A New Beginning

I’m sure that I’m not the only one eagerly looking forward to 2009! I can’t wait to see what the coming year holds in store for my family. Especially since, when I look back over some of my life experiences during 2008, my only response is a heartfelt,

“Whew! Glad that’s over!”

2008 produced an onslaught of job stress, family crises, conflicted relationships, and straining finances; I’m still trying to recover from pulling up at the gas station to see Regular Unleaded gas sold for $3.88!

We dealt with an uncooperative and at times, hostile, school system. I personally struggled to resolve a longstanding family issue. Unfortunately, I don’t always handle stress well. So, let’s add to the list a few extra pounds and insomnia.

But as low as my circumstances were this the past year, I am blessed by the knowledge that it could have been much worse. Every time I’m tempted to complain, I remember who is in control of not only my blessings but my trials as well.

In the midst of every crisis I’ve encountered, God was all over it. Yes, gas prices were absolutely horrid this year, but I didn’t walk once or ride a bus. Problems at school kept me on my knees, but the job I just started in March, allowed me to modify my schedule, making it possible to homeschool my child and remove him from that hostile environment. Dr John Guns from Jacksonville Florida arrived at ATOP in the spring, just when I had reached my emotional bottom. He spoke of how unresolved hurts kept us in bondage and emphasized the need to forgive those who hurt us. Forgiveness will set you free, he said. He was right! And . . . God allowed me to witness the election of the first African American president in the history of the United States!

And so, because of my financial crises, I’m a much better manager and steward over my finances. My relationships are slower to reach crisis point because of my renewed ability to listen with my heart instead of my ears. Even my productivity at work is improved in response to my gratitude. Oh, and because I’m getting better at turning my crises over to the Lord and learning to give Him praise even in the midst of my trials? I’ve lost 5 pounds! Yay! I’m also a little less cynical about the mindset of the American people or maybe, I can just see that there are others like me, who are finally ready for real change.

So, yes, I am grateful to see the end of 2008.

Whew! Glad that’s over!

I can’t wait to see God’s miracles of 2009.

Joy

I hope each of you enjoyed your Christmas Day festivities.

We had an awesome day. I had several friends in town for the holidays and it was wonderful to catch up with them face to face.

I was assigned the "Best Mommy In the Whole World" award on Christmas morn and that kept a smile on my face for the next several days!

There were a few glitches; can't have a holiday without it, right? A couple people thought they would take the opportunity to spoil the milk, but fortunately, I was feeling way too good to give them purchase. My new motto is, "you're going to be unhappy before I give you the opportunity to f*&^ up my day!"

I'm now trying to get my mind back on work. Monday morning will come way too soon, so I have to start preparing now.

I hope that each of you had a blessed weekend!

Merry Christmas

We wish everyone

a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

Jesus Christ is the Reason!

The Rings: A short film study by Nequella Demery

I just watched a great short film by a friend of my friend. Nequella Demery is an up and coming filmmaker. She has written and directed "The Rings" which is currently highlighted on YouTube.

So, make sure you check out her film, "The Rings". View it and leave comments on the site and then tell your friends and family because the more people who watch it, the better "heat" it will generate on the YouTube User Community.

The Three Little Pigs Killed Santa

I've been having an on-again, off-again discussion (argument) with my son about Santa Claus. Trying to convince this child of mine that Santa is NOT the reason for the season is like trying to light a match in a windstorm. Of course, mommy doesn't know everything (in his 7 year old mind) and my argument is weakened by the fact that everything around us says otherwise.

Every holiday themed cartoon is about Santa or Rudolph or the Polar Express, I mean, where IS Jesus??

I have been clear from day one . . . there is no big, fat, white man sliding down our chimney to bring us ANYTHING! And just when I thought the message finally hit home, some friends took him to the mall to see a black Santa. Now, he thinks he's finally won the argument.

"See, mommy? Here's the picture. And you're right, he's not white, he's black!!"

Ok. So maybe. . . I'll just show him this clip and tell him that the Three Little Pigs ate him?

Well . . . maybe not.

Bad mommy!!

Kiaya's New Renaissance

I love the Harlem Renaissance. I think what appeals to me most is the conscious decision made by many black artists and intellectuals of their time to live free, both in thought and deed, despite the dictates of what society and even members of their own culture decided was proper.

You probably know several of the more well known artists and writers of the time: Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, Wallace Thurman, Paul Lawrence Dunbar and Alain Locke. Wikipedia says:

Challenging white paternalism and racism, African-American artists and intellectuals rejected merely imitating the styles of Europeans and white Americans and instead celebrated black dignity and creativity. Asserting their freedom to express themselves on their own terms as artists and intellectuals, they explored their identities as black Americans, celebrating the black culture that had emerged out of slavery and their cultural ties to Africa.

You see evidence of this in Ms Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God"; have you ever read a more liberating experience for a black woman, hell, any woman, in the 1920's, to look in the eyes of her community and defiantly decide to live her life according to her own terms and love in her own way?

Wallace Thurman was another who constantly challenged people around him; they were often mistaken and then angered to find that within his very dark skin housed a highly intelligent and creative man. Oh, and the fact that he was openly gay too just kinda pissed people off.

I recently ran across the works of one of the lesser known Renaissance Niggerati, Richard Bruce Nugent; writer, actor, artist, unconventional personality. He died in 1987 in poverty, and was the subject of a 2004 movie "Brother to Brother."

I almost overlooked this movie because it was promoted as a love story between two gay men, one young, the other old. Fortunately, I gave it my usual 15 minute test; that is, if you can't capture and hold my attention in the first 15 minutes of a movie, then I change the channel.

I'm so glad I did. This movie was so much more than gay sex/love. It was a creative biography of Mr. Nugent's life and experiences with his fellow Renaissance artists. He offered first hand accounts about Langston, Zora, Wallace and others. He is probably LESS known because he chose to LIVE his life rather than WRITE about it. His only novel, "Gentleman Jigger", while written in the 1920s, was not published until 2002.

His friend, Thomas Wirth wrote: Nugent was persistently unconventional in both his life and his work. He refused to pursue a "career." He refused to permit others to impose on him their definitions of who he ought to be either as an artist, an African American or a "man." He insisted on freedom when freedom was not allowed.

"Freedom when freedom was not allowed." Can you see how powerful this is? This is the new driving philosophy of my life. Just wait.

The Countdown Tag

I have been tagged by my blog friend TrueUrbanQueen. I'm laughing at her taggin' folk, since she has this interesting habit of ignoring when someone tags her. But that's all right. . . I'm going to be obedient, mostly because this is one of the more interesting exercises I've seen.

