimed, “This is MY mother, and you don’t sit and talk to MY mother, cause we don’t share our mother.”  Well, we both laughed my nephew and I,  and my son may have been joking with his cousin, but my nephew took him seriously and followed him back into the other room, because I knew, that he was joking, but he wasn’t.  God does the same thing.  He proclaims to the enemy that, “This is MY child, my son/daughter, you will NOT harass them and say crazy things to  discourage them, cause I DO NOT SHARE MY CHILDREN!”  So, if this young man is unwilling to share his mom or dad with another person, why do we think that God should be so passive and share our love and devotion of His children with other gods, the things, that we have allowed to be Lord over him.   You have to figure out yourself what idol you have put in the place of the love and devotion that He deserves.   So, when I begin to sit and think about how awesome and incredible God is, and what He has ALREADY done for me in my life, EVERYTHING just seems to fall right back into place.  And the things that seemed to be weighing me down. those  little dark and lonely places just seem to dissolve and disappear.  INSPIRATION?  That is something that I should find everyday just from waking up in the morning.  For my feet hitting the ground, and for me being in my right mind.  And knowing that HE IS LORD OF MY LIFE.  God didn’t say that we would not have problems and burdens, He just said that He would make them easier to bear.  He did not say that we would not cry, but He did say that He would wipe the tears from our eyes.  And He did not say that weapons would NOT be formed against us, but He did say that they would not prosper.  You have got to learn to put what God is to UOU after YOUR name.  Deliverer.  Healer.  Provider.  Doctor.  Lawyer.  Friend.  Savior.  INSPIRATION?  GOD, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, IS MY INSPIRATION!  And that’s enough for me.

Now, let us know what YOU think,

“WE ARE FAMILY, INDEED!”

I was on the Westside of Cleveland recently, and I found myself taking a long interesting look around me as I drove, got gas and got lost.  But I found myself fascinated by the realization of what I was seeing.  And what was I seeing that had so intrigued me, you may ask?  People.  People you say?  Yes, people.  I watched, and fellowshiped with and talked to people of different colors, different ethnic backgrounds, different denominations, different shapes, weights and sizes, after I finally found out where I was going that is.  They come together in the spirit of one common cause, and that cause was to bless and dedicate an awesome and wonderful spirit lead faith filled house of Worship that is known by the name of “Lift Him Up Ministries at 4004 Cypress Avenue.”   If you’ve never been there, you’ve got to visit.  But, this house of Worship was dedicated to God and to the community.  I enjoyed being there in the midst of the fellowship of people who I know I can most assuredly call “My Brethren.”  It didn’t matter what side of town they had come from, or what they looked like, we were there and we were all brethren.  But in realizing that, also made me wonder something else, and here is where my musing took me; We ALL have derived from the same father and mother, Adam and Eve.  So not just in a sense, but in all actuality, we are truly related.  We are family.  Familia’.  We have the same start-up parents, so to speak. And that got me wondering some more; what if we ALL knew each other?  Not just as strangers in passing on the street, or you come from east and I come from west and never the twain shall meet, but actually knew each other.  It’s Like, “I have brothers and sisters, not just on the west side of Cleveland, but on the West Coast of the United States and of the world.”  What if we greeted one another, not like strangers, but instead like, real true brothers and sisters.  Like, “Hey brother, hey sister, how are you?  Good to see you again.”

My thoughts and my imagination were going rampant as I really got excited about the prospects.  And my way-ward thoughts reminded me of the time that I was in Wal-Mart shortly after Christmas for the after Christmas sale.  Oh, you know what I’m talking about.  Don’t act like you don’t go to those sales that are everywhere,  trying to grab up some picked over, left over bargains that you will probably mis-place before the next Holiday season comes around or that won’t even work when you really need them, for reasons unknown, and you end up buying all new decorations again the next season.  But that’s another story.  Anyway, as I was going through the leftovers, someone started talking to me about the ornaments.   And as this person engaged me in conversation, we both found a lot of things.  I found out that this person and I had so much in common  that we could have actually been sisters, or some sort of blood relation.  We picked the same things for our carts.  And found out that we did the same arts and crafts.  We were both avid readers.  We even both liked old movies.  We were both married, and we both had 6 children.  Freaky Huh?  Yeah, we stood there laughing and talking for quite some time, like old friends, until my husband and children came in search for me.  But the interesting thing is, we were not of the same ethnicity.  Not only that, she bore a striking resemblance to one of my cousins, only with reddish blond hair.   After that strange encounter, I begin to see people everywhere of different races that looked exactly like someone else I knew.  It led me to believe infatically,  that we are truly related to each other, whether we like it or not.

So, here is the question.  Could it be, that if we begin to realize that we are indeed family, and we begin to treat one another like family?  you know, the good side of the family that you really like, and enjoy spending time with.  And what if we would begin to treat one another more decently, and with the dignity and respect that another human being deserves?  And perhaps we would begin to treat those precious lives that God created more carefully, knowing that, this is my brother, this is my sister.  We are family, and I would not harm or misuse my family in any sort of way.   Would I?  Because family loves one another.  Family takes care of one another.  Family is there for you.  Right? So maybe, just maybe, we can really be family when we realize who we are?  Wouldn’t that be an awesome thing?

