It’s Not My Job!

You got to give it to Rick Santorum as a candidate running for President of the United States.  A leader stands up for what he thinks is right regardless of the feedback.  If Santorum was a man with character he wouldn’t mislead or deceive his potential voters.  That is the problem with this current crop of candidates.  They are more determined to be the nominee of the Republican Party that they are willing to compromise their moral and integrity to get it.  Rick had an opportunity to seize the moment by correcting a falsehood made by an individual.  Instead, he tried to take a negative advantage of it by “alluding” but not disagreeing that the President is an Arab.  How responsible would this “President” be when things go wrong?  Sen. John McCain is a bigger man.  In 2008, when McCain was running for President, a woman told him that she heard Obama was an Arab.  McCain immediately threw that claim out.  He respectfully told her, “No, ma’am.  He's a decent family man and citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues and that's what this campaign's all about. He's not."  Booyah!  Now that was Presidential material.  John didn’t make it as President but at least he manned up!  Santorum didn’t take the high road and he didn’t dive in the ditch to get dirty.  He just stood back and said “That’s not my job!”

I Do Not Interpret Dreams!

This article started out from a simple email and phone conversation but it got me really thinking.  A friend sent me an email last weekend about a dream she had and wanted several of us to interpret it for us.  I’m not even good at guessing, so dream interpretation is out of the question.  I didn’t answer the email.  Later, she forwarded me a response from one of the recipients with a note that said, “Look what so & so said.”  I still didn’t reply.  A few minutes later I got a phone call from my friend asking if I read her email and what did I think?  I told her that so & so was right!  “Why”, she asked?  Because the first thing typed was, “Pray for revelation!”  To me, that was a good answer.  I believe that once God gives you the answer, what other answer do you need?  You don’t need a second opinion.  This is spiritual related, not medical.  The prophets and kings in the Bible knew it or either learned it later.  God makes the impossible, possible, because He is able and no one is greater.  We tend to want an immediate answer and one that we want to hear.  We all love and believe in God, but we all have our moments of weakness.  Our disappointments are God’s appointments.  We can’t see that because that’s who we are.  God wants us to use these difficult situations and circumstances to help us grow and be better people.  It’s hard to deal with rejections and failures.  But we have to believe if God didn’t believe in us we wouldn’t be who we are.  It’s bad enough that we don’t believe in ourselves.  Back to the dream interpretation dilemma, when it’s time to be revealed, she will recognize the significance.  Prayerfully, she will learn more about herself.  She is a good person but like many of us still searching for more, for something to believe in.

And The Loser Is …

South Carolina republican voters chose Newt Gingrich as the representative to best wrestle the controls from President Obama.  They came out in impressive forces at the polls.  You have to give them props because it was terrible weather in South Carolina Saturday, January 22^nd.  I think had it been a democratic turnout, not many people will face bad weather.  602,433 people came out to vote for their candidate of choice.  The bulk of the votes, 591,661, went to Gingrich, 243,398, 40%; Romney, 167,957, 28%; Santorum, 102,213, 17%; and my favorite, Ron Paul, 78,093, 13%.  10,772 votes went to former runners, Bachman; 496, Cain; 6,326, Huntsman, 1,188, Johnson, 213, and Perry 2,549.  Those voters could have forgotten who were running or have other reasons to vote.  Interesting that Gingrich got the large conservative counties in South Carolina.  Anderson, with 44%, Greenville, 40%, Horry, 46%, Kershaw 38%, Lexington, 37%, and Spartanburg, 40% .  Richland has Kershaw and Lexington on each side but they only voted 32%.  I can’t question the unwritten statement that the voters are saying but I can question why some these evangelical Christians can cheer for adulterers but promote family values.  Yet, they can still hate people with different skin complexions.  I shouldn’t be surprised in their commitment to Newt, he’s a good old Georgia boy.  He wants young black men and women to be janitors so that they’ll have a permanent job. I have to remember that South Carolina sided with the slave owners, seceded from the union, sided with the British in the American Revolution, hated civil rights because state rights won’t have much need of the Federal Government.  We still hold education hostage and don’t care for northerners.  Hypocrisy is the mainstay.  Northerners and the elite are still running our state.  We can hate this President so much that any ethics violations Newt committed in Congress and personal abuse against his wives will be forgotten. So many people are angry it seems for all of the wrong reasons.  So many politicians are exploiting this anger and channeling it more towards fear and negativity.  Newt has proven that.  What we will always see is the beliefs that people throughout the US still think that Obama is a Muslim (Even though Rev. Wright was his preacher and Rev. Wright was hated).  Rick Santorum had a moment to correct that falsehood but instead used it as if he had agreed with the lady in his campaign questioning Obama's nationality.  Newt, I am appalled that you candidates running for President are not truly respresenting all of the people but your own selfish interests.  Newt was a part of the Washington Machine, he knows exactly what buttons to push to get the necessary results.  I don’t know how long he will ride this wave but fear and anger can go a long way.  Why can't these guys be like Ron Paul, consistent?  What will happen for many us when America is taken back to where?  Who will really lose.  Minorities suppose to know their place.  Looks like the middle class will be losing a lot more points. 