So the rules are:

Link back to the person who tagged you. (I did it, see above)
Answer the questions (I'm going to do my darndest, see below)
Tag 7 other bloggers (just as soon as I think of the ones most likely to cooperate)
Let them know in the comments they were tagged. (will do)


10 random things about me:

I am a speed hound.

I have one child and two dogs.

I wear my hair natural, mostly twists, braids, and 'fros.

I have never smoked a joint, BUT

I can out drink anyone at a party.

I love the color purple.

I am becoming a writer (I just need a tad more discipline).

I am the oldest of four children (see where the bossiness comes from?).

I am a mental health therapist but. . .

I do not try to analyze people I meet socially (too damn much work!!).



9 ways to win my heart:

Give me yours

Pay attention

Put in time and effort

Call during day/night, send emails, texts

Love my child

Don't expect intelligent conversation before 9 am

Don't judge or hold me or my actions to your ex's unrealistic standard

Don't limit yourself or me

Lots of great sex



8 things I want to do before I die:

See my child grow into a successful adulthood

Complete and publish at least two novels

Win the lottery and never HAVE to work again, though I probably will.

Get married

Have another child (either by birth or adoption)

Take a year (or two) off to work in Africa (the conscripted child soldiers have my heart)

I would like to own a high performance sports car and drive it up to or more than 130 mph

Eat like I want to without worrying about gaining weight



7 ways to annoy me:

Call me on the phone, start talking non stop, as if you and I are already in the middle of a long conversation and then express annoyance when I ask you what you're talking about.

Tell me what I'm doing wrong with my child and parenting in general

Expect that I will cook for you rather than simply enjoying it when I do

Unsolicited advice (about anything)

Talk badly about the elderly, the infirm, or children, in front of me

Call me anything BUT a child of God

Expect me to be ANYWHERE before 10 am on the weekends



6 things I believe in:

God

Family

Loyalty

The power of prayer

The value of alone-time

Joy found in my child's smile



5 things I am afraid of:

dying and making my child an orphan, again

confined spaces

rejection

failure/mediocrity

chronic illness



4 of my favorite things

Chocolate and Merlot

Reading/Writing

casual time with friends

a man who gives pedicures



3 things I do daily:

Tell my child that I love him

Hug somebody

Express my gratitude to God about anything He has done at any given moment



2 things I want to do within the hour:

make love

go to sleep (not necessarily in this order)



1 person I want to see right now:

my lover


I tag the following bloggers
CaliDreams
IAMME
KayC

I know this isn't a list of 7, but everyone else has already been tagged!

White House Butler

Eugene Allen, 89, a retired White House butler, tries on his old tuxedo for a photo. Allen, who served eight presidents during a period when America 's racial history was being rewritten, is marveling at the election of Barack Obama.

Now retired, he started when blacks were in the kitchen.
By Wil Haygood
November 7, 2008

Reporting from Washington -- For more than three decades, Eugene Allen worked in the White House, a black man unknown to the headlines. During some of those years, harsh segregation laws lay upon the land.

He trekked home every night to his wife, Helene, who kept him out of her kitchen.
At the White House, he worked closer to the dirty dishes than to the Oval Office. Helene didn't care; she just beamed with pride.

President Truman called him Gene. President Ford liked to talk golf with him. He saw eight presidential administrations come and go, often working six days a week.

"I never missed a day of work," Allen said.

He was there while racial history was made: Brown vs. Board of Education, the Little Rock school crisis, the 1963 March on Washington , the cities burning, the civil rights bills, the assassinations.

When he started at the White House in 1952, he couldn't even use the public restrooms when he ventured back to his native Virginia . "We had never had anything," Allen, 89, recalled of black America at the time. "I was always hoping things would get better."

In its long history, the White House -- note the name -- has had a complex and vexing relationship with black Americans.

"The history is not so uneven at the lower level, in the kitchen," said Ted Sorensen, who served as counselor to President Kennedy. "In the kitchen, the folks have always been black. Even the folks at the door -- black."

Before Gene Allen landed his White House job, he worked as a waiter at a resort in Hot Springs , Va. , and then at a country club in Washington .

He and wife Helene, 86, were sitting in the living room of their Washington home. Her voice was musical, in a Lena Horne kind of way. She called him "Honey." They met at a birthday party in 1942. He was too shy to ask for her number, so she tracked his down. They married a year later.

In 1952, a lady told him of a job opening in the White House. "I wasn't even looking for a job," he said. "I was happy where I was working, but she told me to go on over there and meet with a guy by the name of Alonzo Fields."

Fields was a maitre d', and he immediately liked Allen.

Allen was offered a job as a "pantry man." He washed dishes, stocked cabinets and shined silverware. He started at $2,400 a year.

There was, in time, a promotion to butler. "Shook the hand of all the presidents I ever worked for," he said.

"I was there, honey," Helene said. "In the back maybe. But I shook their hands too." She was referring to White House holiday parties, Easter egg hunts.

They have one son, Charles, who works as an investigator with the State Department..

"President Ford's birthday and my birthday were on the same day," he said. "He'd have a birthday party at the White House. Everybody would be there. And Mrs. Ford would say, 'It's Gene's birthday too!' "

And so they'd sing a little ditty to the butler. And the butler, who wore a tuxedo to work every day, would blush.

"Jack Kennedy was very nice," he went on. "And so was Mrs. Kennedy."

He was in the White House kitchen the day Kennedy was slain. He got an invitation to the funeral. But he volunteered for other duty: "Somebody had to be at the White House to serve everyone after they came from the funeral."

The whole family of President Carter made Helene chuckle: "They were country. And I'm talking Lillian and Rosalynn both." It came out as the highest compliment.

First Lady Nancy Reagan came looking for him in the kitchen one day. She wanted to remind him about the upcoming state dinner for German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. She told him he would not be working that night.

"She said, 'You and Helene are coming to the state dinner as guests of President Reagan and myself.' I'm telling you! I believe I'm the only butler to get invited to a state dinner."

Husbands and wives don't sit together at these events, and Helene was nervous about trying to make small talk with world leaders. "And my son said, 'Momma, just talk about your high school. They won't know the difference.'

"The senators were all talking about the colleges and universities that they went to," she said. "I was doing as much talking as they were.

"Had champagne that night," she said, looking over at her husband.

He just grinned: He was the man who stacked the champagne at the White House.

Colin L. Powell would become the highest ranking black of any White House to that point when he was named Reagan's national security advisor in 1987. Condoleezza Rice would have that position under President George W. Bush.

Gene Allen was promoted to maitre d' in 1980. He left the White House in 1986, after 34 years. President Reagan wrote him a sweet note. Nancy Reagan hugged him tight.

Interviewed at their home last week, Gene and Helene speculated about what it would mean if a black man were elected president.

