The other weekend as I was volunteering at a women’s transition center I began talking to one of the residents. Apparently before I arrived the ladies were doing their normal cleaning of the children’s center when they saw a cat stuck in a can of Ravioli. They watched the cat for a while and when it became apparent that he was struggling to free himself some laughed while others wanted to help the frantic cat. My new friend, Alicia, told me that she remarked that she wouldn’t be able to help the cat because she’s not into animals. As they watched the cat trying desperately to remove the can she told me that she felt in her spirit that she needed to go out to see if she could help; her son was nearby and he, too, was somewhat upset that no one was able to help. As another resident left to get her daughter to help both the mother and the son began to pray for the cat; she said she prayed like never before. What started out as a prayer for the cat turned into a prayer for God to “deliver” souls that were lost, souls that were “stuck,” souls that needed to be set “free.” While she prayed the cat wiggled and struggled; the can didn’t bulge. They prayed more; they prayed louder. She said every time she called on the name of Jesus the cat seemed to hear her cry and turn toward her – they prayed more; they prayed louder. “God deliver my sister over here, my brother over there, God deliver me from my situation.” JESUS! The cat turned a little more and he seemed to settle down a bit. They prayed more; they prayed louder. JESUS! All of a sudden an ear popped out of the can - they continued to pray. What happened next was astonishing; the cat looked UP and the can fell from his face. Why is this so astonishing you ask? Well wouldn’t it seem logical to you that the cat would need to look down for the can to fall off? As my new friend shared this story with me God was sending revelation one after another. This revelation not only blessed me, but it was meant for some of you. Ride with me….The cat looked into what seemed inviting and plentiful and became stuck. No matter how hard he tried to set himself free he needed help. He was in the presence of some that laughed, some that were afraid, and some that prayed. Life & people are like that for us….But remember this, anytime you find yourself stuck don’t try to free yourself, just pray more; pray louder. The prayers of the righteous availeth much. Let’s ride on…When they called on the name of Jesus the cat shifted his angle and began to settle in his spirit. Isn’t it wonderful to know that even in what may seem like a bad situation all we have to do is call on the name of Jesus and He will calm the stormy seas? At the name of Jesus – the cat turned. Revelation – sometimes God needs us to turn from the direction in which we are heading and turn back on the path that He has set for us. JESUS! They noticed that after the cat turned a couple of times an ear popped out. “God, I need You!” They prayed more; they prayed louder. Could it be that God said, “I hear you, I’m freeing you. Can you hear Me?” JESUS! The cat turned, looked up and the can fell. Revelation – hills are high. The only way to look down at a hill would be that you are standing on a higher hill. God says, “Look UP” and never forget to look to the hills from whence cometh your help, your help comes from the Lord. NSBIG
~ Stay Prayed Up! CLICK ON THE LINK
Friday, January 30, 2009
LISTEN...
Listen…if Beyonce' never sings another song hearing her sing Listen from the Dream Girls soundtrack just blew me away. Gosh, the feeling that came over me while driving in my truck listening to my daughter’s CD ran chills down my spine. Since I love melodies I was drawn to the song because it had a smooth sound; then I was drawn even closer because of the words. It seemed like somebody opened up my head and pour out my words to music because not a day earlier I’d just told my husband and my children that they don’t listen. Maybe I was hormonal as I was driving but when she sang, “I’m not at home in my own home. And I tried and tried to say what’s on my mind. You should have known….” I cried all the way home. It’s hilarious thinking about it now because I probably sounded like a blubbering drunk – there’s nothing worse than a person trying to sing while crying. Anyway……
Listen….This morning that word & the song came to me and it steered me away from the original message for this week; I suppose this message stemmed from two meetings that I was in on yesterday. At two separate locations and times of the day this seemed to be the main focus for both. In my earlier meeting we discussed how morale had taken a nose-dive and that no one seems to be listening to the needs and concerns of another. In fact one colleague said, “no one cares what’s going on with you at 8:59 or 5:01” and though I hated to admit it she was right. Her statement drew me back to the sky-high days of gas when no one seemed to care that it was costing some of us an arm, a leg, and three fingers to get to work weekly; to us all they cared about was that you were at work. The second meeting that I attended basically had the same concerns – people felt that they had been pouring their hearts out for justifiable reasons but no one was listening. They had concerns, but nobody heard them. I couldn’t help but wonder if we had become a generation of people that don’t care. Selfish robots - I don’t care about your feelings, I don’t care what you think, I don’t care how I make you feel. Has the world become so selfish that we have become a care-less society? Now-a-days it seems that people feel that if it’s not about them then it’s not important. Supervisors are less compassionate, family is less considerate, and friends are getting less supportive. “A generation of people that don’t care…” What I learned overnight from both of these situations was that all people wanted was to be heard, to be understood, and for someone to “act” like they cared. Are they asking for too much? “I tried & tried to say what’s on my mind, you should have known. Now I’m done believing you. You don’t know what I’m feeling….”