Now, tell us what YOU think.

AND JUSTICE FOR ALL! “WHAT SHOULD THE PUNISHMENT BE?”

One evening as I was recently watching the Twilight Zone, you know, the series that originally aired from 1959-1964 with host rod Rod Serling, but was more recently aired with newer episodes.  The series focused on ordinary people who suddenly found themselves in extraordinary, usually supernatural, life changing situations.  It is to this day one of my favorite shows, and me being a syfy and treky nut, well, it got added to the list.  Anyway, in this particular 2002 episode, “The Pool Guy” actor Lou Diamond Phillips plays an underpayed lower class pool man who gets hit on by his rich bosses lusty wife.  The boss sees her making these advances toward him, gets angry and ultimately shots him right in the chest on the spot.  But when he gets shot he suddenly wakes up gasping, only to realize that it was a dream.  Or was it?  Because the exact same thing happens again, and again, night after night, as if  he were in a dream within a dream.  And each time he gets shot he wakes up with an actual wound on his body from the shot that occurred in the dream.  He begins to think he is going crazy and tries to get help from his room-mate, his friend, his doctor who refers him to a psychiatrist, who turns out to be the same guy that shot him each time he repeated the dream only each time the guy had on different clothing.  There was no help and there was no relief to be found for him anywhere.  He wakes up the last time only to find himself in a research lab, laid out on a bed with probes attached to his head and body.  But he is in a manually force induced comatose state initiated by the judicial system and officials of the prison that he has been incarcerated in for several years, for murdering his rich boss, whom he shot.

His punishment for his crime was not to be put on death row for years and years sucking the system dry of its resources.  Nor was he to be incarcerated for the rest of his life, living a life of 3 meals a day; weight lifting privileges; television; computer access; the ability to go to school while in prison and to complete his high school education and receive a diploma; and having the opportunity to continue his education and earn his bachelor’s or masters degrees, all while being supported by the taxes of the very citizens and the society he has violated.  His punishment was worse.  His punishment was to re-live the crime that he had committed, only it being done instead to him instead, over and over and over, in a torturous induced dream state.  No guards were necessary for this prison because he nor any of the other inmates of that prison system, (and there were many), had any way of coming  out of the state of their comatose dream unassisted.  And everyday, he had to re-live his crime in his own mind.  He was forever locked, in an ever existing virtual psychological prison.  Never to be freed from his own crime in his own mind.

Now, I know that this was science fiction, and it sounds really crazy, and that it may never become a reality.  But if this were a perfect world that tolerated no degree of foolishness; like a 6 month old baby being raped and killed.  Or young girls and boys being snatched off of the street in their own neighborhoods.   Some being held captive for years, being raped and tortured?  Or people going off in rampages and deciding to shoot up movie theaters or schools, or shopping malls.  Or even setting off bombs, killing and maiming innocent people.  People who had not idea what your cause was and why you were so angry.  Or people who kill blatantly and blame it on insanity or even worse, self-defense.  As a matter of fact, in a perfect world, the punishment should fit the crime.  So perhaps we should begin to look futuristic and begin to make some drastic and unconventional changes in our judicial system.  Because to me, it seems  like we live in a world gone mad, with no silver lining in sight.  More and more prisons are being built, yet they are still filled to capacity even before they are completed.  And more and more crimes are being committed, with what seems like just a slap on the wrist as punishment.  And more and more, people are seeming to be going all kinds of crazy.  So maybe it’s time to stop being so humanistic.  And maybe it’s time to stop being so thoughtful and nice and kind and caring to these people and their civil rights; rights they have so callously taken away from their victims, and start taking the crazy back to the crazies.  I believe that the fear of a more stern and rigid, and yes even harsher punishment will stop a lot of the crazy that is going on in this society.  I may be wrong, but THAT, is what I believe.

Now, tell us what YOU think,

“IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE”

Oh how fast things change in our lives.  And they change on a daily basis.  In fact, in a moment.  A split second.  Or in the blink of an eye.   We sit and plan our lives out, by the hour, by the day, by the month and year.  We even make plans for years in advance.  We plan for everything.  Weddings, parties, careers, our retirement.  We even plan own funerals.  And that’s ok, because someone once said, that when we fail to pan, then we plan to fail.  And although that may be truth, when we do plan, we must learn to plan with purpose, and with the knowledge that,   ALL PLANS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.  And that they can change in the blink of a eye.   Because guess what?  Everyday brings a change.  Sometimes for the good, sometimes for the bad, but one thing is certain, and that is this; EVERYTHING MUST CHANGE, and we are in control of NOTHING.  All we can do is plan, and hope and dream.  And THAT means that we MUST make our plans with our creator first and foremost in the front of them. Try as we might to make things turn out just the way we want them to, it doesn’t always happen that way.  We hope, and we pray, and we try, but must Inevitably come to the realization that God controls EVERYTHING.   I have seen people go from rags to riches or vis versa seemingly over night.  Children seem to grow inches everyday.  We turn our heads or blink our eyes and they have transformed.  Our babes change from babes in need of our constant care, to young men and young women, ready to spread their wings and fly.  Ready to meet the challenges and yes the obstacles undoubtedly come. but will enable them to become the great men and women that they are destined to become.  Before we know it, we may have gained or lost a home, a job, or things that we deem important to our very existence.  And  of course, our lives change dramatically when someone we love becomes the fragrant aroma in the nostrils of our Lord, and is silently, but abruptly taken from us in death.   And in the blink of an eye we are left to feel the loneliness, the emptiness and the pain of loss of one so precious and dear to us.

