RIP Pfc. Kalin C. L. Johnson

A friend and former co-worker’s son was killed in Afghanistan Tuesday, March 8, 2011.  I remember when Kalin was six years old when his father introduced me to him.  He was a shy but curious young man who seemed set on making his father happy and proud.  Brent was both happy and proud for Kalin.  When Kalin became a father himself and made Brent a grandfather, it was all that could be said about “The Sheriff.”  Brent’s head was already big but it got harder for it to fit through doorways.  Brent was so happy and proud.  When Kalin talked to him about his military dreams, Brent was supportive regardless of how he might have felt inside.  I don’t have much to say on these types of things because a loss of a loved one is indescribable.  March is an unforgettable month for me as it is.  Brent is still so very, very proud of his son.  By the way, I didn’t mention that this strong-hearted man and his wife Kay, had lost another son about 10 years ago.  Keep these families in your prayers.

Tia's Midmorning Meditation

Life has a habit of throwing us curveballs. My life is no different. The key is how I handle those curveballs. You think by now I would’ve learned to hit them or in the very least get out of the way. But no. I see it coming and I close my eyes and hope it’ll magically go away.

Ok. Enough with the metaphor.

No matter who you are life has its ups and downs. Some can be predicted and some can’t. You don’t have to be a genius to figure that out. I guess I’m finally coming to the realization that the quality of my life isn’t just based on circumstances but much more so on my reaction to those circumstances.

Yeah, I know. That’s not exactly rocket science either. Proverbs 4:23 says “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

Vigilance is a strong word. Pretty much the opposite of what I’ve been doing.

Living and Learning,

Tia

The Other Side by Tia D.

This is a beautiful and poignant poem written by a young lady who is facing a lot of obstacles in her life. I received her permission to post this heartfelt view of herself. I’ve said it before, that we all are going through something, it’s how we handle it. I believe this young lady has found a stabilizing force, her center, to overcome these things that are troubling. I sincerely believe that she found God to help her work through this.  Let's keep her in our prayers.

The Other Side

I’ve been through a lot in my twenty-two years

had more than my share of trials and tears.

But you do not know this ‘cause all that you see

Is a smiling face when you look at me.

You don’t see the fear that cuts to my core

Or pains from a past which I try to ignore.

I’m far too afraid to show you that side

And so yet again behind laughter I hide.

The laughter is real and the smiles are too

So please do not think I’m lying to you.

It’s just that I really want you to see

That fun-loving side is just one part of me.

The other side, which I seldom reveal,

(in its entirety) has the power to steal

The smile from my face and the prance in my walk

And so of it I don’t often talk.

It’s not that I won’t or don’t want to share.

The fact of the matter is I want you to care.

I want you to listen and I want to hear.

There’s freedom in sharing. A freedom from fear.

2-18-11

tmd

What's On Your Mind?

These are actual excerpts from an Atlanta Journal Constitution about NPR’s Vice-President of fundraising, Ron Schiller being secretly recorded. The truth hurts and it is amazing how being “ambushed, set-up” is widely accepted especially how much of it was edited. I wonder if the shoe was on the other foot, would the outcry be controlled by the media, too?

NPR officials scrambled Tuesday to contain damage caused by the release of a secretly recorded videotape that showed an executive calling Tea Party supporters "racist" and questioning his organization's reliance on federal funding.

Read and believe that this is how people think and what they truly believe in. I did not use any of the names but the links are in red.

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teaparty people are not racist , however black people are not racist either just like some of the comments the NAACP and other black leaders tell us all the time. This cry racist is a old democratic tactic to hide their true intentions, to shame people into believing they the democrats are the party of civil rights which is wrong. Democrats instituted slavery, Jim Crow, fought against all civil rights legislation even the 1957 civil rights acts, and the 1964 civil rights act, so now the tea party comes along and trys to open the eyes of america on government corruption in both parties and democrats cry racist. This bull will not work again, and I am a minority, I hear racist rants from blacks all the time about whitey, and republicans.

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and I agree the “tea party” members are mostly racists….they did not say a word when George Bush was running up the debt but soon as Obama came into office now its “we want our country back?” you guys are complete idiots. No wonder people do not take you seriously. The Republicans hijack the white poor and sell them into the falsehood that one day they will be rich like u one day just to get their vote and u care nothing about them and they are too dumb and uneducated to realize theyre getting pimped….u pee on their backs and tell em its raining and they’ll believe it.

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So cut the damn money so these t-peers can shut up. Like ACORN, NPR will continue. As a matter of fact, NPR would probably skyrocket without the limitations that small portion of their budget.

T-peers are racist but like every other word in the English language it has a different meaning in the dictionary of those who seek “personal responsibility”. They don’t know that that term has an Aryan history either.

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The NAACP is not a racist organization. Please check your history before you begin to give out false information. In regards to the Tea Party, check the history of what the original Tea Party stood for and who the people were that were involved; the Tea Party members that arrived today are not the same people as the historical Tea Party members were. Where were these members when the Bush Family was down sizing America???!!!

