Stop the Complaining and Start the Praying!!!

If you think that you are the only person with serious problems, think again. You are not alone. Most of the time, we’re feeling sorry for ourselves and wallow around in self-pity so that it can cover every inch of our bodies. Sort of like getting all covered up with mud so that everybody can see what you’re going through. This speaks levels. Once we get caught up in our own gook, we begin losing our confidence, our belief in our selves and very slowly our self-esteem begins to decline. We’re a train wreck and we haven’t even ran off the tracks. In fact, the collision from the other train is so far away that we have already began the countdown for the crash. We’re so busy about the crash ahead that we can’t even think about evasive actions and checking maps to see if there are other tracks ahead so that we can switch. Our focus lies in our supposedly inevitable crash and feeling sorry for ourselves that we don’t think straight. All we can do now is complain about our demise and the pitiful situation we’re in. It’s what we do and we do it so well. My brothers and sisters in Christ, we lose our faith every day and fight for it everyday. The way to gain ground is through prayer, without we’ll only concentrate on the negatives. As a saying goes, negative thinking draws the negatives to you. If you can’t control it, it will start affecting your relationship with others. You won’t be able to see the good in them because you’re caught up in self-pity. Well, stop complaining about your problems and start praying for wisdom and understanding to deal with them. There is not one person on this earth living and now dead that did not have serious problem or problems in their lives. Sometimes when we think we overcame one problem another shows up right behind it. Just when we thought we were getting ahead, we just got backed up a couple of steps. God will give us only what we can bear. Though there are times that it seems that it a lot to take. We tried crying, begging, borrowing, even asking others to pray for us. We half-heartedly say a few prayers until we’re straight again and stop praying until another bad time. We got it wrong! We need to pray all of the time. It’s like exercising. It becomes automatic and we maintain our focus. Yes, I believe prayer works and I believe you do, too. Think about it. Thinking back, we’ve all have gone through some stuff and wondered how did we get through it. Thank God, He’s always there. He keeps His part of the promise but we take our part for granted. We got to do better with prayer and faith or we’ll lose more than our friendships and lives. We’ll lose our souls, too.

U Don’t Have 2 Listen Now, But 1 Day U Will!!

Graphs from

Bureau of Justice Statistics/U. S. Department of Justice

“A hard head, makes a soft behind”, was what the elders use to tell us when we were growing up. We got the message when they spanked us. Yeah, we got out of line somewhere and got back in line with a butt-cut. We didn’t understand it as children but now as adults, we do. Some folks said, “You’ll find out the hard way.”  I also heard, "You don't have to listen now, but one day you'll wish you did."  The hard way was another butt-cut or something regrettable. You avoided the butt-cuts as much as possible because that was no badge of honor. Back then, you got butt-cuts in front of your friends and/or classmates and it was embarrassing and sometimes humiliating. Now going to jail is seen as a badge of honor and pride among some of our youth. Parents can’t discipline their children anymore like they used to. They might get reported to the Department of Social Services or watch-dog groups that look for abuse in families. My neighbors and teachers use to discipline us, too. I would say “whip” but that term in not politically correct anymore. It denotes a harsher type of punishment. But in those days, we did get “whippings.” I believe that most of did managed to live without any regrets and found that those teaching stayed with us. I believe that we didn’t turn out so bad and didn’t have to do any jail time or allowed ourselves to get into some bad situations. I will always believe that the elders had the same things told to them and tried their best to pass it on to us so that we can avoid unnecessary problems. I will always believe that they just wanted the best for us and if necessary beat it into us. I can’t reiterate enough that when a parent is not allowed to discipline his/her children for the good of the child, then society will pay for it. There are two many men and women, black and white, are in prison institutions of some sort. Even if unfairly incarcerated, there is still a huge cost for society to pay.

Memorial Day Weekend Movies!

With Memorial Day come all of the old movies from the 30’s up the present. I am a fanatic for these nostalgic scenes of yesteryear. I saw In Harms Way, From Hell to Eternity, Bataan, Midway, To Hell and Back, Darby’s Rangers, Sergeant York, Stalag 17 and as many others I could see without falling asleep trying to stay up all night. Somehow I managed to fit in some Clint Eastwood films, too! I saw a Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, Hang ‘em High, and Pale Rider. You can I see that I hibernated all weekend. I even saw Legend of the Fall! I saw some great movies these past four days mainly directed towards the brave and fallen. But what brought the true meaning of Memorial Day to me was not visit the Memorial downtown but seeing the movie Taking Chance, a true story. Please see this movie. It’s about a Lt. Colonel escorting a fallen marine, whose name is Chance Phelps, nineteen years old, back home in Colorado. Chance was killed in action in Iraq and the great care and love the techs did to prepare him for his final journey was amazing! They treated the body with dignity and honor. The LTC played by Kevin Bacon had to come to grips with his own emotions and inner battles. To me, this was the best I have ever seen Kevin act. This movie reminded me of Jamie Foxx in Ray, I soon forgot that it was Jamie playing and saw only Ray Charles. That’s how good this movie is. I remember those days how at times it was fun, laughing and joking one minute, and the next, worrying about whether you’re going back home in a body bag or with all of your parts. Don’t take your military men and women for granted! Don’t take your own life for granted! We have EMS, Police, firemen, first responders, doctors and nurses, who everyday get up in the morning and do what they do best to protect and help others. So many of them all take a last look at home before they leave because they know they can’t be sure if they’ll return. We have to support our troops. They are our babies, sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, who feel that they are obligated to give something to this nation. This great nation cannot fail them, now or never. The powers-that-be need to stop bullshitting our military and veterans and treat them with the dignity and respect that these brave men and women deserve! There should be no questions of employment, housing and medical treatment that these veterans should enjoy from our government. And yes, I did wear my American Legion cap all weekend!