"Just imagine," she said.

"It'd be really something," he said.

"We're pretty much past the going-out stage," she said. "But you never know. If he gets in there, it'd sure be nice to go over there again."

They talked about praying to help Barack Obama get to the White House. They'd go vote together. She'd lean on her cane with one hand, and him with the other, while walking down to the precinct. And she'd get supper going afterward. They went over their election day plans more than once.

"Imagine," she said.

"That's right," he said.

On Monday, Helene had a doctor's appointment. Gene woke and nudged her once, then again.. He shuffled around to her side of the bed. He nudged Helene again.

He was all alone.

"I woke up and my wife didn't," he said later.

Some friends and family members rushed over. He wanted to make coffee. They had to shoo the butler out of the kitchen.

The lady he married 65 years ago will be buried today.

The butler cast his vote for Obama on Tuesday. He so missed telling his Helene about the black man bound for the Oval Office.

Haygood writes for the Washington Post.

Feelings

The definition of feelings:

emotional or moral sensitivity or a complex and usually strong subjective human response. Although feeling and emotion are sometimes interchangeable, feeling is the more general and neutral, whereas Emotion often implies the presence of excitement or agitation.

I had hoped that by looking at the definition of this word, I may better understand the hows and whys of feelings. Human beings experience both feelings and emotions about a wide range things, our children, family members, a cute bootie walking down the street, a good book or novel or even a sports event. I particularly like the following description:

The capacity of the soul for emotional states; a high degree of susceptibility of emotions or states of sensibility not dependent on the body.

I think what I am really interested in is not so much the definition, but an understanding of how attachments based on feelings develop and how they are maintained over the long haul.

With my child, the answer is easy. He's mine. We are in the beginning of a lifetime of shared experiences. While he is young, he is dependent on me for his very survival. God gave him a cute smile and charming ways, so that I won't toss him out a window when he pisses me off. I will love this kid and eventual man until the end of my days and there is nothing that can change that.

Grown up attachments based on feelings are not as easily defined. People come together for a variety of reasons, shared or common interests, one has something the other needs or desires, sex/lust, financial resources, whatever.

What I'm less clear about is what maintains that attachment once established. I mean, feelings and emotions are like smoke and they are often situationally based. So, what has happened when you spend years getting to know someone, loving them, sharing your life with them, and then suddenly, one partner or the other loses interest? Or when you meet someone for the first time and KNOW that you will/can love them for a lifetime, and you do? What has happened here?

How is it possible that I can be deeply in love with someone for years and they do one or more stupid things and I feel nothing? Or I can meet someone and within a few weeks develop an attachment so deep that it is maintained, even through periods of no contact at all?

Just curious. . .

Mother/Father

I am both mother and father to my 7 year old son; tends to go with the territory of single parenting. Most of the time, I feel comfortable responding to whichever role my son requires on any given day. Please understand, I don't think I can teach him to be a man; I realize that only another man can do that, but for the basics, I think I'm more than equipped to help.

It helps that I am not "girly". I'm as much woman as the next, but my interests tend to be broader than what is stereotypically female. I like makeup but I rarely wear it. I frequently have spa days and I love having someone give me a pedicure, but you will rarely find my nails painted. I can't stand shopping, I don't gossip, my range of conversation rarely includes the beauty shop, the latest **whatever**, bag, dress, you fill in the blank for whatever works for you.

I competently manage my household and don't look to others to help or assume responsibility. I've got the basics down when it comes to a hammer and nail; I can do small repairs around the house, and I can sew on a button or fix a hem in a pinch.

I have no interest in sports nor do I try to keep up with team sports. But I understand the rules of football, basketball, soccer, baseball and rugby and can hold a fairly decent conversation about either if called upon. This is mostly because I want to be able to follow my son when he leaves the soccer field or basketball court talking about various skills he has.

I refuse to learn how to change a tire on my car or to mow my own lawn. I got into an argument with a former lover, or I should say, I was fussed at by this same person, for my lack of interest in developing these skills.

"You're supposed to be this great feminist. How dare you let other people do things for you?" He accused in outrage. I replied that because I AM a feminist, I have the right to choose to do what I want. Besides, no offense to the men, for I really appreciate that for some, chivalry is not dead, but anytime I look like I need to do either task, some man pushes me out of the way and takes on the responsibility himself. I don't like getting dirty, so this seems perfectly reasonable to me to leave it to the men.

So, I say all this to say, that I feel comfortable responding to most needs of my child. And when the time comes that he needs a little more, I have several male role models available to him on speed dial.

Earlier this week, when, after picking up my son from his afterschool program, he approached me in tears, reporting that BJ had put him in a choke hold and had called his mother (me) an ugly name. Normally, I leave children to work out their own problems; this is after all, part of the socialization process. If I came in as Super Mommy to the rescue whenever he got into trouble, I would be handicapping him. I generally teach him to avoid starting fights with his peers, to find a talking solution to problems and when that doesn't work, tell an adult.

But what I haven't taken into account is that some kids are just plain MEAN! Just because. And it is the nature of boys to be aggressive. So, my way left him with a sense of helplessness and made him a target for bullying. At that moment, I realized how nice it would be if we had a daddy around.

But, we don't have a daddy, right? So that leaves me.

In my typical logical form, I told my son that just because a person says something about another does not make it true. There are some things he should just ignore or laugh off.

And as we got in the car, I added, "and if I hear of you crying because you let another child punk you out, I'm going to punk you! I expect you to try to avoid problems, but if someone hits you or otherwise put their hands on you, I expect you to knock them the "F" out!"

Ok, so I didn't actually say the "f" word to my child, but my meaning was clear. Then we practiced elbow jabs, punches and ways of getting out of choke holds.

I'm doing my best.

Secret

I've been playing true confessions this week, so here's one more. I recently ran across this song again and totally forgot (almost) how much I enjoyed it. This song is solely responsible for my first slippery step into hell. . .

A black woman speaks

a truth revealed

Satan has been whispering in my ear this weekend. I really should've expected this recent attack; my house is becoming peaceful again, and he just has to muck with me about something! This time, he has chosen to get to me through temptation.

Most of the time, I am a self-disciplined person. I take responsibility for my actions and I act according to whether I want to deal with the consequences of my actions. I have a couple friends that repeatedly tell me that I need to relax a bit, and you may feel that way too, but I have developed this strategy of behaving for a reason.

I'm not a good girl.

I know I look that way. I have spent years cultivating this act; sometimes it's so good that I even fool myself. But, between you and me, if I didn't take control of my nature. . . well, let's just say, bad things could happen.

As I said, satan has been burning up my ear this weekend.