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Just a bunch of angry, ignorant christians clinging to their hatred of any race, religion, or creed that differs from their beliefs. Bagger’s have much in common with Islamic fundamentalist’.

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I like Koolaid, blue in color. It turns my lips the color of Obama’s when he’s not telling the truth, which is unfortunately all the time.

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“So the employees with their blue lips from Koolaid can discriminate all they want, but employers and retailers cannot”

Meth or crack – which drug are you on?

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Race discrimination is illegal because it interfered with capitalism. Consequently the Commerce Clause in the Constitution was utilized to make it illegal and eventually expanded to encompass disability, gender, religion, etc. (via Section 2000e2 of Title 42 of the US Code). So the employees with their blue lips from Koolaid can discriminate all they want, but employers and retailers cannot. It’s all very acceptable in our Comfy Quilt of all that’s American.

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we should take a totally useless state, like utah or south carolina, and move all the teahadists there. put up a big fence. let them all kill each other off in a frenzy of holier than thou hatred. then we can get on with fixing america once all those morons are dead

you simply can’t fix stupid. our public education system is broken, clearly, else there wouldn’t be so many utterly gullible americans strutting around complaining about government money while suckling the government teat. best thing to do would be to let them kill each other off in the name of Jesus or NASCAR or whatever these idiots hold dearest

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I see no problem with what this guy said.

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Enough said.  Georgia folks, our neighbors, don't seem to think much of South Carolina.

Cee-Lo & Melanie Fiona - Fool For You!

Stand Back & Watch The Master At Work!!!

It’s interesting how God works.  It’s best to simply adjust your plans and let Him plan for you.  Sometimes you can see His purpose, which is usually afterwards, and sometimes you never do.  Then again, we guestimate what His purpose his anyway.  Case in point, myself.  I was supposed to be off on a Saturday in two weeks.  My schedule was changed to take this Sunday off because I was needed that Saturday.  Of course, I had a mild attitude but I adjusted because I decided to use this in my favor as time-off in the future.  Still I was a little depressed because this is also the same time period three years ago when my mom made her transition from this world.  It’s still a very tough time for me because I really do miss her.  It’s even harder just to discuss this but I think it is necessary to show how good God is and how His wisdom and plans for us supersedes anything we have for ourselves.  Besides, I don’t care if you don’t believe in God, I do.  It’s your thing.  I digress.  My mom suffered her stroke on March 6, 2008 between 5:00 p.m. and until she was found approximately 10:00 p.m.  I know about 5 because it was the last time I talked to her and she said she wasn’t feeling well.  We told each other we love you.  There's nothing like a mother's love.  Little did I know how much my life will change in those next few seconds.  I will never be the same.  My spirit told me to go see her and take her to the doctor’s office but mom told me don’t worry, she’ll be alright, and that she made an appointment to see the doctor in the morning.  Her morning never came.  She passed the day after Easter, March 24^th.  Interesting enough I’m off this Sunday which is March 6, 2011.  It’s supposed to be a very rainy, gloomy day, a stay-at-home day.  I wouldn’t be much help around people.  I will need to be alone with myself that day to reminisce.  My point is we have to let go and let God.  I think that it is important to realize how blessed we are and not to take anything for granted.  I know that it is hard to release that control to someone we don’t see but our faith and developing that relationship will make things easier.  Losing someone you love is never easy even if they are still alive.  You gave them your heart and they decided that it wasn’t good enough so you parted ways.  But losing your loved one from a sickness or death, I can’t begin to explain the emptiness.  There is no comparison.  Again, I can only speak for myself.  We can get over lost loves and broken hearts finding another to replace what we lost.  There are just some people in our lives that can never be replaced.  My mother was such a person.

Beyond Color

I’ve been on some major projects lately and haven’t forgotten my other duties.  Some have priority over others.  Every now and then I do see some wonderful things that should be presented and this is one that drew my attention.  It is a great article on race issues.  Short but very much to the point.  The title is “Defining Color Beyond Hues”.  The link is attached to the title.  Briefly, it’s about the author’s daughter’s conversation on race.  It’s amazing what little children see through their eyes and what happens to us after we become adults regarding racial attitudes.  Yes, they have an interracial family through the author’s sister who married out of their race.  Does it make a difference to any of us?  Some of us it does.  I can’t lie, it used to make a difference to me.  I couldn’t see any reason to love, let alone, marry, someone out of my race.  But as I’ve gotten older, whose business is it anyway, who people marry?  More importantly, when two people can give love unconditionally to each other regardless of race they are showing me just how strong that relationship is.  It’s complex loving someone in your own without dealing with race as a major obstacle.  Nevertheless, we do tend to change our attitudes later in life, well some of us do.  Some people who still feel the need to hate won’t change but they are the ones who are missing out on the beauty of life.  Maybe if we see a jerk, it doesn't matter what color he is.