Little Vivian!!

Look at those cute cheekbones and smile!!!

1964

Rest In Peace, Ellen Hill!

Ellen L. Hill, 66, entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at Self Regional Medical Center. Born in Newberry, SC, she was the daughter of the late Roger Leaks and Phebbie Johnson Leaks. She was a member of Scurry Spring Hill Baptist Church in Chappells. She was a member of the Morning Glory Garden Club, Secretary of AARP and a member of the Women Aide Society No. 47.

Ellen lost her mother last year, May 10, 2011 (See picture of family under Ms. Phebbie Leaks). God bless this family and strengthen them during these times of sorrow.  Please keep her children and grandchildren in your prayers.  One of the grand's birthday was on the same day his grandmom passed.

Matters of the Heart - Tia D!

Another great poem from Tia D!

Came clean of hidden motives

 Now I've begun to see

That all the times that I blamed them

The real problem was me

I should have been more guarded

Less of an open book

In giving up my heart unearned

They had no need to look

But now with all my walls up

And every door secure

I’ve taken back this heart of mine

Protecting it for sure

Won’t give it up so freely

When it’s worth so much more

So if you want my heart this time

You must break through the door

And if you want my trust now

Courageously pursue

Because this time around you see

The choice is left to you

tmd

11-29-11

Thanks, Tia!

LILA OUR FRIEND

LILA OUR FRIEND, WE DIDN’T HAVE TO BE AROUND

HER 24 SEVEN,

WE KNEW SHE WAS A HARD WORKING AND WONDERFUL PERSON THAT

WAS ON HER WAY TO HEAVEN.

SHE TREATED PEOPLE THE WAY SHE WANTED TO BE

TREATED BUT ALWAYS WITH A SMILE,

SHE WAS A PERSON WITH A HEART AND WOULD ALWAYS

GO THE EXTRA MILE.

SHE DID NOT ENTERTAIN FOOLISHNESS AND THINGS THAT

DID NOT COINSIDE WITH HER SPIRITUALITY,

SHE KNEW SOME FOLK WERE NOT THERE IN THEIR SPIRITUAL

JOURNEY AND SHE KNEW THAT WAS A REALITY.

SHE WILL BE GREATLY MISSED BY HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS,

BUT WE LOVED HER BECAUSE SHE WAS A PERSON THAT

TREATED US LIKE KIN.

“NO EYES HAVE SEEN

NO EARS HAVE HEARD

NO MIND HAS CONCEIVED

FOR WHAT GOD HAS PREPARED

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM”.

1CORINTHIANS 2:9

VANESSA L HALTER-WILSON

9-2-2011

God's Grace - Trin-I-Tee 5:7

Should the Super Committee, Congress, and the President be Blamed?

Should we have expected more?  The committee members were just the micro units of the macro partisan Senate and House members.  They simply carried their political loyalty with them instead of putting the country first.  Let’s face it; we’re going to vote these same self-serving legislators back in office not just because we recognize their names on the ballot but because we don’t know any difference.  Some people have short memories.  You might have been used before but this time its going to be different.  They are not going to repeat this again.  How many times have we said and heard this?  We, the public, are just as much the blame for these leaders because we put them in office.  Each party leader has a responsibility to lead their party in the best direction for the American people.  Somebody has to do what is right and get others to see a bigger, united picture.  Yes, this does seem to be the worse Congress in years, but don’t blame everything on the President.  I sincerely believe that because of partisan politics that the Super Committee was a sham and these politicians knew not to make any budget cuts.  Let the automatic cuts take place in 2013, election year and they won’t be held responsible.  This should have been done in the first place.  The Republicans want this President to be a one-term President and once the people see these cuts, they’ll blame him for this mess.  Remember, a Republican took 8 years to put us into this mire.  I didn’t hear any blames being tossed when we weren’t even claiming the cost of wars that helped put us in this debt.  We must have lost our own sense of judgment to think we can “fix” the economy in 3 years.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Despite the troubles and economic turmoil that seem to surround us, let us remember to still be thankful.  I know how hard it is to find some good in a world that has turned its back on God.  A world that seems satisfied looking for hate, anger and unhappiness.  We are about to enter a season not only to be thankful but to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.  Instead, we find that commercialism and political arguments are the themes of the day!  If it’s not about money; it’s about politics. If it’s not about catastrophes or disasters; it’s about strife and wars.  Get the picture?  You don’t hear about good news as much as you hear about bad news.  Another piece to this abstract is celebrating Thanksgiving without our loved ones.  For whatever the reason, the people we once loved are no longer with us and the tradition of doing things together has ended.  We should be thankful even for the time we did spend with them.  We should be thankful for the memories we shared.  We should be thankful because we were blessed for the love we had for them.  Holidays aren’t as easy to deal with as we grow older but we have so much wisdom now to make our own lives more understanding.  God bless you, my friends.  May your days be peaceful and prosperous and your nights peaceful and restful.  Enjoy your holidays.