Listen…As my daughters and I sat at their bus stop this morning I had to scold Breyona about always having to have a comment at the end of everything I say; ohhh the days of being 13 and knowing everything. It wasn’t until I said “listen” to her 3 or 4 times that the word rang into my memory. “Sometimes all you need to do is be quiet and listen, you don’t always have to have something to say – LISTEN!” I said. My youngest, Shay, said, “Just like Beyonce’s song, mommy.” WHAT!?! How could she have known? Nobody knew that but God and I. There’s no way that she could have heard the still small voice this morning. Listen….Hmm…sometimes all a person wants to feel is that someone cares; that someone knows that life is a little rough some days and that if I can’t do anything else I can always listen. If I call you with a question, call me back with an answer. If I have a problem, help me find a solution. If I say I need three fingers, somebody lend me a hand. Sometimes all a person wants is to be heard……”LISTEN to the song here in my heart…” NSBIG
~Stay Prayed Up! ~ CLICK ON THE LINK
Listen….This morning that word & the song came to me and it steered me away from the original message for this week; I suppose this message stemmed from two meetings that I was in on yesterday. At two separate locations and times of the day this seemed to be the main focus for both. In my earlier meeting we discussed how morale had taken a nose-dive and that no one seems to be listening to the needs and concerns of another. In fact one colleague said, “no one cares what’s going on with you at 8:59 or 5:01” and though I hated to admit it she was right. Her statement drew me back to the sky-high days of gas when no one seemed to care that it was costing some of us an arm, a leg, and three fingers to get to work weekly; to us all they cared about was that you were at work. The second meeting that I attended basically had the same concerns – people felt that they had been pouring their hearts out for justifiable reasons but no one was listening. They had concerns, but nobody heard them. I couldn’t help but wonder if we had become a generation of people that don’t care. Selfish robots - I don’t care about your feelings, I don’t care what you think, I don’t care how I make you feel. Has the world become so selfish that we have become a care-less society? Now-a-days it seems that people feel that if it’s not about them then it’s not important. Supervisors are less compassionate, family is less considerate, and friends are getting less supportive. “A generation of people that don’t care…” What I learned overnight from both of these situations was that all people wanted was to be heard, to be understood, and for someone to “act” like they cared. Are they asking for too much? “I tried & tried to say what’s on my mind, you should have known. Now I’m done believing you. You don’t know what I’m feeling….”
Listen…As my daughters and I sat at their bus stop this morning I had to scold Breyona about always having to have a comment at the end of everything I say; ohhh the days of being 13 and knowing everything. It wasn’t until I said “listen” to her 3 or 4 times that the word rang into my memory. “Sometimes all you need to do is be quiet and listen, you don’t always have to have something to say – LISTEN!” I said. My youngest, Shay, said, “Just like Beyonce’s song, mommy.” WHAT!?! How could she have known? Nobody knew that but God and I. There’s no way that she could have heard the still small voice this morning. Listen….Hmm…sometimes all a person wants to feel is that someone cares; that someone knows that life is a little rough some days and that if I can’t do anything else I can always listen. If I call you with a question, call me back with an answer. If I have a problem, help me find a solution. If I say I need three fingers, somebody lend me a hand. Sometimes all a person wants is to be heard……”LISTEN to the song here in my heart…” NSBIG
~Stay Prayed Up! ~ CLICK ON THE LINK
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
A PRESIDENT WITH SWAGGER
Swagger (v) – to walk or strut with a defiant or insolent air. Gosh it doesn’t take long before the words that we use on the streets are found in the dictionary.
