The Way It is

The belief that life just happens is taking living to a place that is very difficult to escape. A place where darkness curls its hands around man's origin of breath; a place where we exist but don't; a place where dreams are annihilated and visions don't exist; a place where America is slowly going but fastly approaching like a meteor on collision course with Earth; a place booming with noise but no music or laughter; a place void of discrimination, allowing all who want to be there to be there.

How do we or better yet, how did we get to this place? As those before us struggled, bled, and died for the privileges we possess somehow we derailed from the tracks laid out. Some of us take advantage of the right to choose by never rightly choosing. Some of us talk more about unity but are always dividing. Some of us claim to be for all but are only for ourselves. Some of us say we have overcome many prejudiced and biased opinions and yet yesterday seems to never go away. Some of us claim to be free but are bound by what we see. Some of us claim moral conquests yet are leaders of immoral acts against humanity. We got here due to greed, injustice, and ignorance. We got here due to false promises and lack of guidance from the Source that our country and the Constitution was based. We have arrived at this dark, airless place that just wreaks havoc on us in our entirety by locking out the only One that can help in our time of need as well as our time of prosperity.

So what is this place this posts speaks of and where? The place is called nowhere and you too can get there by continuing to ignore God. Make the right decision and acknowledge Him who is able to keep you from falling.


I Can Make It

Your True Identity

You have reached a point in your life that when you awake in the mornings and before you go to bed at night you question the person in the mirror...who are you and what are you doing? Stress and the rigors of everyday life brings about a change in an individual; it forces them to stop trying to change everything around them and start changing the one thing they can-themselves.

You can change your clothes but that does not change you; you can change you hair color but that does not change you; you can change everything on the outside, the visual person, but that still does not change you. Why? Because to change the real you it has to be from the inside out and not the outside in. The you referred to here is the real you, not the superficial you; not the you that is made by what people think about you, what people say about you, nor what you put on yourself. It is the very essence of your being that makes you who you are because the perception of who others say you are does not constitute who you are, but it is who you determine yourself to be through the relationship and knowledge of the One who created you that defines who you are.

You are fearfully and wonderfully made from the finest of the particulates. You were a time consuming creation considering that everything was spoken into being except for you. Have you ever tried to make something from dust, not dirt, but dust? Try and see if it can be done. So if God took time to make you, form you, shape you, breathe into you the breath of life, then don't you have a purpose to serve other than to be the punching bag or garbage can everyone constantly beat down with discouragement or throw their slanderous statements into. You and only you can determine your success or failure and only your failures can help you succeed.

Three phrases I have learned to use everyday whether it is in the morning or at night, they are: I can, I will, and I shall. These phrases were not derived by me but are utilized by a relative. She hangs them on her mirror. Try it and supply whatever you determine what you can........, what you will......., and what you shall.....You don't have to be what someone said you were to be but seek your purpose and be what God told you to be and fulfil your purpose; walk into your destiny!


I Can Make It

My Parents-My Mom

Today is a special day to three children born to an out of the norm situation in accordance with society's view of what constitutes a family. Today is the birthday of the only parent we know, the only parent, that at the age we are, we want to know. For myself, my mother has been and is the epitome of what a mother and father should be. She taught me how to play baseball, how to shoot basketball, how to fish, how to drive and even taught me about the birds and the bees. Everything that my father would have taught me she did as well as how to deal with women. Did I lack anything? I suppose from the view point that a father would have taught me how to work on a car or build things which I could have learned from vocational school.

What I am saying is that I have a tremendous amount of respect, gratitude, and love for the woman who decided to put herself last, fight through the difficult circumstances, and do whatever was necessary to provide for her three children. I don't know of many men who have survived and triumphed through so much and then be able to overcome and still have that love she has for her grandchildren. Guess we should have been wishing her a Happy Father's Day too but we do have a terrific hard working step dad.

So mom I know you will see this post and I know I could not find a card to say what I said above. Happy Birthday mom. Love you double.

"Honor thy father and thy mother for this is the commandment with promise."

I Can Make It

Vacation with Family

Just returned from exciting trip with my family. This was my oldest daughter's-Gabby-first trip to the beach. I must say that my child was very excited as her little feet hit the warm, soft sand of the crisp white beaches in Gulf Shores, Al. All she could say was "I can see the whole ocean." She was excited to be there and I was happy to take her along with her younger sister of course who could care less about being there.

There is a vast difference in the way a 4 year old sees things and the way a 2 year old sees the same things. Chrissy, short for Christiana, was fixated on the fact that it was too much water to deal with whereas Gabby was at the point of complete euphoria with the fact it was so much water. However, our 7 week old daughter just wanted to get back in the air conditioned car. To watch these two little girls in action was hilarious because one of them wanted to be there and the other one just wanted to play in the sand for five minutes, cling to her daddy, and leave.

It was fun and very rewarding in the sense I finally got to share in a moment without the panic of rushing or worrying about how I was going to get home in time to finish work or what time we should leave. We just truly enjoyed a fun-filled weekend at church then the beach. Oh, and as we were leaving Gulf Shores, I must say the zoo there is very good. The animals we saw were awesome. My wife and I could not believe how big some of those big cats were. The male lion had to be twice all of our sizes together and the white tiger was just as big. Gabby was fascinated by all animals while Chrissy just wanted to look at the birds, any bird whether it was in a cage or just flying around. In any case we just enjoyed being together for a change and I would do it all over again just to see the joy on my families faces.