Thank You - Milton Brunson-TCS - featuring Kim McFarland

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

I Choose To Worship - Wess Morgan

He Has His Hands On You - Marvin Sapp

Affirmation!!!

. . . though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, . . . You are with me... Psalm 23:4

Hagar was one of those behind-the-scenes people, thrown into jobs she didn't seek--a servant girl asked to conceive her master's child and then treated harshly by her mistress. Fleeing to the wilderness, Hagar sat alone by a well in despair and isolation. It was there God made His presence known to her. An overjoyed Hagar named the well, Beerlahairoi, "You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees" (Genesis 16:13-14).  Abraham was the powerful man in the spotlight, everyone wanted to be his friend. But when God asked him to do the unthinkable--raise a knife to slay his son and prove his love for God--he answered with humility and trust, not ego. Obediently hiking up Mount Moriah, Abraham faced the task alone. And in the moment of Abraham's deepest need, God provided the substitute sacrifice of a ram. Abraham called the place, Jehovah-Jireh, "The-Lord-Will-Provide" (Genesis 22:14).  Maybe you're feeling rejected and alone like Hagar. Or perhaps God is asking you to take a stand in an area of your life that will require a big change--like Abraham. Loneliness comes to all of us. Remember that God sees you, and He will provide.

When God seems absent from us, He is often doing His most important work in us.


Turning Points

You That I Trust – Rance Allen Group featuring Paul Porter!

Special Moments!

We talked about Snapshots, which is to me, another name for a “Kodak Moment.”  That special shot that is a one-in-a-million moment caught on film.  We all have had those special moments that we might have missed because we didn’t have a camera at the time.  But we have our memories!  Special moments not only include loves, kisses, births, marriages, divorces, deaths, but jobs, experiences, sacrifices, and survivals.  The good times we laugh and smile about while the bad times we cry and suffer over.  I can’t speak for everyone else but I can for myself.  It was those times when I thought I was alone that I didn’t trust God enough to know that He never left me.  How foolish can one be when he talks faithfulness but doesn’t put forward his belief?  I’ve been in the valleys but thank God, I learned that He was the only one to bring me out of them.  Don’t misunderstand me, God placed all the resources and people around you to get you through it all.  In some of my special moments I doubted what could or would be best for me.  In those darkest moments, I didn’t always see “the light.”  I only saw pity and despair.  I didn’t lift my hands or my head towards the mountain where my Lord, Jesus and all my help came from.  But in His infinite love and mercy for all of His Children, God heard my cries.  And believe me, I am eternally grateful.  Most of us have read Footprints.  For years, only Anonymous, as the writer, appeared at the bottom.  I’m not sure who wrote it but some credit has been given to Mary Stevenson who wrote it sometime in the late 1930s.  When we think we’ve gotten through some hopeless moments by ourselves, we have to look back and face the blessed facts that God carried us through these times of trouble.  We have special moments every day and take them for granted.  You pray for me and I’ll pray for you, we need each other to survive this journey we call life.  Prayer does change things. To God, we give the glory!

Opportunities and Possibilities!

Reverend Ben Colley dropped by my humble cubicle and left some profound religious knowledge with me. He always does! Remember Reverend Ben? He was the inspiration of a few of my blogs, 1-2-3 Red Light, Hide and Go Seek, the Wizard of Oz. He asked me if I had seen the Progressive Snapshot commercial. Snapshot is a small device that you plug into the OBDII port of your car. Once plugged in, the Snapshot monitors your driving habits. Based on how carefully you drive you can qualify for up to a 30% discount on your auto insurance. Is this when we begin to slide down the slippery slope of allowing our driving habits to be remotely monitored 24/7? It’s about keeping up with good driving habits which can result in saving you some money. That little device can keep up with 24 hours a day if you choose to use it and stay with that particular insurance company. But what do you think God’s snapshot of us will look like? He monitors our behavior all of our lives whether we choose to do right or wrong. Our choices can dictate our opportunities but can limit or expand our possibilities. The adversary would prefer us to make a quick choice without involving God. The enemy would want us to take the wrong path which can affect us negatively for the rest of our lives. Things are tough enough as they are, no need of making them any worse by looking back and questioning what could have been. Our possibilities to become what we could have been were blocked by our choices. In all that we do, we must include God, Who will direct our paths. When we exclude Him, problems arise. When we close our opportunities, we shut our possibilities. As always, thanks Reverend Ben.