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation."


George Washington
General and Commander-in-Chief & First President of the United States of America

Memorial Day Salute!

Picture by Mel Coker

Many a good soldier has died for this country.  Some were recognized and many went unnoticed.  Some of these brave soldiers's bodies were never recovered.  Most importantly, families never recovered either.  Conflicts, battles, and wars always seem  meaningless unless you're involved.  Even then you question the purpose and value.  It's easy to sit behind a desk a make decisions for others to venture in harm's way.  But, let me stick to the point.  Many black soldiers and sailors have given their lives for this country and are still treated unfairly.  One day the world will recognize these brave men, too.  The Tuskeegee Airmen finally got their due even though many of them have already died before they got it.  Do not blame others for their own hatreds, pray for them.  You can't change a man's mind until you change his heart.  On this Memorial Day, take a moment and give all brave soldiers that died and are still fighting, a minute of thanks.  Then pray for those families that sacrificed their sons and daughters who will never see them again.  They gave up their love ones for freedom and causes that they may never know.

Get The Facts Straight!!!

I heard a local news anchor announce that the President was talking a lot of heat because he wasn't attending Memorial Day Services at the Tomb of The Unknown Solder.  Of course, you know what "fair and unbiased" network started it, but I honestly believe that one day Glenn Beck will have a nervous breakdown and blame the liberals for it.  I guess news anchors don't have to do anymore research for facts.  I wonder...?

I found this correct information on Media Matters, that President Obama was not the only President that didn't lay a wreath on the Tomb on Memorial Day.  Here it is:

Obama is not the first president to commemorate the holiday somewhere other than Arlington National Cemetery.

Beck falsely claims Obama "has decided not to honor our troops on Memorial Day"

From the May 26 edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Glenn Beck Program:

BECK: The president has decided not to honor our troops on Memorial Day and go to -- can you find out the last president that decided to take a vacation and then go to a Paul McCartney -- come back for a Paul McCartney concert, but not for the laying of a wreath on Memorial Day? Maybe this has happened before. I don't recall it.

Previous presidents have honored Memorial Day away from Arlington Cemetery

1983: Reagan attended summit meeting; Defense Department official Thayer laid wreath at Arlington. Deputy Secretary of Defense W. Paul Thayer laid a wreath at Arlington Cemetery during the Memorial Day ceremony in 1983, according to a May 31, 1983, Washington Post article (retrieved from the Nexis database). The Associated Press reported that President Reagan attended a "summit meeting in Williamsburg, Va., with leaders of the industrialized democracies."

1992: George H.W. Bush allowed VP Quayle to lay wreath. In 1992, Vice President Dan Quayle laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery on Memorial Day, according to a May 26, 1992, Boston Globe article (from Nexis). The Globe reported that President George H.W. Bush attended a wreath-laying ceremony and made brief remarks at an American Legion hall in Kennebunkport, Maine, where he also played a round of golf.

2002: George W. Bush spoke at commemoration in Normandy. On May 27, 2002, President George W. Bush spoke at a Memorial Day commemoration in Normandy, France.

Bush remained in Texas for Veterans Day in 2007

Veterans Day 2007: Cheney attended ceremony to pay tribute at Arlington as Bush remained in Texas. On November 11, 2007, the AP reported that "President Bush honored U.S. troops past and present at a tearful ceremony Sunday for four Texans who died there." The AP further reported that "Vice President Dick Cheney went to Arlington to pay tribute to Iraq veterans."

Source: http://mediamatters.org/research/201005260069

So much for bending the facts.  Years ago, the things said about our President would have been treasonous.  It's remarkable how we can find a great use now for Free Speech.

RIP, Gary Coleman!

Tragedy continues to strike the young cast of the old TV Series "Different Folks."  This time Gary Coleman, known for the popular phrase "What you talking about Willis", died at the age of 42 on Friday after a brain hemorrhage.  He was taken off life support systems Friday morning and passed on that afternoon.  He followed his TV sister, Dana Plato, of a drug overdose in 1999.  Her son couldn't get over her death and had committed suicide on May 6, 2010.  Todd Bridges has had his share of ups and downs, more downs than up.  Some have said that it was a curse on that show, I don't know.  Gary has suffered all of his life due to congenital health problems that aided in stunting his growth.  Rest In Peace, Mr Coleman!

Techno

I look for a way ...D5SPZF2GURVQ...but stay prepared.