Yes, everything MUST change.  I, for one, don’t particularly care for change.  Sometimes it hurt.  Sometimes it makes me feel uncomfortable, and sometimes disoriented.  But can feel when change  is coming even before it gets here.  But dear heart, it is inevitable that everything in this life can and will change.  It is in the words of the great singer/musician George Benson who said it best in his song, “Everything Must Change” that I voice this same simile.  “Everything must change, nothing stays the same.  Every thing must change, nothing stays the same.  The young become the old.   Mysteries do unfold.  But that’s the way of time, nothing and no one goes unchanged.  There are not many things in life you can be sure of; but that rain falls from the clouds and sun lights up the sky, and hummingbirds do fly.”  But, there are still a few things other than that, that will never change and that you can be sure of; and that one thing is, that God is the same, yesterday, today and forever.  And that the word of God is true and sure.  And that heaven and earth SHALL surely pass away, but God’s word will stand forever.  Now, THAT will NEVER change.

Now, tell us what you think,

“SUFFERING IN SILENCE”

Recently I spoke to a young woman who thought that she was going through quite a lot of devastating things in her life.  I allowed her to share and vent to me all the things that she felt were going wrong, and she expressed to me how she felt that people as a whole are basically phony, fake and judgemental, and that nobody else truly understood what she was going through and as a matter of fact, no one actually really cared.  And she felt that the reason nobody else understood or cared what she was going through was because nobody else was going through or had gone through the problems that she was going through.  I could not condemn her for her young tender age, and say “Oh, you’re just a baby.  You couldn’t possibly being going through all THAT much. ”  Her problems were real to her.  She felt like  she was alone.  Like no one knew or understood what was going on inside of her head.  Like she was in fact, suffering alone.  So, because she felt like she was alone, she chose to keep silent, internalizing her feelings instead of sharing her them.  The only problem with that is, eventually, in some way shape or form, you WILL vent, and all of those feelings are going to come tumbling out all at one time, because the anger has built up, because you feel like no one is listening to you anyway.    Like your opinion does not really count.   And you will not be able to handle the monsoon that comes forth out of you.  And it is at that moment that you may lose control. Then in your choosing to keep silent, when you bottle up those feelings and emotions and have hidden them deep inside of you, you eventually explode.   And more than you gets hurt in the wake of the rage that follows.  Things happen, things that will affect her for the rest of her life.  Feelings get hurt or damaging things get said that cannot be taken back, or cleaned away, but that are put out there in the atmosphere, and will last forever.  Oh, many times we are sorry after the explosion.  We can smooth it over.  But many times it’s too little, too late.

Perhaps if she had tried to talk to someone, if she had asked someone.  Just cried out in a wee small voice though exhausted from the battle, from the struggle, “HELP,” “HEAR ME,” “PLEASE LISTEN,” Someone would have listened.  Someone would have heard.  And she would have known that she IS NOT alone in this fight.  That she struggles not by herself.  That we do understand and have been through pretty much of the same.  We all have gone through our battles and have the scars and wounds to prove it.  So we can relate to what a wee small child of 16 years old, who is just in the beginning of her precious life, but maybe going through.  And if we can’t relate, we can still listen, and hug, and embrace, because we do care.  And we can let her know, there IS help in the struggle.  Woman-Child, Man-Child, You are not alone.  Understand this, That  which is, was.  And that which was, will be again.   So lift up your head dear one, for you are not alone.

Now, tell us what you think,

“G.I.G.O.” “IS THAT YOUR GARBAGE?”