Great Is Your Mercy (live) – Donnie McClurkin

Imagine Me - Kirk Franklin

*Forgiveness!!!

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

Want in on a little secret? Here it is. I like to hold a grudge. I like to hold a grudge because it feels good. You see, when I hold a grudge, the other person is the bad guy, and I’m the victim. When I hold a grudge, I can play the part of the tragic hero and bask in my righteous indignation. Best of all, when I hold a grudge, my life is simple. I’m right. They’re wrong. And unless they come back and grovel to my satisfaction, I don’t have to strain my mind about anything.

But there’s a downside to holding a grudge. Playing the victim seems like an easy pass for a while. But over time it leaves a sense of helplessness that’s bitter and dark. Righteous indignation may taste sweet for a moment, but eventually it sours the soul. And when I hold a grudge in front of my eyes, I am blinding myself to all the ways I have failed others, all the ways I have disappointed others, and all the ways I have given others good reason to hold a grudge against me.

Maybe you struggle with the same problem. But here’s the real tragedy. You and I are naturals when it comes to holding grudges. We’re good at it. So good that, as sinners, we’re trapped. Trapped in cycles of bitterness and resentment. Trapped with no peaceful place to go. Which is exactly why Jesus came to invade our time and space. He took upon himself the weight of our every sin, our every failure, our every wrong. He went to the cross. He paid for them in full. Because he did, the Lord has forgiven us. It’s a forgiveness that’s complete. It’s a forgiveness that’s free.

That forgiveness is something else, too. God’s Word tells us that that forgiveness is also what gives us the power to forgive others, to release old grudges, to dismiss old grievances that have been darkening our lives far too long.

This year, throw the old grudges away. Forgive. Forgive as the Lord has forgiven you.

*Morning Walk E-Mail

Hello Beloved – Angela Winbush/Ronald Isley

What a beautiful song! Angela and Ron can sing! Of course, there was some chemistry, they did marry in 1993 and they divorced in 2002. Angela was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2003 but after a successful surgery, the cancer was in remission and she went back to singing. She went through some other things such as having a benign cyst removed from her breast overcoming depression after her divorce from Ron. She’s proud that her strong faith has helped her to overcome these challenges. Angela is such a beautiful woman!

I Won’t Complain – Rev. Paul Jones (Extended Version)

Encourage Yourself – Donald Lawrence/The Tri-City Singers

The Shoe Box!!!

This funny email has been surfing the internet.  I don't know the author, but it begs the question of how much does your mate have to put up with?  When we argue, we wonder if we made the right choice in choosing a mate.  Sometimes, we ask ourselves what if.  What if I had chosen so and so, what would so and so do in this situation?  Would so and so understand me better than my mate?  Relationships are hard work, they are just like jobs that we can walk away from, but are they worth keeping.  Please read the email and think about what would you do? 

A man and woman had been married for more than 60 years. They had shared everything. They had talked about everything. They had kept no secrets from each other except that the little old woman had a shoe box in the top of her closet that she had cautioned her husband never to open or ask her about.

For all of these years, he had never thought about the box,

But one day the little old woman got very sick and the doctor said she would not recover.

In trying to sort out their affairs, the little old man took

down the shoe box and took it to his wife's bedside.

She agreed that it was time that he should know what was in the box. When he opened it, he found two crocheted dolls and a stack of money totaling $95,000.

He asked her about the contents.

'When we were to be married,' she said, 'my grandmother told me the secret of a happy marriage was to never argue. She told me that if I ever got angry with you, I should just keep quiet and crochet a doll.'

The little old man was so moved; he had to fight back tears. Only two precious dolls were in the box. She had only been angry with him two times in all those years of living and loving. He almost burst with happiness.

'Honey,' he said, 'that explains the doll, but what about all of this money? Where did it come from?'