Married dude is overall, a good guy. Outgoing personality, friendly, loving father. Despite his calls and texts over the past couple months, he has kept it clean and has not pushed any real barriers.

This weekend, I started it. I threw out the first provocative comment, I am the queen of sexual innuendo and he is the king. I opened the door and he stepped right up to the threshold.

The only thing that stopped me from yanking him all the way through was 1) all of my smack talk was done through texts (gave me a little distance), 2) he does not know where I live (and because we weren't face to face, I resisted the impulse to tell him); and 3) I had not arranged for a sitter.

I'm writing down this pitiful confession because I need to come clean with myself and y'all might help to keep me honest. In an earlier post, I asked about needing the right words to make him leave me alone. I really didn't. I just need to deal with me.

I'm not interested in a relationship with him. Even without a wife and kids, he has some serious character flaws that I know I would be unable to tolerate in the long run. But he has something that I need (and no, I'm not going for the obvious!).

My last relationship ended about a year or so ago. Good man, good father, good provider. He was attracted to my "good girl" persona, which I encouraged, but after awhile, I started giving hints for him to dig a little deeper. He wasn't buying it though.

The beginning of the end of our relationship occurred one night while we were out with friends at a nightclub for a night of jazz. I felt inspired to show him how much I loved him and invited him to join me in the ladies' room, or men's room, at that point I wasn't particular. His face went through a series of changes. . . initially a naughty smile, then shock, and finally disgust when he realized I was perfectly serious. On another occasion, while on vacation, I tried to seduce him on the balcony of our 19th floor, ocean front hotel room. Mind you, this was a little tame for me, but I thought this would be a good compromise for him. He ran inside and grabbed a blanket to cover my nakedness and then began to lecture me on propriety.

I couldn't be myself and he did not want to know the real me.

But married dude?

He was right there with me. In fact, there were at least a couple times, he made my jaw dropped. (I quickly recovered though). He embraced all the loving I had to give and taught me how to even take it up another notch.

That was before I knew he belonged to someone else, of course.

I've been in good girl mode since that last relationship. I'm not willing to subjugate my nature again; I prefer to wait for the right one to come along. In the relationship I felt stifled and was led to believe that my desires, which I had only for him, made me 'nasty' or 'unclean' somehow. This only led to resentment, on both our parts.

But I realize now that I'm giving missed messages; because I need more than what my persona implies. Which made me just ripe for the picking for married dude's latest arrival.

So, obviously, I need to modify my Love List a little more. I don't think I actually said he would have to be single, so I'm saying it now. #102: Must be single. I implied that I needed someone sexually adventurous, but maybe I need to state that more clearly also. #103: Must be sexually adventurous and willing to embrace my "bad girl."

I also need to drop, or at least, lower my good girl act when in mixed company; I've been doing it so long though, that I don't always recognize it until it's too late.

I know my man is out there. I'm not looking for him in Married Dude, or any other attached nut (pun intended).

But, boo, I'm thinking that this would be a really good time for you to show yourself, before I get into real trouble.

Grossology

We traveled about an hour away to visit the Grossology Exhibit. It is a national exhibit that travels to various cities throughout the year. The name really says it all; it is the Science of all that is gross in the body. Perfect for a pair of 7 year olds!!

Our science lesson this past week focused on the human digestive system. The exhibit provides a lesson plan on their website, so we were prepared for much of what we saw on Saturday. Knowing how long it takes for the bladder to fill up, the contents of snot, and the length of time it takes for food to progress from mouth to anus, just made it that more meaningful!

Tempted

It's Saturday night and text messaging is of the devil! This is the only thing I'm going to say about this subject. I need y'all to pray for me. Seriously!





more music charts

Eric Benet

A friend of mine has had Mr. Benet, formerly Mr Berry, on the mind for the past week. So this collection is dedicated to Pam! The pleasure of this visual presentation, however, is purely mine!

He recently talked about his "sex addiction" and treatment to EbonyJet. I find it interesting to watch people backpeddle.

Enjoy!

How Ghetto are you?

Ok, I'm getting back to work now. . .

How Ghetto are you?


My Quiz Result: You aren't really ghetto.


Take this quiz: How Ghetto are you?

You can also take more quizzes, myspace quizzes and fun quizzes on personality, love and other topics.

The World's Easiest Quiz

I actually failed MOST of them. . . that's what I get for playin' instead of workin'


The World's Easiest Quiz


My Quiz Result: You have failed the worlds easiest quiz. You gave more wrong answers than right.


Take this quiz: The World's Easiest Quiz

You can also take more quizzes, myspace quizzes and fun quizzes on personality, love and other topics.

The Hunt

Remember the married dude, the former lover that I did not KNOW was married and who disappeared as soon as I found out; the one that re-emerged a couple months back? I know that it seemed that I'd lost my mind for a few, but I eventually came back to myself. The only reason I'm mentioning him now is that he has yet to stop calling or pursuing me.

He dropped off for a couple weeks after his initial pursuit when I told him that whatever he had in mind for us, sex was no longer up for negotiation. When I failed to beg and plead for him to be my lover again, he came back. For the past month or so, I have some type of contact with him every two or three days. Mind you, I am not initiating any of this contact, nor am I encourage him. But I have to admit to a certain curiosity about his intentions.

I believe that he is one of those men who are turned on by the pursuit and then quickly loses interest once his prey has been captured. When I have shown interest, I can't find him and then when I forget that he exists, I can't escape his attention. I can hear my friends Chez and Vernon in my head asking me why I even care, if I'm not interested in him anyway. And perhaps they have a point, but human nature has always been an interest of mine and I like to know what motivates people to do some of the things they do. I still don't understand why he would have a perfectly nice family at home and still catting around on the side. The ease of his pursuit leaves me with no illusions that I am his only prey either. Why are you married if you want to live like you're single?

Anyway, there's no real point to this post, I'm curious about what your experiences may have been and maybe someone can offer some insight or give me the code word that will make him leave me alone. One of my more goofy friends suggested that I should just sleep with him. . .

Adventures in Homeschooling

As some may know, we made the decision recently to remove my child from the public school system and try homeschooling. This was a difficult process and decision, but the alternative was not to be considered, and so, here we are. No one is more surprised than I am that I could maintain a full time job and meet and even exceed his educational needs. Thank God for an employer who allows me to be flexible in my schedule.

We are now in our second week and my conclusion so far is "why didn't I do this sooner?"

Aside from the fact that I now have TWO full time jobs, the sacrifice is well worth the extra efforts. I have a brilliant little boy!! I can say that without bragging since I did not contribute to his DNA. He absorbs new information like a sponge! I can actually see the excitement about learning returning to his eyes and he eagerly looks forward to each new lesson. I am also gradually seeing a reduction in the anxiety and stress that had become such a part of him in the past few months.