Every week for about six months when the garbage collector’s would come in my neighborhood to pick up the garbage, he would stop the truck right in front of my house, and you know how they reve the engine to compact and push down the garbage they have collected and to make room for the new garbage that they need to put in before they have to go back to the dump and make one big drop? Well, that is what he would do.   So as they reve the engine to do the compacting, a liquid substance that I fondly like to refer to as “GARBAGE JUICE” would come running out of the bottom of the bottom of the truck, and consequently onto the ground, and right in front of my house.  And in the summer time it becomes absolutely unbearable.  So here I went, out to the front of the house with a cup of washing powder, the gallon of bleach, my outdoor broom, and the water hose.  And I commenced to scrubbing the street in front of my house to help regain some sense of the aromatic bouquet of the roses growing in abundance in my front yard.  Every week I had to go through the same thing, repeat this same process.  Garbage man came, and I went out or sent my son out to scrub up the “GARBAGE JUICE.”  Well, one day I ‘d had just about enough.  So, this particular morning, there I stood on the front porch and waited until I heard the garbage truck coming.  When I saw him coming down the street, I marched myself right out there and said, “Hey, excuse me!  But every week you come down the street and stop right in front of my house and you reve that truck, and squeeze “GARBAGE JUICE” right in front on  my house, and it smells absolutely horrible.  And I do not appreciate it.  Can you please NOT do that again?”  They compliantly and apologetically agreed that they would not squeeze “GARBAGE JUICE” in front of my house again and rolled on up the street.  Wow!  I was ecstatic.  I had gotten something accomplished.  I had really gotten through to him.  The next week came and once again, I stood on the porch when I heard him coming down the block, and up the street.  True to his word, when he got to my house he did not squeeze the “GARBAGE JUICE” in front of my house, just as he had promised.  He even nodded his head to me as he passed my house.  I was very happy, and smiling I turned to go back into the house.  That is, until I heard the truck stop at my next door neighbors house that lives on the right of me, and I heard the truck engine reve, and I saw the “GARBAGE JUICE” come running out of the bottom of the truck, right in front of HER house.  And I watched in horror, as it began to roll back down the hill, right-in front-of-my-house.  Oh, did tell you, I live on a slopping hill?  Hmmm.  So, there I went, back down the driveway, with my washing powder, my bleach, my outdoor broom, and the water hose, because I got my neighbors “GARBAGE JUICE.”

G.I.G.O. is an acronym used in computer language that means, Garbage In, Garbage Out.  In other words, the computer can only give out what you put into it.  If you put in garbage, you are going to get garbage back from it.  How many times have YOU accepted or received something, “GARBAGE JUICE” that was not actually your own.  How many times have we allowed people to put or transfer their garbage into you.  We tend to allow people to conveniently dump their woes, their problems, their situations and their circumstances on and their baggage on us, and many times, we just accept it as our own.  We can’t even draw the line of distinction anymore, because we can’t remember that it’s not our garbage.  We become a human garbage can.  It may not even be a whole bag of garbage.  It may just be a little trickle of stuff, “GARBAGE JUICE,” that you allow to run down your way, in front of your houses, into your bodies that God calls your temples.  And if you ignore it, if you cover it up with something like,e maybe the smell of a rose-bush, then maybe, just maybe you can forget that it’s there, and the smell will eventually go away.  It won’t.  For as the sun (The Son) continues to allow the heat to bear down on it, (whatever the situation) the smell just gets worse, and worse.  It’s time to get out the bleach, the washing powder, the outside broom, and the water hose, and wash their “GARBAGE JUICE”  off of you.

Now, tell us what you think,

“HERE WE GO AGAIN!”

Ok, I’m back here again, because there is something that I just don’t understand, and it is disturbing me greatly.  Try as I might, and believe me, I have tried so very very hard to understand it.  Oh, I must be rambling a little.  But here’s why.  I like to enhance and raise my level of thinking because I’m a firm believer that who or what you surround yourself with, and what you read or take in on a regular basis, will become the foundation for your success.  So, I was recently reading the Forbes Magazine Special Issue, which is entitled, “BILLIONAIRES-THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE RICHEST PEOPLE ON EARTH.”  This issue contains 1,426 billionaires, 210 NEW billionaires, 138 WOMEN billionaires, and the THRILLIONAIRE.  Their net worth totalling more than 5.4 TRILLION dollars.  And that was only 1500 of them.  Not even the millionaires were counted in this issue.  WOW!  Hey, it’s cool for people to have that kind of money, and nobodies angry or even jealous, more power to you, but somebody please explain to me these questions, “Why do we still have poverty?”  “Why are there still children starving right here in this great United States of America, the richest country in the world?”  “Why are there still people homeless, some still being misplaced from the natural disasters that put them in the situations that they find themselves in?”  “And why is that ok?”  Why?  For many, it’s not by their own choice that they find themselves in the streets begging bread.  Some know no other life, but some were forced into that life.

My friend went to McDonald’s yesterday night because she is a true friend, and I wanted a chocolate chip frape.  So she said, “I’ll go get it.”  She came back extremely upset, and when I asked her what was wrong, she told me that a little boy, no more than 7 years old was at McDonald’s, out in the dark, by himself, with no coat on, ragged thin summer clothes, in the 32 degree weather, begging for food and money.  She asked him was he hungry, but when she got out of her car to go into the McDonald’s to try to get the little one some food, he got frightened and ran off, because she was in a police security car.  When she told me, I also  got upset, because if anyone knows anything about me, I am an advocate for children.  When I was younger even a teen, I used to sit and watch the shows on television of the children in Africa and other third world countries, and I would not just cry, but I would weep for those little ones, and wish that I could just wrap them in my arms and  tell them everything would be ok, then send the money to fill their little tummies, and help make their lives better.  I have literally hundreds of children and young people, some adults now, that call me mom, momma or mommy that my  husband and myself have nurtured back to health.  Most times spiritual health in realizing who they are, and what their prophetic destiny is.  Some are teachers;  some are on their way to becoming lawyers, engineers, and world renowned Olympic track and field runners.  And I gladly embrace them all as my own.  We don’t have a great deal of money, but what we have, we have freely given, and have come out of our own resources to help these young people in whatever way we can.  We’ve sent money cross country, put money in bank accounts, bought things that they needed.  But not only that, we have sent money abroad to help the helpless in the third world countries as well, and will be proudly doing it again, as much as we can.  So when you tell me that a child is hurting, I get very very angry, and I want to know why, because they are our heritage.  Without them, we will wither away like the chaff that the wind drives away, and we will become no more.