Already Here - Courtney Wilson

Thank You, Lord, I Am So Grateful For Your Mercy!!!

Lord, you have surrounded me with family, friends, and "the calvary" to see me through these trying times!  I just want to say thank you for your many blessings!  I am not worthy to receive you only say the word and my soul shall be healed.

Happy Veterans Day!!!

Let's keep our military men, women, families and supporting staffs in your prayers.  They are sacrificing more than their lives for our rights.

Rest In Peace, Heavy D!

Dwight Arrington Myers (May 24, 1967 – November 8, 2011), better known as Heavy D, was a Jamaican-born American actor, rapper, record producer, singer and the leader of Heavy D and the Boys.  The once “Overweight Lover” collapsed in his Beverly Hills home Tuesday morning and died a short time later at a Los Angeles hospital, according to police reports.  Some medias reported that he had pneumonia.  Heavy might have been obese years ago but he could dance!  Heavy D was 44 years old.

Get Tested!

Getting tested for serious health issues before they happen is a sign of someone who cares about the people in their lives.  It doesn't matter whether it's HIV/AIDS, cancer, heart, or any other medical issues that can be treated in time, just get it done.  Let's not wait until its too late!

Rest In Peace, Joe Frazier!

Everyone in the boxing arena has heard of "Smokin Joe" Frazier.  He was the opponent that Mohammad Ali gave a great deal of respect to.  "Smokin Joe" died of cancer in a hospice at 67 years old on November 7th, 2011.  God be with you.

Imperfections

Sometimes we don’t know how imperfect we are until someone brings it to our attention.  We already know that we aren’t perfect or even close to it but it cuts to the bone when someone we hardly know points it out about us. As we get older, we learn more and more about ourselves and must face the fact that we still got a lot to learn.  I have so many faults that I can’t even begin to start.  I can’t even tell you which of them is greater than the other.  But two things that I will immediately and continuously work on are my brusque actions and inability to let people finish talking.  I have a bad habit of not letting people finish their sentences.  It’s frustrating, callous, selfish, and impolite.  I’m on a few days medical leave so I have some time to think about getting myself together.  I know that it will take a lot of concentration and thought on my part and I hope that the people that are engaged in conversation with me will be forgiving and understanding.  I apologize to everyone that I offended.

Prepare For Spiritual Warfare!

Have you ever awaken in the middle of the night with something on your mind?  Not the interrupting kind of awakening. I mean you went to sleep peacefully, going over a great day and nothing-really-on-your-mind kind of sleep.  You might have had a slight irritation from someone but you dismissed it like a gnat.  But in the middle of the night, you awake because you heard something/someone say “Prepare for Spiritual Warfare.”  So, I wrote it down.  Yes, I keep a pen and paper on the nightstand to write down thoughts or whatever I might think of throughout the night to pursue those thoughts later.  I know that the enemy will do what ever can be done to keep our focus off of God.  The Devil knows that to control you he needs to control areas of the mind.  If you continue to build a relationship with the Lord and attach yourself around like-minded people, prepare for battle.  We all crack and get distracted, so we will have to build some strong roots to get our selves together.  We have the armor and the tools to do battle.  Here are some verses from Ephesians 6:10-18, New International Version (NIV).  “¹⁰ Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³ Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴ Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵ and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶ In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷ Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  ¹⁸ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”  After all, we are conquerors.  Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” We must have faith in God and strengthen ourselves within that faith.  We believe in it, act on it, and never doubt it!  Look around you, we need all the help we can get.  We've been fighting and arguing against the wrong people.  We are fighting against an unseen enemy who uses friends and family to fight against us.  And we end up hurting the ones we care about the most as they do us.  It's a continuous battle and struggle, no one said it would be easy.  We must be tolerant and loving of each other even when they do offend us whether they are aware of it or not.