As is par for the course for me, I've been researching my butt off about different homeschooling philosophy, methods and curricula. I naively assumed that I could do a simple Google search for 2nd grade homeschooling, and would find a single unit or recommendation for instruction. Uh. . . NO! Apparently, the predominant idea is that since I have chosen to take responsibility for his education, I can pretty much teach him whatever I want.

One of the recommendations that I am taking to heart is to let my child dictate and guide what and how I will teach. Whichever curriculum I choose should take advantage of his strengths and maximize his weaknesses. The pace of instruction will be dictated by his ability to absorb and internalize the information. I now understand that part of his struggles in the regular classroom is that he does not require a stepwise progression to learning; he is a concept/abstract learner, a big picture thinker. He gets really impatient when I try to teach in increments; ok, his mommy is a big picture thinker too, so things just got really interesting for me!

Even though he is nearly a semester behind, due to all of the chaos that has been going on since September, he reads on a 3rd or 4th grade level. So, I'm KO'ing the weekly Spelling tests and we're now focusing on building Reading Comprehension. Math and Science comes naturally to him too; and so I know I will have to be creative and more experiential in these subjects than I am perhaps comfortable with.

I found a curriculum that I will use as a base, KONOS. It is Christian based and focuses on developing values and character. We start each morning with a brief bible study and each semester is driven by a character theme: our theme for the next several weeks is Obedience. The lessons are active and hands on, with very few paper/pencil, worksheet lessons.

I will supplement KONOS with traditional reading, writing, math, and science lessons because I know that he will, at some point, return to a formal education system, and I want him to have an easy transition.

So, let the adventure begin. . .

O Give Thanks

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness,
Come before His presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord, He is God.
It is He that hath made us and not we ourselves.
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving.
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful unto Him and bless His name.
For the Lord is good,
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endureth to all generations!

This is the time of year for reflections. TV and cable will soon bombard us with the Top 100 this and Top 100 that of 2008. People tend to look back over the past year and assess how well our expectations from the previous year have been realized. I like to think that reviewing the past helps me to orient and fixate on my future.

I typically do not do resolutions, mostly because I've never been able to successfully pull one off! I think I've got this personality flaw that rebels against being held to a standard or rule. If you tell me I must do something, even if it's in my best interest, I'm likely to do the opposite. I know, what are you gonna do? Sue me!

So, instead, I choose to focus on where I am at any given point in time; if I'm complaining or annoyed about how something is going, I figure out one or two small things I need to do to change it. I detest complaining and complainers; when I get dissatisfied about something, this becomes my call to action to make a change.

Looking back over the past year reminds me of how much further down my journey I have come. There have been ups and downs, and I ain't gon' lie, there've been times this year that I have wanted to throw up my hands and say, "I done." But even in the midst of the chaos, y'all, I've been blessed! As bad as some things have been, they could've been worse and I'm still here. So, there's hope.

I am taking this opportunity to say thanks and focus on my many blessings and acts of grace God has provided for me this past year. I thank Him for all that he has done, and like the song says, even if He never does anything else for me, I wanna say, Thank you!

Thank you, God:

for life

for the sacrifice of your son Jesus

for my son, who is my joy and reason for living

for my family

for loving friends: Chez, Vernon, Pam, Kacy, Shella, EB, Jason, Derrick

for wonderful blog friends: TrueUrbanQueen, MsKnowItAll, Maggie, Mary63

for ongoing employment and employers who recognize and honor the family

for a vehicle that works and satisfies my need for speed

for a roof over our heads

for laughter and the pursuit of happiness

Thank you, Lord:

for allowing me to see the election of the first African American president

for the process of change that I will be able to experience first hand in coming years

for online shopping (you know I can't STAND crowds or shopping, just on general principle)

for reducing the price of gasoline, enabling many of us to travel much easier this season. We are now at $1.55 per gallon.

for my place of worship and a leader who follows You daily and guides us in Your truth

Thank you, Father:

for common sense (everybody ain't able!)

for peace of mind

for the ability to live in the moment and enjoy the pleasures available to me NOW, rather than pining for the unknown future. I know that You are working THAT out!

for the gift of forgiveness. I'm sleeping much better now!

for that beautiful man I saw this morning in the coffee shop! That skin, those eyes, deep dimples and long locs have been a constant source of imaginings all morning.

Oh Happy Day

Well, it's done! Peace will finally reign in our house again. I no longer have to worry about catching a case over some mess at my son's school. I no longer have to leave him in a totally hostile environment and worry myself day and night due to my helplessness to change the situation.

We are homeschoolling.

My employers have allowed me to modify my work schedule, so that I can teach in the morning and my child will spend the rest of the day in a daycare surrounded by people who love and nurture him.

I am now prayerful that the nightmares will end. The constant face of anxiety will resolve. I'm praying that the need to fight and defend himself will finally come to an end. I'm hoping that his trust in my ability to take care of him will return.

My child overslept this morning. His anxiety usually drives him up about 5:30 am; this morning, it was after 7 before I dragged him out of bed. Once up he started singing:

We are the groovy cool cats
We are the groovy cool cats
We are the groovy cool cats
We are . . . cool cats.

This was sung to the Madagascar tune, I Like To Move it, Move it!

He has been announcing to any and all that would listen, "My mom's going to be my teacher!" And then in a quieter moment asked,

"do some mommy's pass their children along?"

"what do you mean baby?

"well, when they act bad? do mommies pass their children along?"

"well, some do, for various reasons, but you're not going anywhere. why do you ask?"

"well, I was just getting a little nervous, that's all."

Ok, so this mommy prays, "Lord, thank you for all of your blessings you bestow on us each and every day. I'm thanking you in advance for your spirit of peace and calmness that will soon permeate our house and within our hearts. Thank you for removing us from a toxic environment and allow us to bloom in this current circumstance. Amen.

Arkansas State University (Jonesboro) students face acts of racism and police brutality post Obama's victory celebration

Some may have heard about a supposed "riot" taking place at the Arkansas State University in Jonesboro AR on election night November 4, 2008. Police arrested and have accused eight black college students of inciting a riot. These kids are at risk of losing their scholarships and possibly expelled from school, if they are convicted of the story. You can find the details here.

Eyewitnesses to the events claim that the kids were merely celebrating the victory of President-elect Obama and they have the video to prove it. In fact, one of the main officers who called for back up is seen in several pictures taking pictures with the college students! Two of the students are speaking out; the letter below is being circulated across the internet.

Man, I hope this is not what we have to look forward to in the next four years.

Greetings!