While talking to my brother last night I mentioned that my best friend says that Obama has a strut like my uncle Larry; one of those back in the day “cool brother” walks that says I’m confident in who I am. My brother, with excitement in his voice said, “Obama has a swag about him.” As I watched our new president and his wife dance their first dance as President and First Lady I couldn’t help but smile because I noticed the “bop” that he had in his “slow dance;” boy did that “bop” bring back memories. Life was a little simpler back then (in an article written last year I talked about how some of our problems melted away with the right song). Watching the Obama’s dance to Etta James just made you feel like everything was gonna be alright. As I watched my president I couldn’t help but think of the many people that were watching the very same thing; people, who like myself, was sitting back wondering how can I take myself to the next level. I can’t speak for everyone else but taking a look at life in general has taken on a whole new meaning for me – and to my people, now there’s no excuse; being “black” doesn’t work anymore (to be honest it never worked).
As I watched our new President walk I could see what Cheryl saw; he does kinda walk like my uncle Larry; he had a smooth walk. Remembering my uncle Larry reminded me of how entertainment can sometimes play a roll in a person’s life. When we were younger I always saw the similarities in my uncle and his friend Sam – they were a carbon copy of Lamont and Raulo from Sanford and Son; I don’t know if was intentional or whether this was just their association with the men of their times. As I thought more about it I realized that the younger generation tends to gravitate to certain images; back in the day it was a positive image, but things, like life, change – I remember my nephew was Snoop Dog reincarnate – he had the walk, the talk, the attitude and today I see so many baby T.I.s, & Lil’ Wayne’s. Unfortunately now-a-days our children are drawn more to images that are not necessarily positive role-model images; they are grander but not necessarily better. The pickings of role models are very slim these days – men (all races) are either hard or too soft. Women are either soft or too hard. Confusion – either I work all day like mom & dad or I’ll forego the education and make a living rapping or playing ball. Ten years ago I had a saying that no one could convince me otherwise. The saying was, “If a 5 minute song or a 2 hour movie can change the way I’ve raised my child, then I, as a parent have failed.” As much as I would love to say that this still rings true, I can’t. Oh, I’m still a good parent that will crack their heads to the white meat, but for me and others life has become full and we are working longer & harder – yes, this was true before TV had innuendos & movies were just plain dirty. This was before records had curse words and music videos turned into porn. This was before video games were violent and you could dial up sex on the phone. This was before society told me how to raise my child and the young became wild and wicked. This was before mommies borrowed their teenaged daughter’s skinny jeans because they were tighter and fathers were getting high with their sons.
As I watched my new president I was loving him more as a person; he had the unique swag of my people; a swag that says I have defied the odds. A man that believed he was just as good as everybody else, but he was no better. My president, the role model of today. There was so much about him that made you appreciate yourself. His swag makes you appreciate from whence you came and for what you are. His swag makes you feel like you don’t have to give up who you are for what society wants you to be. As I sat back on the bed watching them and writing this I became excited with the possibilities. Possibilities that, fatherless men will stand up and be the father figure to their children that they didn’t have. Possibilities that, an educated man would treat an uneducated man as his equal. Possibilities that, the day would come when what you wore wouldn’t define who you were (my president jogs with his cap backwards). Possibilities that, it’s okay to speak the King’s English, to receive a good education, to love who you are, and to never be ashamed of being different. When you manage to capture all of that and be comfortable with who and whose you are, then you can’t help but have a swagger. NSBIG
~Stay Prayed Up! CLICK ON THE LINK
While talking to my brother last night I mentioned that my best friend says that Obama has a strut like my uncle Larry; one of those back in the day “cool brother” walks that says I’m confident in who I am. My brother, with excitement in his voice said, “Obama has a swag about him.” As I watched our new president and his wife dance their first dance as President and First Lady I couldn’t help but smile because I noticed the “bop” that he had in his “slow dance;” boy did that “bop” bring back memories. Life was a little simpler back then (in an article written last year I talked about how some of our problems melted away with the right song). Watching the Obama’s dance to Etta James just made you feel like everything was gonna be alright. As I watched my president I couldn’t help but think of the many people that were watching the very same thing; people, who like myself, was sitting back wondering how can I take myself to the next level. I can’t speak for everyone else but taking a look at life in general has taken on a whole new meaning for me – and to my people, now there’s no excuse; being “black” doesn’t work anymore (to be honest it never worked).