'Oh,' she said, 'that's the money I made from selling the dolls.'

A Prayer

Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man;

Love to forgive him; and Patience for his moods;

Because Lord, if I pray for Strength, I'll beat him to death,

Because I don't have time to crochet.

So Gone – Jill Scott ft. Paul Wall

I’m diverting a little to this particular song, not because it’s sexy, but because it’s all about taking care of the lover in your life.  This young woman hasn’t received the credit she deserves.  Jill is very talented, not only can sing, she can truly act.  Society has misplaced values on full-figured women.  There is nothing wrong with a woman who has some extra meat on her in all the right places.  She can’t help it if she’s big-boned.  She carries herself well, respect herself, and expect others to respect her, too.  Jill seemed to have lost weight to be accepted, the same that Jennifer Hudson had to do.  It’s a shame that we still value people by the way they appeal to us.  We forget what they have to do to maintain good health and prolong their time with us.

I Feel Like Going On!

Let’s give credit to the Mississippi Mass Choir for their version, I Feel Like Going On.  Where the author got Home from, I don’t know.  I don't know why I went back and listened to these old songs. God knows just what I need and when I need it.  No matter how far we've drifted from the Lord, He's always there. He loves us more than we will ever know, even more than a mother’s love. Thank you, Lord, Your mercy endures forever!

Encore - James Fortune/FIYA

Domestic Violence!

This video says it all about the possible consequences of conflict. Unfortunately, this is reality. There are just too many people we love (d) that are in situations that could not see their way out it. “Lord, if you won’t move this mountain, give me the strength to climb over it!” We don’t just hurt the ones we love, we overdo it. What’s worse, we don’t realize it! People we have got to find a better way to respect and communicate with each other. We all have stress but we can find some way to turn it into something positive. Let’s not rely on how much time it’s going to take, we can screw things up bad enough. We must start now! We all had mothers and fathers, if they were abused, we must break the chain now and not use that experience as an excuse. We wouldn’t want any member of our family hurt by anyone, especially, by the very person that says they love them. Nothing worth having is ever easy, but trying to keep it can be everything.  A link has been provided at the title of this entry.

Conflict!!!

Regardless of the definition, it is opposing what your mate feels that is detrimental to his or her physical or mental stability. Either way you look at it, the two opposing forces are not thinking in the same direction. I’m speaking of relationships in general. At times, it might seem that we are involved in a war. Words are said that can hurt the person you love because you need to make a point. I don’t always think from the heart but from the mind. This can cause an even bigger problem because I’m always too busy analyzing instead of listening. It’s remarkable the way so many marriages and relationships collapse and/or destroyed by the very people who were once in love with each other. It’s pitiful that they lose that love forever. I have attached a website called the Two of Us. I hope that it will help someone who wants to make their relationship work.  We have to stand up for the ones we love, deep inside they still love us, too!

I Want To Say Thank You - Lisa Page Brooks!

We have come too far for go God to leave us now!  We couldn’t have made it without Him!

The Best Is Yet To Come – Donald Lawrence

Happy New Year!

Find your own happiness this year!  A new year, a new beginning!!  To paraphrase the saying, “Out with the old and in with the new”, let’s leave the bad experiences and memories behind.  Let’s learn from them and move forward.  Loves will be lost and loves will be gained.  What was meant for you is for you.  We all have struggled through 2011 and will probably do the same for 2012.  But we can have a positive attitude instead of finding the negativity in what we do, where we work, and in whom we love.  We are imperfect and should not expect perfection from others, but we can look at our own weaknesses and start by looking inside.  We will have to learn to forgive more, tolerate more, be patient more, and strive more to do better.  I know I have a lot to do and instead of talking about it, start it and get it done.  Actions can speak louder than words.  But, if we’re blind to those actions, we still won’t see.  We can’t see that we what we have been looking for just might be in front of us.  We all are grown and we know what to do.  Maybe it was too late to make it right, does it matter?  I can’t speak for anyone else except myself.  I will keep God in front of me and let Him direct my steps.  I do intend to be more confident not to be confused with being arrogant.  I will believe in me and not be anyone’s fool.  I pray with God’s blessings, we will have the insight to know who is real and who is taking an opportunity to use us.  I wish you the strength to conquer any internal and external battles you face.  Just remember, you woke up this morning, someone, somewhere didn't.  Try not to focus on what we lost.  Live long, love deeply, and laugh loud!  I wish you all, a blessed, prosperous, safe, and successful new year!!!