I am a student at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Following Obama's victory of the 2008 Presidential election we (ASU students) witnessed extreme police brutality and racially charged chaos in our area. Below is a statement of what went on. The media is only portraying one side of the story and have not yet given us the opportunity to tell our side to let it be known what really happened.

Following the results of the 2008 Presidential election, we all began to celebrate by means of meeting in the parking lot of the campus apartment complex. There were people, cheering, driving and blowing horns, and hanging out of their cars. When we arrived in the Grove Apartments, in front of building five (5), a crowd began to accumulate, at this point, a police officer drove up. Jeffrey Boyd, one of those arrested, went to the officer to ask if we needed to leave. He said no and congratulated us on Obama's victory. He also advised us that we could celebrate until 12:30 due to it being a school night. We then, continued to play music, cheer, and dance and take pictures. 10-15 minutes later, the same officer showed up again. He proceeded to tell us that he has been getting complaints from the nearby building and that we would have to turn off the music. The driver of the car immediately went to his car and turned off the music. At this point, we obeyed the officer's command and continued talking amongst ourselves and taking pictures, including one with the officer on patrol. Around 11:00 pm, the officer pulled up again this time he just sat in his car with the lights directly on the crowd. He sat in his car for about five minutes before three more cop cars pulled up. By now, the first officer was out his car telling us that we needed to leave. Due to it not being 12:30, people began to ask if there was a problem. The other officers had, by then, made their way to the crowd. While a few people talked to the officers, the crowd began to chant "OBAMA" again. The officers finally got the pathway cleared when an officer grabbed a bystander (Clifford Crisswell) and handcuffed him. Everyone automatically, came to his defense asking the officers what had he done wrong. Approximately 30 additional officers were now present as they began to handcuff three other guys (Seneca Hart, Kevin Jones, and Donte Jones), one of which whose chest had been pushed and covered with 6 or more infrared lights. The 30 officers continued on with their rant threatening us to either leave or be taken to jail. At this time, two guys were thrown to the ground (Kiano Prater and Leroy Trahan) with police lying on top of them. Jeffery Boyd, was later also thrown to the ground where he was continuously kicked in the stomach and head by a female officer before and after being cuffed and put in the car. The crowd began to leave due to the police repeatedly stating that they would release everyone if the crowd dispersed. At this point, everyone had made it their respective destinations. We looked out the apartment window to see police with dogs and rifles. We let no one in and no one was allowed to go out. The officers continued to search outside for about 30 minutes as if they were looking for something. After we were allowed to leave, we decided to go find out where the guys had been taken. When we arrived at the detention center at 12:00 am.(midnight), they told us that everyone was booked there except the guy (Jeffrey Boyd) who had been hospitalized due to injuries suffered. He and the female officer were at the hospital being treated. The officer on duty told us that some were going to be facing "failure to disperse" and "inciting a riot" charges. He then, gave us a number to call 2 hours later to get the outcome. When we called at 2:30, they told us that the guys had to stay throughout the night and would have been reporting to court at 1 pm the following day (November 5, 2008).

As previously stated, the media is only telling one side of the story, that being the story that the Jonesboro Police Department is giving out. Their reporting that there were 200-250 of students acting in a disorderly manner, when there were only 60-70 of us at the most CELEBRATING, with permission, a very momentous night. A few were interviewed on the scene, but none of their stories have been either published or aired. Six of those arrested are currently facing a Class D Felony for Inciting a Riot and one, Jeffery Boyd who was injured is facing two charges: inciting a riot and 2nd degree battery to a police officer. The guys are all upstanding young men. Some are seniors, fraternity members, well-known football players, and have no criminal background. We have video documentation of the incident and would like to get our side of the story heard, by all means.

This has been a nightmare to us all and if you can help in any way it would be greatly appreciated. PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, AND CONSTITUENTS. TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT OF THIS GREAT INJUSTICE!!! WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Feel free to contact:
Chelsea Adams
chelsea.adams@smail.astate.edu

or

LC Kennedy
lc.kennedy@smail.astate.edu

Baptism

My sweet baby was baptized yesterday, Nov 16, 2008. I thought he might be scared, but he and his other baptizees (about 7 boys ranging in age of 7-12), were excited about going through this process. It was a beautiful thing to watch their evident joy and to be witness to the beginning of their spiritual journeys.

So, as per usual, this proud mama has pictures.

Beautiful

I'm Back!!

Whew!! This has been an incredibly intense couple weeks! I almost feel like a soldier coming home from the battle field, I am so happy to return to this space. A quick glance around shows me that I have quite a bit of catching up to do.

I believe I mentioned a few posts back that I have been promoted to a new job. Well, for any of you who have ever created anything from scratch, you probably understand the intense pressure and scrutiny that I am under. I'm going to be scrong though, mostly because I think the worst of it has settled down.

In the midst of work stuff, I had several self-imposed projects that included a submission to fiction short story contest, an online writing course, and participation in the NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, or something like that).

On top of that, my son's school is driving me nuts! I feel like all I've done these past few weeks, when not involved in the above is fight and cuss! I'm tired. When I heard myself screaming inside my head this morning when some rude ass cut me off in traffic, I knew something would have to give. Soon.

My employers have generously allowed me to adjust my work schedule. I am going to take my son out of the public school system and homeschool him. At least, until January. I'm looking for private school settings and I don't want to have to rush into any decisions.

Just making that decision went a long way to relieve the pressure in my head. Wish us luck on that.

Plans for the weekend? I've got 007 on my mind. I've already lined up my sitter and James and I are going to spend a couple exciting hours together tomorrow. My son is getting baptized Sunday morning and we're planning a family dinner after church. Y'all are welcome to join us!!

Why does the U.S. have an Electoral College?

This article was forwarded to me by a friend. It was timely because, in the course of trying to explain the election process of an American president to my 7 year old son, I realized that I was missing some information; information that I probably slept on in my Civics class in high school. This article allowed me educate him with facts, not just with the vague idea I was initially going to do. LOL!!

Read the full article, with sources and more here.

Q:

Why does the U.S. have an Electoral College? Why does the United States have an Electoral College when it would be so easy to directly elect a president, as we do for all the other political offices?