As I watched our new President walk I could see what Cheryl saw; he does kinda walk like my uncle Larry; he had a smooth walk. Remembering my uncle Larry reminded me of how entertainment can sometimes play a roll in a person’s life. When we were younger I always saw the similarities in my uncle and his friend Sam – they were a carbon copy of Lamont and Raulo from Sanford and Son; I don’t know if was intentional or whether this was just their association with the men of their times. As I thought more about it I realized that the younger generation tends to gravitate to certain images; back in the day it was a positive image, but things, like life, change – I remember my nephew was Snoop Dog reincarnate – he had the walk, the talk, the attitude and today I see so many baby T.I.s, & Lil’ Wayne’s. Unfortunately now-a-days our children are drawn more to images that are not necessarily positive role-model images; they are grander but not necessarily better. The pickings of role models are very slim these days – men (all races) are either hard or too soft. Women are either soft or too hard. Confusion – either I work all day like mom & dad or I’ll forego the education and make a living rapping or playing ball. Ten years ago I had a saying that no one could convince me otherwise. The saying was, “If a 5 minute song or a 2 hour movie can change the way I’ve raised my child, then I, as a parent have failed.” As much as I would love to say that this still rings true, I can’t. Oh, I’m still a good parent that will crack their heads to the white meat, but for me and others life has become full and we are working longer & harder – yes, this was true before TV had innuendos & movies were just plain dirty. This was before records had curse words and music videos turned into porn. This was before video games were violent and you could dial up sex on the phone. This was before society told me how to raise my child and the young became wild and wicked. This was before mommies borrowed their teenaged daughter’s skinny jeans because they were tighter and fathers were getting high with their sons.
As I watched my new president I was loving him more as a person; he had the unique swag of my people; a swag that says I have defied the odds. A man that believed he was just as good as everybody else, but he was no better. My president, the role model of today. There was so much about him that made you appreciate yourself. His swag makes you appreciate from whence you came and for what you are. His swag makes you feel like you don’t have to give up who you are for what society wants you to be. As I sat back on the bed watching them and writing this I became excited with the possibilities. Possibilities that, fatherless men will stand up and be the father figure to their children that they didn’t have. Possibilities that, an educated man would treat an uneducated man as his equal. Possibilities that, the day would come when what you wore wouldn’t define who you were (my president jogs with his cap backwards). Possibilities that, it’s okay to speak the King’s English, to receive a good education, to love who you are, and to never be ashamed of being different. When you manage to capture all of that and be comfortable with who and whose you are, then you can’t help but have a swagger. NSBIG
~Stay Prayed Up! CLICK ON THE LINK
Thursday, January 1, 2009
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Happy New Year 2009!! It seems like only yesterday that I was excited about the “new beginnings” that came with 2008. Well I’m back!! It didn’t dawn on me how long it has been since I sent a FFTS until my friend Suzanne called me asking about it and then a few days later at our department’s Christmas luncheon Gwen and Dr. Stanfield mentioned that they missed these articles as well. As I checked my folder for articles written but not yet sent, I found a plethora of blessings that I’d forgotten. I couldn’t believe the messages stored that were written in part or in full, but don’t worry I’ll reveal them soon. However, most of you know that for me the New Year brings a new revelation for which I am honored to be the vessel.
As I was getting my planner together for 2009 and reflecting on what my expectations for this year would be I happened across several quotes that I’d written in my planner throughout 2008. While looking through them it was then that I realized how much I really love quotes and the impact that they’ve had on my life. It was then that I realized that the two things that have kept me focused, sane, and at peace were scriptures and quotes (in that order). So as we begin a new year I’d like to start off 2009 sharing with you the quotes that have blessed me and helped me along the way. I pray that they will bless a part of you as well.
