Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine's Day and I think we make much ado about love for one day as if only one day matters.
I heard it said on the radio that there's nothing new about relationships between man and woman; relationships have been around for 5000 years.
I'd have to agree with this sentiment; in relationships sometimes you're up sometimes you're down; sometimes you're happy; sometimes you're sad.
Relationships work when we don't take each other for granted and acknowledge each other. I think they work best when there's an underlying spiritual commitment for both parties that keeps them together regardless of the ebbs and flows.
I can't get sappy about Valentine's day - I am loved and I'm grateful for all the love in my life every day of the year.
You too, dear reader are loved!..Enjoy the love.

Dreams of Writing

I love writing. I get an unnamable high when I'm writing, especially if it’s something that I think is inspired. My hands go very fast and my brain can't keep up with my hands. I love the feeling I get as I type what's in my brain. I like writing so much that I don't mind helping my college age students with their essays. In my mind, I'm performing the job of an editor. That's right, my dream job would be a magazine editor - probably an inspirational magazine like Guideposts or a women's magazine dealing with a range of women's issues - spirituality, sexuality, roles in society, raising children, what happens when our children aren't what we think they should be; and then fun stuff like hair, makeup and fashion. I could even be an editor of a technical magazine since by day I'm a Technical Writer.

My other aspiration is to be a devotional writer. For many years I have read Our Daily Bread and as I've grown and matured, I've felt that God has given me insight that would be beneficial to others.

I see how God is working in all of this - after all He made and wired me and gave me the gifts. Since I was young, I've wanted to be a writer. I used to say "I want to be an author,” since reading and writing go together like a hand and glove. I read because I love a great story, I'm intrigued by the author's mind, and I like to see how words and thoughts come together. I love when I'm reading a book and there comes a point in the middle of the book where I can see how the title came to be. For example - in Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston the narrator notes as the storm is wreaking havoc around them (the main characters), "They sat in company with the others . . . They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God." I love it when it all comes together!!!

I digress; so I'm living part of my dream - a technical writer by day, and a blogger in my spare time.
Keep on dreaming - you never know where your dreams will take you.

I Refuse to be Another Black Statistic

To my mind, this is one of the most powerful tracks from Kirk Franklin's Hero album. The words speak for themselves.

I refuse to be another black statistic
A black man who can wine and dine in the sin of the world and still be considered a Christian
I plan on being great
I care not to be less
I refuse to wear a barcode across my chest
I refuse to let a black tee or throwback jersey define me
I refuse to let my children witness divorce
Or make mature decisions in court
I refuse to grow up carrying the generational curse
I refuse to feel the need to curse in my verse
I hate being automatically looked at when someone asks can anyone rap
I wanna be a black man that can flip it from urban to corporate measures
A black man who doesn't gain knowledge from the world for his own pleasures
A black man who reps Christ to the fullest with no regrets
My only regret is the stigma that many black statistics in the past have set
Like going to jail, bragging about bail, leaving our kids, cussing at church,
married and you still flirt, no father present at birth
Animosity within the ministers of our church
I refuse to let my people be viewed as temporary
I plan on planting a seed not for the moment but for one thats legendary
As for statistics
My father broke the mode
And I feel its my job for the next generation to continue in it
Because I refuse to be another black statistic

Written by Kirk Franklin's son, Kerrion Franklin; you can hear it as the outro (last track).
This sound should be heard by male and female.

Sometimes youth isn't wasted on the young!

Last night, I received a surprise call from a young man who is like family to us; really any friend that a child brings home becomes a part of the family.
This young man is now a senior in college and will be graduating in June. During our conversation I recalled how he initially did not want to go to college and thought it was a waste. He didn't have an alternate plan, he just wasn't going to college. A guidance counselor saw his potential and applied to college for him and lo and behold, he got accepted.
Fast forward four years and he's appreciative of the opportunity he has. He said there's a slim chance he would go to grad school; he wants to travel; he hasn't met the girl of his dreams(yet) and he's being responsible.
This conversation warmed my heart in so many ways and I was quite proud and happy for him.
Encourage a young person today; even though it seems that they're not listening if they know you care, it seeps in.