A:

The framers of the Constitution didn't trust direct democracy. When U.S. citizens go to the polls to "elect" a president, they are in fact voting for a particular slate of electors. In every state but Maine and Nebraska, the candidate who wins the most votes (that is, a plurality) in the state receives all of the state’s electoral votes. The number of electors in each state is the sum of its U.S. senators and its U.S. representatives. (The District of Columbia has three electoral votes, which is the number of senators and representatives it would have if it were permitted representation in Congress.) The electors meet in their respective states 41 days after the popular election. There, they cast a ballot for president and a second for vice president. A candidate must receive a majority of electoral votes to be elected president. The reason that the Constitution calls for this extra layer, rather than just providing for the direct election of the president, is that most of the nation's founders were actually rather afraid of democracy. James Madison worried about what he called "factions," which he defined as groups of citizens who have a common interest in some proposal that would either violate the rights of other citizens or would harm the nation as a whole. Madison’s fear – which Alexis de Tocqueville later dubbed "the tyranny of the majority" – was that a faction could grow to encompass more than 50 percent of the population, at which point it could "sacrifice to its ruling passion or interest both the public good and the rights of other citizens." Madison has a solution for tyranny of the majority: "A republic, by which I mean a government in which the scheme of representation takes place, opens a different prospect, and promises the cure for which we are seeking." As Alexander Hamilton writes in "The Federalist Papers," the Constitution is designed to ensure "that the office of President will never fall to the lot of any man who is not in an eminent degree endowed with the requisite qualifications." The point of the Electoral College is to preserve "the sense of the people," while at the same time ensuring that a president is chosen "by men most capable of analyzing the qualities adapted to the station, and acting under circumstances favorable to deliberation, and to a judicious combination of all the reasons and inducements which were proper to govern their choice." In modern practice, the Electoral College is mostly a formality. Most electors are loyal members of the party that has selected them, and in 26 states, plus Washington, D.C., electors are bound by laws or party pledges to vote in accord with the popular vote. Although an elector could, in principle, change his or her vote (and a few actually have over the years), doing so is rare. As the 2000 election reminded us, the Electoral College does make it possible for a candidate to win the popular vote and still not become president. But that is less a product of the Electoral College and more a product of the way states apportion electors. In every state but Maine and Nebraska, electors are awarded on a winner-take-all basis. So if a candidate wins a state by even a narrow margin, he or she wins all of the state’s electoral votes. The winner-take-all system is not federally mandated; states are free to allocate their electoral votes as they wish. The Electoral College was not the only Constitutional limitation on direct democracy, though we have discarded most of those limitations. Senators were initially to be appointed by state legislatures, and states were permitted to ban women from voting entirely. Slaves got an even worse deal, as a slave officially was counted as just three-fifths of a person. The 14th Amendment abolished the three-fifths rule and granted (male) former slaves the right to vote. The 17th Amendment made senators subject to direct election, and the 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. -Joe Miller

Presidential possibilities

The election of Barack Obama to the presidency of the United States of America will bring about many changes to our country, but have you really considered how things may be different?

*A picture of a black man will be posted in EVERY federal building in this country and not on the Post Office most wanted list.

*At some point, his face will grace the cover of our country's currency. I vote for the $5 bill since it sees more circulation. I bet someone has already been tasked to sort which ink combination to best suit his features.

*Michelle Obama has established a new standard of beauty and grace. How long will it take before Michelle resume's her practice of twisting and/or braiding her children's natural hair?

*We have a real possibility that our president will be able to facilitate a peaceful end to the middle eastern conflict.

Can you think of some others?

John McCain's Concession

This is the most intelligent thing I've heard him say in the last two years. If he had shown more of this side of his nature, he may have given President-Elect Obama more of a run for his money.

Yes we can!! YES, WE DID!!

Wow!!

It's just been announced that Barack Obama has been declared winner of today's presidential election and will become the next president of the United States of America.

I had hoped. I prayed. I campaigned and cajoled folk to take part in this process. But the emotion that was released at this announcement and my face bathed in tears bear witness to the fact that, somewhere in the back of my mind, I didn't really think this would happen.

The early results seemed to reinforce my doubts. My home state of Tennessee was quickly declared a McCain win, followed my its surrounding states of Arkansas, Mississippi and Georgia. These are three of the most impoverished states in the union and a huge majority of these folk could not see beyond this man's heritage and recognize that within him and his administration lay our best chances of recovery.

But as I type, I am listening to John McCain concede and am overwhelmed by the joy that I will not have to hear that nasal whine for the next four years.

Today, November 4, 2008, I am witness to history in the making. I am going to bed tonight secure in the knowledge that today, a new standard has been set for my African American son in particular, and disenfranchised sons country wide. Today, I am witness to a renewed sense of hope and anticipation for our future.

God bless and keep Barack Obama!!

Election Day 2008

This long awaited, anticipated day has finally arrived!

We now have our final opportunity to put our money where our mouth is, so to speak. So, please, put all arguments and inconveniences aside today. You know there will be long lines at the polls this morning, plan for it. Bring something to read, pack a lunch, a port-o-potty. . . do whatever it takes for you to exercise your voting privalege. At the end of this day, you will experience a sense of satisfaction because you did your part to change the course of history in this country. We will be able to say to our grandchildren,

"November the 4th 2008 is the day that WE elected our first Black American president!"

If everyone takes this opportunity to cast their votes, we can make a difference, we can have the change that President Obama has promised us (sounds good, doesn't it?).

DON'T VOTE

5 More Friends

You Can Vote However You Like

Lyrics:


Obama on the left
McCain on the right
We can talk politics all night
And you can vote however you like
You can vote however you like, yeah

Democratic left
Republican right
November 4th we decide
And you can vote however you like
You can vote however you like, yeah

(McCain supporters)
McCain's the best candidate
With Palin as his running mate
They'll fight for gun rights, pro life,
The conservative right
Our future is bright
Better economy in site
And all the world will feel our military might

(Obama supporters)
But McCain and Bush are real close right
They vote alike and keep it tight
Obama's new, he's younger too
The Middle Class he will help you
He'll bring a change, he's got the brains
McCain and Bush are just the same
You are to blame, Iraq's a shame
Four more years would be insane

Lower your Taxes - you know Obama Won't
PROTECT THE LOWER CLASS - You know McCain won't!
Have enough experience - you know that they don't
STOP GLOBAL WARMING - you know that you won't

I want Obama
FORGET OBAMA
Stick with McCain and you're going to have some drama
We need it
HE'LL BRING IT
He'll be it
YOU'LL SEE IT
We'll do it
GET TO IT
Let's move it
DO IT!

Obama on the left
McCain on the right
We can talk politics all night
And you can vote however you like
You can vote however you like, yeah

Democratic left
Republican right
November 4th we decide
And you can vote however you like, I said
You can vote however you like, yeah

I'm talking big pipe lines, and low gas prices
Below $2.00 that would be nice

But to do it right we gotta start today
Finding renewable ways that are here to stay

I want Obama
FORGET OBAMA,
Stick wit McCain you gone have some drama
MORE WAR IN IRAQ
Iran he will attack
CAN'T BRING OUR TROOPS BACK
We gotta vote Barack!