So, somebody please explain to me again, what is the great significance of showing off all of the millions, billions and trillions that have been amassed by different individuals, when we are losing our heritage and are slowing dying away.  You say, “Oh, we will always have the poor with us.”  But I would pour out the precious little that I have for that not to be the case.  Not on my watch.  And not the children.  And I pray God make us rich, because we are going to show the world how it’s really done.

Now, tell us what you think,

“Are You Really Sorry, Or Not”

When was the last time you said “I’m Sorry,” and when you said it, did you really mean it?  Many times, people don’t take the time to say “I’m Sorry” in any way, form or fashion, and when they do say it they say it grudgingly, ungenuinly or sarcastically.  They don’t really and truly mean it when they say it, because the problem is, that they don’t really think that what they did was wrong, or they are really in the wrong for what it is that they are pretentiously, insincerely, and apethically apologizing for.

That is the same spirit that Cain had in the bible when he killed his brother Abel.  The very first murder that occured, because although he was taught proper, which meant that he understood perfectly what the proper sacrifice was, and how to make it, which meant it was not his first time making it, but he chose to do something different.  He chose to do his own thing.  So, first he was asked by God, “Where is your brother?”  And he sarcastically replied in so many words, “I don’t know, am I my brothers keeper?”  In other words, why are you asking me?  It’s not my job to look after him.  (when in fact, it is.  But that’s a whole nother story).  I believe, that if he had been up right with God, and had come genuinely and truly apologtic and sorry instead of trying to cover his sins, faults and short comings, with excuses and sarchasm no less, that perhaps God would have been a little more linient with him.  We have many many people with that exact same spirit today.  “The Cain Spirit.”  They would rather lie, make excuses and cover up with sarchasm, playing the blame game, instead of accepting the responsibility of their actions.  Have you ever had anyone do that to you?  Apologize to you, tut with a hint of sarchasm? Make excuses why they did what they did?  And shift the blame to someone or something else to get the focus and attention off of them?  I have.  So, the question this week is, was it a genuine apology?  Do you think They were really sorry?  How did the aledged aplogy make you feel?  And was your relationship the same after the counterfeit apology?

We want to hear what YOU have to say.

“Love, Is A Many Splendored Thing?”

It’s the April rose
That only grows in the early spring
Love is nature’s way of giving
A reason to be living
The golden crown that makes a man a king

Once on a high and windy hill
In the morning mist
Two lovers kissed
And the world stood still

Then your fingers touched

My silent heart and taught it how to sing
Yes, true love’s
A many splendored thing

These are the famous words written by Paul Frances Webster as they depict the song and movie that was released in 1955 and featuring William Holden and Jennifer Jones, “Love Is A Many Splendored Thing,”  a wonderful movie.  They were used to describe,  the actual feeling of love.  Well, there are many other words that are also used to describe this word, love.  Words like adulation, affection, amorousness, amor, ardor, attachment, crush, delight, devoutness, devotion, emotion, fidelity, fervor, flame, fondness, friendship, infatuation, like, passion, piety, rapture, yearning, lust and of course, worship.  And still there are many, many others.

But what is love really, besides an emotion of a strong affection and personal attachment, and a virtue representing all human kindness, compassion and affection?  Is there such a thing as “True Love” or even “Love at First Site? ”  And, what happens when you love someone, but don’t like them?  Or, you just, like them, but can’t find it within yourself to love them, but they want more?  Or even worse, you love someone, and they won’t love you back?  That one is called “unrequited love.”    But are these words true?  Is it really that easy to love someone?  Is it really the reason to live?  Why do people fall out of love?  And why do people feel like abuse is a part of love?  And what is the difference between love, and lust.  And if it is a commandment, then how can we love the unlovable?

All these questions have been asked of me.  And since this is Valentine’s Day weekend swiftly we thought we’d take a few moments to hear from you.  We want your love stories.  And your solutions or answers to these questions.

Now, you tell us.  What do YOU think love is?

“Everyday Heroes”

Well, this is my first official post at this new site, and hopefully you will think it is as awesome as I do.

We see on television, a commercial where a woman get’s on the bus, but forgets her purse there on the bus bench.  A young man that was sitting next to her but NOT waiting on the bus but was just chilling and listening to his music on his headphones, sees her purse, picks it up and begins to run through different back ways and cuts, at first it looks like to steal the purse, but it is so he can get her purse back to her.  After running some distance, he catches up with her on the other side and gives her back her purse.  Surprised and shocked, she says thank you.  The police also sees the whole encounter and after following the young man to see what his intentions are, calls him over to the police car and commends him for doing a good deed.  Well, sometimes we are not so very fortunate as to have someone willing to assist us that way.  Unfortunately we live in a cynical world gone made where everyone seems to be looking out for number one.  Numero uno.  No one is willing to but themselves in harms way.  No one wants to step outside of themselves and come out of their comfort zones to help their fellow-man.  Everyone is afraid to step up and take up for another person in need.