Over the holidays I borrowed my brother’s Katt Williams DVD. That’s another one of my greatest loves, comedians, because most comedians keep it REAL and after dealing with fake people in my community, in my family, on my job and in everyday living it does a body well to just listen to someone tell it like it is. So while watching Katt and enjoying one of the best gut-wrenching laughs that I’ve had in a long time my ears perked up when he said, “You have to be in tune with your star player.” The star player is you and in short what he was saying was that we go all day trying to please other people but we never spend any time pleasing our star player. So in 2009 I have vowed to take his advice, be a little selfish and stop trying so hard to please others (family, friends, co-workers, associates) because believe it or not no matter how hard you try you will never be able to please these people. Katt said that you need to be concerned with yourself; we need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “How are YOU doing today?” Hey I like that and I have declared that this will be my daily ritual because how I am doing IS important to me. So if you can take anything from that I hope that it would be that you get in tune with your star player-YOU. Moving along – the quote that my children have grown to hate was taken from Will Smith’s movie The Pursuit of Happyness. “Do what you have to do and then you can do what you want to do,” this is a valuable lesson for all. Now if you’ll allow me I would like to share a few from my collection, believe me when I say that this is a few because my collection is huge and grows more each day. I hope that these few will speak to your spirit as they have done mine. “If you don’t do something to change/increase what you are, you’ll never change where you’ll go.”–Robb Thompson. “It’s a terrible thing to look over your shoulder when you’re trying to lead & find no one there.”-F.D. Roosevelt. “If it was all about stability you wouldn’t need faith.”–Sherri Shepherd (The View). “I don’t believe in just ordering people to do things. You have to sort of grab an oar and row with them.”–Harold Geneen. “There is room enough at the top for everyone.”–Trish Magee. “If heaven made him, earth can find some use for him.”–Chinese proverb. “There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.”–Hindu proverb. “No child is born a racist.”–Unknown. “Don’t ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.”-Robert Frost. These two spoke volumes; both were from my children’s school. One was attached to my oldest daughter’s syllabus for her English class – it read, “No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”-Atwood H. Townsend. The other came attached to the bottom of an email from the Dean of Students at my daughters’ school; it is my hope that this becomes the mindset for everyone in the education field. “I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess the tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or dehumanized.” -Haim Ginott. Wow! Now that was deep! And finally, “Your gift will make room for you and bring you before great men.”-Prov.18:16. This one reminds me of my aunt; she was my biggest fan when it came to my articles. She always told me that one day my articles would be in a book or different magazines. Unfortunately she didn’t live to see that day but I still believe because anything is possible….. ~NSBIG
As I was getting my planner together for 2009 and reflecting on what my expectations for this year would be I happened across several quotes that I’d written in my planner throughout 2008. While looking through them it was then that I realized how much I really love quotes and the impact that they’ve had on my life. It was then that I realized that the two things that have kept me focused, sane, and at peace were scriptures and quotes (in that order). So as we begin a new year I’d like to start off 2009 sharing with you the quotes that have blessed me and helped me along the way. I pray that they will bless a part of you as well.
Over the holidays I borrowed my brother’s Katt Williams DVD. That’s another one of my greatest loves, comedians, because most comedians keep it REAL and after dealing with fake people in my community, in my family, on my job and in everyday living it does a body well to just listen to someone tell it like it is. So while watching Katt and enjoying one of the best gut-wrenching laughs that I’ve had in a long time my ears perked up when he said, “You have to be in tune with your star player.” The star player is you and in short what he was saying was that we go all day trying to please other people but we never spend any time pleasing our star player. So in 2009 I have vowed to take his advice, be a little selfish and stop trying so hard to please others (family, friends, co-workers, associates) because believe it or not no matter how hard you try you will never be able to please these people. Katt said that you need to be concerned with yourself; we need to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “How are YOU doing today?” Hey I like that and I have declared that this will be my daily ritual because how I am doing IS important to me. So if you can take anything from that I hope that it would be that you get in tune with your star player-YOU. Moving along – the quote that my children have grown to hate was taken from Will Smith’s movie The Pursuit of Happyness. “Do what you have to do and then you can do what you want to do,” this is a valuable lesson for all. Now if you’ll allow me I would like to share a few from my collection, believe me when I say that this is a few because my collection is huge and grows more each day. I hope that these few will speak to your spirit as they have done mine. “If you don’t do something to change/increase what you are, you’ll never change where you’ll go.”–Robb Thompson. “It’s a terrible thing to look over your shoulder when you’re trying to lead & find no one there.”-F.D. Roosevelt. “If it was all about stability you wouldn’t need faith.”–Sherri Shepherd (The View). “I don’t believe in just ordering people to do things. You have to sort of grab an oar and row with them.”–Harold Geneen. “There is room enough at the top for everyone.”–Trish Magee. “If heaven made him, earth can find some use for him.”–Chinese proverb. “There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.”–Hindu proverb. “No child is born a racist.”–Unknown. “Don’t ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up.”-Robert Frost. These two spoke volumes; both were from my children’s school. One was attached to my oldest daughter’s syllabus for her English class – it read, “No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”-Atwood H. Townsend. The other came attached to the bottom of an email from the Dean of Students at my daughters’ school; it is my hope that this becomes the mindset for everyone in the education field. “I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my personal approach that creates the climate. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess the tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, and a child humanized or dehumanized.” -Haim Ginott. Wow! Now that was deep! And finally, “Your gift will make room for you and bring you before great men.”-Prov.18:16. This one reminds me of my aunt; she was my biggest fan when it came to my articles. She always told me that one day my articles would be in a book or different magazines. Unfortunately she didn’t live to see that day but I still believe because anything is possible….. ~NSBIG
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