Obama on the left
McCain on the right
We can talk politics all night
And you can vote however you like, I said
You can vote however you like, yeah

Democratic left
Republican right
November 4th we decide
And you can vote however you like, I said
You can vote however you like, yeah

Meeting in the Ladies Room

Sorry fellas, I need a little girl talk right now, so if you don't mind?

Ok, ladies, I need to work off a little stress and they say that confession is good for the soul, right?

So, here's the confession. . . a few years ago, I fell in love with a man, who unbeknownst to me, despite repeated inquiries from me, was married with kids! So, I pretty much reamed him a new backside when I found out, but this really messed me up good. I don't get attached often but when I do, I fall hard and once the heat of anger passed, I hurt. . . but good.

So, fast forward to about a year ago, I ran into this man by chance. I had not spoken to or seen him since that final confrontation. He walked up to my table, hesitantly and offered me a sincere apology for his actions.

"You deserved so much better than what I did to you and I'm really sorry."

I felt better because he made no attempt to defend his actions, none of the usual trite, "she don't understand me" bull crap that some might say. So, I accepted his apology and we went on our separate ways.

I will tell you though, for weeks after that meeting, I dreamed about him and was reminded of all the things I loved about him. Now, I didn't act on those thoughts, but I just wanted you to know that they were there.

Ok, so tonight, I took two of my nieces and my son to see a play. We were paying for the tickets when who should walk up behind us? Yes, you got it. My nemesis.

Ok, since it's just us girls here, this man is so pretty to me. Let me indulge for a quick sec. . . smooth dark chocolate skin, snow white teeth, perfectly straight, just under 6 feet talk, well built, I mean, well-built. When I last saw him, he had freeform dreadlocs at mid-back. Now it's cut in a small afro, but I easily remembered how I used to love grabbing handfuls of his hair and pulling him down to me. . . oh, I'm sorry. I'm back now. He took my breath away. My niece said later in the car, "did you see his face when he saw you?" What she described was a combination of shock and absolute pleasure. He was glad to see me. He hesitated for a brief second, checked in to see if it was ok and gave me the best hug. He then stayed with us while we waited for the play to start, introduced himself to and charmed my children. Charmed me. Again.

When the play was over and I turned my cell back on, I found the following text message (oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I gave him my phone number):

This is ____. I hope this is not inappropriate seeing how I fell off
the earth, but I am happy about your submission, your son is wonderful and you
are as beautiful as when I first saw you at the library. I hope we can
talk.

Now I know myself well enough to know that I would never knowingly get involved with a married man. I also know that I had no business giving that man my phone number. I sorta kinda justified it in my head because he is a published author and playwrite and I know he was interested in hearing about my current projects. I felt a part of me melt when he told me he'd been having writer's block for the past couple years and the therapist in me wanted to offer a sounding board. Part of me wanted an opportunity to clear up a couple things. He looked at my son questioningly and asked a lot of questions about his age and such; truthfully, he and my son look alike, but of course, my baby is adopted.

Anyway, these are all excuses, I know that. I was crazy about this man. The kinda crazy that I know that I can never be anywhere private with him. Even knowing what I know, I'd jump his ass in a second. Y'all, I could not breathe and my heart kept jumping in and out of my chest cavity, down to my stomach, a little lower and then back again. He had my intellectual, emotional and sexual number and despite all that has transpired, not to mention his wife and two daughters, tonight, he took my breath away.

I need a reality check. That's why I'm writing all of this down. Maybe if I see my delusion in print, I might sober up. I'm also hoping that a couple of you will lovingly chastise me to stay on the straight and narrow.

Help a sista out! This is not what I was looking for when I put my Love List out into the universe!

Public Service Announcement

After watching the final debate last week it dawned on me that Obama
could actually win this thing!  If that happens there will be a lot of
people (some of our co-workers included) who will be afraid that an
Obama presidency will usher in the end of days.  They'll be watching us
on November 5th (the day after the election) for "signs of the end"
times.  To keep the peace and keep a lot of folks from getting nervous,
I think we should develop a list of acceptable celebrations and
behaviors we should probably avoid - at least for the first few days:

1)        No crying, hugging or shouting "Thank you, Lord" - at
least not in public

2)       No high-fives - at least not unless the area is clear and
there are no witnesses.

3)       No laughing at the McCain/Palin supporters.

4)       No calling in sick on November 5th.  They'll get nervous if
too many of us don't show up.

5)       We're allowed to give each other knowing winks or nods in
passing.  Just try to keep from grinning too               
          hard.

6)        No singing loudly, "We've Come This Far By Faith"  (it WILL
be acceptable to hum softly).

7)        No bringing barbeque ribs or fried chicken for lunch in the
company lunchroom for at least a week (no           
          chitterlings AT ALL!  This may make us seem too ethnic.)

8)        No leaving Kool-aid packages at the water fountain. 

9)        No Cupid Shuffle during breaks (this could indicate a little
too much excitement.)

10)      Please no Moving On Up music  (we are going to try to remain
humble.)

    If I've missed anything, feel free to add to the list.  I just want
to make sure we're all on the same page when Obama brings this thing
home on November 5th.  Now let's make this thing happen!!! 

(Thanks, Earl!)

It's in the mail

I am attaching another inspiring message from my pastor, Rev Thomas L Murray. I am working on building patience because I know I am waaaayy too influenced by our "fast food" society: I want what I want when and where I want it!!

But I'm a believer, and I have got to remember that God is in control and that His promises are sure. I've asked for movement within my family and I am assured that He will answer my prayers. It's in the mail, y'all . . . I just need to wait.

This message was right on time for me. I hope it blesses you!

"IT'S IN THE MAIL"

Recently I spoke with a friend of mine about a package that he had promised to send and that I had not yet received. He assured me that he had sent it and that I should expect to receive it any day, and he went on to say, "it's in the mail". Just the thought of knowing that it had indeed been sent and that it was in the mail relieved me from the anticipation that comes with waiting . All too often in life, as believers we wait for our prayers to be answered, our situations to get better, the economy to improve, and God's promises to be made manifest in our lives -- there is a sense of expectation that God is going to do something about the situation that we find ourselves in. Many times when we expect something in the natural we have faith that it will soon come, ie. that income tax refund check, the stimulus payment, the rebate check, the closing papers...and we wait with a sense of urgency, looking through the mail everyday, waiting on the mail person to arrive. And once the mail finally gets there, we are over-joyed. Isaiah 40: 31, gives us a wonderful promise as believers and lets us know that those who truly rely upon God and commit themselves to His guidance, shall find that God will not fail them. As you go into this day, move forward with a spirit of expectation knowing that what you have entrusted into the hands of God will not go unnoticed and be prepared to celebrate and give God praise once you get what you have been waiting for.

Be blessed,

Pastor Thomas L. Murray
ptlm@aol.com