Well, there is one young man who recently decided to stop being afraid and help someone else.  My 17 year old middle son was walking home from school one day last week when he observed a man tussling with a woman who was sitting in the bus stop, and the man was trying snatch the woman’s purse from her.  No one else would step up to assist this woman.  My son, after assessing the situation sized the man up and doing a quick scan to see if he had a weapon, stepped in and intervened in the situation.  He walked up and firmly asked the woman if she needed any help, and turned and asked the man what his problem was.  When the man realized that he was drawing attention by the questions, asked my son what he had to do with anything?  My son told the man to leave the lady alone or he would call the authorities on him.  When he realized that my son was willing and able to back up his words, and that the scene he was creating was causing other people to take notice who also became animated and suddenly also wanted to help,  he angrily stomped off, leaving the woman alone.  My son made sure that she was ok then proceeded to make his way home and we immediately contacted the proper authorities and told them about the situation.  My husband told him that next time make sure he was very careful when intervening.  Because that could have gone a totally different way, but the Lord was with him.  I believe God saw his heart and his desire to help this woman in her distress and aided him.  He also saw that even with all the other adults that were around, no one was courageous enough to stand up and help.  But one young man was.  That day, he was a hero.

Now here comes the big question.  We want to know,

What would YOU have done?

“Angels Among Us”

Are there really angels among us?  I believe that there are.  I have looked up and seen strange and different faces staring at me in wonder, or in knowing.  Faces that to me, seem to be completely out of place in any circumstance, or situation that I may find myself in.  Many times, I have felt the presence of someone accompanying me or guiding me or even protecting me.  My car miraculously moving from danger by some unseen force.  As a matter of fact, let me share with you, a story of that divine protection, then you judge for yourself.

About a year ago, I was on my way to church services on a Tuesday night.  It was raining just a little, but not that much.  I had all of my children plus one of the neighbor boys who just wanted to hang out with us that night.  We were coming around MLK Jr. Drive headed towards the freeway.  Suddenly, as we were coming up to the last St. Clair exit that comes down to MLK, a car came careening down the exit heading directly for us.  It was raining so he was hydorplaning and could not stop.  Now, I’m a pretty good driver and can avoid most incidents, but this was different.  If I had sped up I would have collided with him that much more quickly.  If I had slammed on my brakes it would only have delayed the inevitable, because he was coming at us fast.  I could not swerve to the right to try to avoid him, because there was a large pole and the creek ditch directly beside me, and HE was the only other alternative that was headed my way on the left.  I did not panic, but I must be truly honest with you, I was frightened.  And the thing is was that EVERYBODY in the car saw what was coming.  Just before he hit us I yelled out the name “JESUS!”  In that instant, my truck swerved to the right hard, all the kids screamed, and he missed my truck by precisely 1 centimeter, and I have no idea HOW he missed me.  And my car came to a stop on the other side of the pole.   “By all rights that car should have slammed directly into us, head on, but he did not.  And he just kept going, as if nothing had ever happened.

When I finally got my breath back and was shakily trying to calm the children down, asking everybody if they were ok, my daughter who was only 15 said, “Mom, did you see what happened?”  I said yes baby, we missed the pole didn’t we? Thank you Jesus.  She said, “No mom.  The pole is behind us.”  I again said I know the pole is behind us.  But she was very insistent.  She said again more loudly this time, “No mom, you don’t understand.  THE POLE IS BEHIND US, BECAUSE IT WENT STRAIGHT THROUGH ME!  I felt it pass straight through me!”  She was sitting directly in the middle of the truck.  As I looked behind us and saw the pole that we should have hit sitting directly behind us I realized what she was trying to say, and I was completely in shock.  God had allowed the pole to pass through my truck, through my daughter, and put it directly behind us.  Tears came to my eyes as I lifted up my head toward heaven and began to praise the Lord for His supernatural and divine intervention.  That incident was meant by the enemy to kill us.  But God blocked it.  That pole was supposed slam right into the middle of my truck.  But He had the Angels of God there and they stopped it.  So you ask me Are Angels Real?  I say YES, without a shadow of a doubt.

Now, tell us your story of your angel encounter,

"The Season To Dream"

Well, it’s finally here.  The Holiday Season.  Christmas time.  A time of joy, laughter, food, family .  A time of giving, and yes even receiving.  A time of joy to the world, peace on earth, good will toward men.  Children waiting anxiously for the appearance of that beloved character that has become ficticious to those who have come of a mindset, and of an age when fairy tales and make believe no longer exist, if in fact they ever had in the first place.  Where “Once upon a time” is no more.  And where the imagination has grown old, cold and dim. 

