Heartaches & Headaches!!!

Heartaches & headaches,

I refuse to be the cause.

Listening to friends’ wrong advice

sometimes carry a lying noise.

We can work out our own

problems, if we truly care.

It’s up to you to believe

the envy that they bare.

So we’ll go our separate ways,

I won’t hold you back.

I wish you God’s blessing

that you receive all things good

whenever you ask.

   "A Part of Things"

      Ejothian S. Litman

Team Tisha

Love Shouldn't Hurt

Stand Up Against Domestic Violence

This past Saturday morning, I walked at The Mayor’s Walk Against Domestic Violence.  I was invited by a very, very, special friend to walk with her sister and their friends for this worthy cause.  Criminal Domestic Violence doesn’t get a lot of attention until it affects home still it doesn’t receive enough media coverage it deserves.  It was remarkable to look over the sea of smiling, energetic, beautiful faces that many of these beautiful women had been abused at one time or another in their lives.  For all I know, some of them are still being abused but were there to support their sisters.  Just observing their actions, I would have never believed that some of these ladies suffered so much by the hands of a man who said that he loved them. There were men and sons present, too.  I don’t know what it takes to leave an abusive relationship but I believe it worth doing.  Talk to someone, find some organization that can help you leave safely.  There was a son who attended the walk and recently witnessed the death of his mother had over a hundred supporters that held him up.  Everyone whatever the reason, they were there at least to support the loved ones in their lives, at least I was.  Abuse, physical, verbal, emotional, and even spiritual crosses all lives, genders, races, and ages.  It destroys and leaves on some people a permanent imprint of distrust and unwillingness to love again.  My friend’s sister, Sharon, wrote a sad, detailed and poignant article titled “It Should Take A Village:  Criminal Domestic Violence And The African American Community.”  Sharon speaks quite candid of how domestic violence took the life of her brother and how it reared its ugly head in her own life.  This is an article worth reading!  It’s published in the Midlands Live, October 2010 Edition.  One major point worth discussing is that in the state of South Carolina, “Domestic Violence is a misdemeanor while chicken fighting is a felony.”  How ironic that the life of a human being has less worth than an animal!  Is it any wonder why our politicians are more concerned about big money organizations than the citizens of this state?  Yet, they say they hear the people.  Which people are they listening to?  The Attorney General of South Carolina is making a concerted effort to train law enforcement officers, judges, attorneys and victim advocates on Criminal Domestic Violence.  This program is called Services Training Officers and Prosecutors (S.T.O.P.).   I learned quite a lot about CDV writing this entry.  Maybe, not enough.  I want to thank Sharon for the certificate and T-Shirt, you didn’t have to do it.  This walk was something I wanted to do.  I appreciate your thoughtfulness.  Pray my brothers and sisters for each other so that we can have a better respect for each others’ values.

“Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani?”

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”  These words were cried out in anguish and pain by the ManGod, Jesus Christ, as he hangs dying on the cross.  The Son of God even questions His doubt in His Father, our God.  Now if Jesus questions His Father, then our human side in us has doubted God one time or other in our lives.  Jesus seems to be quoting the Old Testament Psalm 22:1.  Why is God so far us when we seem to need him in the midst of our crying?  David temporarily questions but knows that God is whom his forefathers trusted and was delivered.  Psalm 22:5 said, “They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed.”  Psalm 22:11 said, “Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.”  The Psalmist is definitely facing trials and tribulations.  When God spoke to His people, He called their name twice to let them know that it God who is calling them.  Listen how Christ and David both cry out, “My God, my God!”  How powerful do those words sound?  Do you think they will get God’s attention?  They did not say Oh my God, but My God, my God.  They called on the God that knows the exact number of hairs on our heads and what is in our hearts that will answer.  Christ gave his life willingly for the atonement of man’s sins so that we can have everlasting joy with Him and His Father. I can imagine when Christ first cried out those words, Eli, Eli that the devil and all of his legions cheered when they thought that Christ had weakened.  I can also imagine that it was short-lived because when Christ died He broke the gates of Hell.  Not only that, Christ still forgave man seconds before His death.  No greater love than forgiveness and giving your life.  Christ had an even heavier burden than the cross to carry, yet he did for the very people that hated, tortured, and mocked Him.  Now that is what I call self-control.  If you had the power to give life, change it or take it against your enemies, what would you do?  As a human, doing the right thing might be hard to do.  Christ had that power but He remained obedient to His Father.  At the same time, as God, He gave His mortal life to save His childrens' souls.  Yes, this entry is a follow-up to God’s existence.  I want to also give Reverend Colley credit for our discussion on his own sermon that supported God’s existence and love for us.  Too bad we don’t know how to love ourselves.

Does God Exists? At Least For Me, He Does!!!

Man has been trying to answer this question for centuries.  Scientists, biologists, and even politicians have thrown their hats in the ring.  And now, don’t think I’m trying to enter the arena because I won’t.  My question is, do angels exist?  If you think angels exist and I’m sure that they do, then there must be a superior being who created them.  If you think that none of the above exists then that’s your issue, not mine.  I personally think that God and angels exist.  Even our brightest scientists and doctors can’t figure out how the human body was formed and how it functions to survive. I’m not going to tackle this subject; I just want to bring attention to it.  I saw the show, GLEE, “Grilled Cheesus” the other night and the writers approached this subject with fairness, sensitivity, and respect to believers and nonbelievers.  Young people have their own opinions about spirituality not always the same that might have been handed down.  Everybody wants to believe in something and/or somebody. We look for peace and truth in our lives to fulfill something.  Many of us seek answers from our own personal God.  At times, we seem doubt God but we’re actually doubt ourselves. We doubt our personal trust in God because we think that He’s not doing what we want Him to do.  Either He’s not moving fast enough or it’s usually not the way we want Him to.  Our trust and faith are constantly tested but they are strengthened by our patience in God.  It’s not easy because we are so used to giving up without fighting back.  That’s why so many of us are easily persuaded by others because we’re not strong enough.  We have to accept the fact that we are weak and made strong by the grace of God who is our rock and salvation.  God will have His way, in His time.  But His decision will always be the right one.  Well, now you see my position, I’m a believer.