Tis the season to be jolly.  Then why aren’t we?  Why have we become so posh and grown up that we have allowed our dreams, to become null and void.  Just because we dream of a white Christmas, the innocence of the days gone by, does not make our current vision blurry, or make us any less the important and significant individual that we in our quest for greatness, have become.  We’ve allowed the cares of this world; the responsibilities and duties that we have burden and weigh us down, and become so overwhelming that they have completely dulled our senses to the sweet innocense of this season.  The pureness, the delightfulness, and the beauty of this season.  Yes, this is the season that our King, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was born unto us oh so long ago in a manger.  And yes, it is a Holy season for men and women, boys and girls everywhere, but go in your mind, if you will, a little futher, beyond even that.  For it is a season of wonder.  A time of delight.  A time to really enjoy one another and to reassess everything we have accomplished in our fragile little lives, thus far.  A time to be without grudges, resentments and grievances.  A time to shake off all of the weights and burdens that life has thrown upon us.  A time to allow our dreams to call out to us again.  And if we’ve gone too far, and can’t remember how to dream, how to make pretend, then what a pitty it is for you. 

So let the children dream.  Let them wonder and believe.  Let them be alive with the innocense of youth.  There is no harm in it.  We know what the truth is.  And life will be hard enough later on.  We don’t need to rob them and deprive the of their fantacies and  their whimsical dreams.  The cares of this life will catch up with them soon enough.  So for now, let them dream.

Now, tell us what you think.

"Dark and Lonley Places"

Dark and lonely places often become a part of our lives, even when we don’t desire them to, or even welcome them.  They still come, and we try to bargain with God so we won’t have to go through them.  But we go through them non the less.  But are they a necessity in our lives.  Some say that it’s not fair for us as christians to have to go through these dark and lonley places.  These desert or waste land or wilderness places.  These barren regions.  Some say, because we are children of God, and because He is such a loving and kind God, that He should not allow us to go through those dark and lonely place.  One person even told me that it was unfair and unjust for them to have prayed so hard, asking God for something they wanted so badly, and God seemed not to hear them, thus allowing them to slip into a dark and lonely place.  They begin to wonder if God really does care about them.  They are still, in that dark and loney place.  No one likes the dark and lonely places that we have to go through.  Sometimes we trip and fall, or make mistakes when we are there, in those dark and lonely places.  So, why would God allow us to go through these desolate places?  Is it to punish us?  Or to exact some sort of revenge or vengence on us for some wrong or evil that we  have done as this person seems to have come to believe?  Is it to make an example out of us to others who are walking in disobedience, or to make some unforseen point to us?  Do we dare to think God unkind or uncaring, as that same someone said to me recently?  No, I think not.  So, why then does God seem to remove the hedge from around us, and allow bad things to happen to good people? Allow us to even have to visit, those dark and lonley places?

We want to know what you think.

"To Lead Or NOT To Lead" The Question Is, Are You A True Leader?

No one is in a place of position permanently, only for a season, so we should treasure it.  But, sometimes in our places, and places of authority, we tend to forget a few things.  Things like, who we are;  who chose us; and why we were called or placed in that position in the first place;  I promise you, that 95% of the time, we forget that we were orignally placed in that position to serve others, and not to be served.  Funny how things can get so twisted when we put ourselves and our needs above the needs of others that we have promised or sworn to serve.  Take public service for instance.  When you are elected or appointed or entrusted to a position, and you need the people to get behind you and support you in order for you to win.  You promise many things, hoping above hope to be able to accomplish all of what you have promised, but knowing in your heart that you will only be able to accomplish as much as the consensus or cooperation of your constituency will allow you to.  If there be no battle’s, no fights, no struggle’s, then maybe just maybe, you can get more pushed through than you ever dream or expect.  You ride in on a high that makes people believe that you can and will conquer the world for them.  People begin to finally know who you are; know you name.  know all about your life, public and private.  And it’s wonderful; mind boggling; breath taking. Finally, you, are the people’s champion.
Now, I’m not taking about our President, because he can only fulfill that which can be passed through an unbiased, responsive and cooperative congress.  But you can apply this to any leadership position.  Like Council persons, mayors, state senators,  congressmen or congress women, even church positions like Bishops, Pastors, Elders, Ministers, and even Worship Leaders and other positions.  Thats a different story. 

So, we become leaders.  But then time goes by.  And more time goes by.  And still more, time, goes by.  And you settle into what has become more or less, ordinary days.  Duty.  Obligation.  You become accustomed to the everyday mundane, the calls, the waves, the shout outs, the attention.  Suddenly, you stop waving back.  Oh, you didn’t see them.  You forget to return the calls, because you got just a little busy.  There are more important things on your agenda  than going back down THERE, where ever THERE just happens to be, or meeting with THEM, whoever THEM just happens to be.  Suddenly you change policy, add things to your agenda, you cut some things out that were essential before.  And it becomes painfully clear, that you have become much too important to deal with the ordinary people that just happened to be the ones that helped get you where you are now.  Funny, how things work out that way.  You no longer need the crowd.  You’ve made it and are now self sufficient, self reliant, and unfortunately, self absorbed.  Gone are the days of running from meeting meeting moving and hustling, hoping above all hope to get the votes of the people who matter most.  But guess what? You forgot that they (the ones you have been entrusted to serve) will ALWAYS be the ones that matter the most.  God did not place you in the place where you are to forget.

Do you need them now?

Let me know what you think.

"I Still Bring The Business With Me , And it Taste Like Popcorn!"

Awhile ago, I wrote about how everywhere I go I seem to be able to draw business with me.  Now I don’t normally write about businesses, but when I find something so totally amazing I can’t help but to share it, and hope that others will grab ahold of my enthusiam.  Why? Because I believe that it is time for Cleveland to become a united Cleveland.  Not Eastside and Westside, but all sides together.  WE have to rebuild Cleveland, and in so doing, it is high time for us to begin to support our local businesses.  WE are the only ones that can make this happen.  So this week I wanted to share with you a place where I have been recently that is absolutely fabulous.  And that is “CAMPBELL’S POPCORN SHOP.”  Located at 2084 W. 25 Street in Ohio City (Cleveland).  Just a few minutes walk from the Westside Market. 

Now, I’ve been hearing about this popcorn factory for almost a year, and for almost a year I have been saying, “I’ve got to go there.”  But I kept putting it off.  Why? Just pure procrastination.  Because when I finally got there, just this past Tuesday in  August 2012, I could have simply kicked myself for not having gone sooner.  The first day I went I took my 2 youngest children with me, both of who are teens, and when we walked in they thought that we had stepped into a dream world.  A dream world made of Popcorn and chocolate.  Popcorn machines were everywhere so that you could taste the different kinds of popcorn that was available.  And oh, there are sooo many flavors available.  From Strawberries and Cream, to chocolate; Cheddar and Bacon, to Dill Pickle; Cracked Black Pepper & Sea Salt to Beer popcorn.  Beer Popcorn? Yes, Beer Popcorn.  Carmel Apple popcorn and Vanilla Nut popcorn.  And of course their famous Dichotomy Popcorn which is their famous very cheesy cheddar popcorn mixed with their very delicious carmel corn.  And so many more.  Oh My Goodness.  I could not believe all the flavors of popcorn that actually taste like what they say it is.  But that’s not all.  They have thick creamy chocolate covered pretzels.  Yogurt covered pretzels.  Chocolate covered gummy worms and cookies.  Not to mention the gourmet cupcakes.  I was like a little kid in there tasting popcorn.  But, my biggest mistake was buying pretzels for the kids, and only 1 bag of popcorn for my husband and myself to share.  Needless to say, I was in the house for only 20 minutes and my husband had eaten the whole bag, stating that I had only left a little in the bag for him.  It was the whole bag.  He then called me from work that night and asked me to go back up there and get him another bag.  I told him, “Sweetie, they are closed.  Its after 9:00p.m.”  So the next morning he promptly got dressed and marched us all downtown on a family outing (including my 21 year old) to “Campbell’s Popcorn Shop” were he proceeded to buy 5 bags of popcorn for himself, 1 for me for the one he ate, and pretzels for the kids.  And guess what?  Before we even got rang up 2 more cars were pulling up with people coming into the popcorn shop.  Wow!  I’m telling you, we can revive our own city if we just support one another.  So, maybe this WAS an advertisment for Campbell’s, because I enjoyed being there, and they were warm and very friendly and reasonably priced.  And maybe next time it will be your turn.  Because truth be told, literally hundreds of people will see this post, on facebook, on twitter, in print in the Greater University Circle Neighborhood Voice,  that is distributed to 10 different neighborhoods throughout Cleveland, on their website, or on mine at http://truelifeexpressions.blogspot.com.  So I say to everyone reading this in whatever form, drop what you are doing and run, walk, drive, skate, rollerblade, jump on the rapid, a bus, lolly the trolly, take a horse and buggy, or drop out of an airplane, but get to Cleveland’s own “Campbell’s Popcorn Shop” and taste the best variety of popcorn in town.  It’s well worth the trip and you won’t be disappointed that you did. 
I promise.

Now, after you go get some popcorn or pretezels, hit us back and let us know what you think.  We look forward to talking to you soon.

"Not saying ANYTHING speaks volumns"

Did it ever occur to you that NOT saying something is just as bad or worse than saying the wrong thing?  In fact, your silence can be taken as non verbal consent or agreement. A friend of mine asked me this question.  They said that they had a friend, or an associate, who was engaging in what they thought was inappropriate behavior.  What type of behavior is not the concern or the importance of the sitution; the fact remained that the behavior was not correct or wholesome, so to speak.  Though not necessarily illegal.  And of course her friend felt the old humanist lullaby, that “As long as Iam not hurting anyone else it then it’s ok.”  Now, my friend wanted to know if the fact that they felt compelled to say something but out of fear or whatever other reason, did not, were they wrong?  I told them that whether it was a confiction in your heart to say something or not, the fact that you knew or even felt that the activity was wrong, or even felt uncomfortable about the situation and said nothing, can indeed be taken as your non-verbal consent or agreement to the situation.  Especially if you know truth.  But for the sake of not ruining a good friendship, said nothing.  What should she have done?

We wait to hear your response,