God created such beauty and we thoroughly enjoyed our little trip. Enjoy what He has to offer and every now and then take time out to "smell the roses."

I Can Make It

Truth about Me

Today’s post is a little different because I want to share something with everyone who reads or have been reading my blog. I was reading the Bible this morning-yes that is my favorite book and I do read it-and discovered something about myself as I was reading from the book of Deuteronomy. As Moses was reminding the Israelites how God had delivered them from the hands of their former oppressors-Egyptians-and how rebellious they had become up until the crossing of Jordan, it suddenly all came together for me personally. How is that since I am saved and filled with the Holy Ghost that something so simple and yet so profound just hit me? Well, I have been wondering around for 40 years in my own desert not being able to cross the Jordan not because of enemies, what people say about me, how I am viewed, or because of something I was not doing for God. The reason is because of what I allowed me to dictate to me; how I have viewed the deliverance of God almighty from my terrors at night and the many storms endured throughout the course of my life.

When I reflect on past struggles, what I did not have, what I did have, the places visited, the people I thought were friends, the different churches attended, the different views on religion, the house where I was raised, and so many other things that there is not enough time or space on this blog to get into at this time, I realize that it is NOW that is most important. The views I have now, the home I have now, the life I live now, the family I have now, the church I attend now, the Jesus I believe in now, the mom I have now, and all that is now at this time, not yesterday. Deliverance did come and my insatiable desire to be set free from the past blinded me from all that He has done for me and is doing right now. My past is, or should I say, was my Egypt and He personally delivered me from it. As God told Moses-(paraphrase) “They that you see now you shall see no more….” is what my past is; it is gone.

I have begun my crossing over my Jordan River into a land flowing with all that was promised to me not to be blindsided with the negativity that is in view for what is for me is mine. It is already done by faith. Like the wind I don’t have to see it to know it exists but I have to believe it, receive it, and achieve it. The only thing that can hinder my progress to the Promised Land is I myself. After 40 years of wondering my appointed time is NOW!


I Can Make It

Fear

Why do we let little things hinder us from progressing to the next level in our lives? What is it that causes us to not fulfill the plans outlined for us? How is it that we envy everyone around us who has made great strides toward success and we ourselves are spectators, watching life as it passes? What keeps us from making money from our own businesses? What keeps us from starting a business? What keeps us from asking questions that will propel us to the next step in our lives? What makes us spend money on unnecessary materials that make other people money and we take none in for the building of our own successful business? Why do we walk into a room full of people with the know-how and sit or stand against the wall without communicating with them?

The questions can go on and on like the energizer bunny but there is one little four letter word that answers these questions and the many others like them-FEAR! As I held my new born baby the other day it was apparent that she feared the loud noise flowing from her other two sisters in the room and she jumped whenever I shifted my hands from underneath her giving her the impression she was going to fall. I can wave my hands in front of her and jump up and down; I can put the most horrible looking stuffed animal in front of her and she never flinches but with loud noises and the simulation of falling there is the eyes bucking and the arms flailing. Even with my two older children it is evident that they are afraid of the same things but as they get older the more they fear. Why?

Well fear is a progressive state of being whereby noticing that the youngest is only afraid of two states of being and the middle child is afraid of a few more and the oldest is afraid of many. It is apparent that these are learned fears taught to them by others and ourselves because of the label attached to them. Example, my oldest daughter is afraid of bugs no matter what type they are and my middle child is not whereas my youngest could care less. My oldest child is afraid of bugs because we taught her that they bite and are bad-kill them is cliché no matter what kind; however, my middle child is not because we have not taught her this nor do we allow the oldest one to teach her any differently. The baby does not understand yet.

You see what I conclude from watching, reading, and living is that we only have two innate fears, falling and loud sounds as children, whereas we are taught the rest. Some fears are more pronounced than others but we have nothing to fear especially those of us who have found the Source of our Strength being Christ who is both Lord and Savior. Confrontation is the best method for overcoming the fear of public places as well as any of the other fears we might have. Why should we hinder ourselves from walking into our own when we have so many other obstacles to clear?

What I have done for me is to step out of the boat into the water and if I begin to sink I know who to call to reach down as I stretch my hand upward to the hills from which all my help has come and continues to come. Fear not man because he is created just like us; fear not animals, but do be cautious, for we have dominion; and fear not situations because they can be overcome. Keep looking up! Don’t look down for the vision stops but when you look up there is nothing but space. Write the vision and make it plain for without a vision, your vision, you perish.


I Can Make It

Youth

Tonight as I attended my best friend’s daughter’s high school graduation one thought came to mind, the troubles the young people are facing and are going to face in the many years to come. One by one as each received his or her diplomas signified triumph in one area and possible defeats in another area-life.

I traced back to my graduation day many years ago, say 22 years to be exact, and had far less troubles as I recollect than what tonight’s graduates are going to deal with. Let’s look at comparisons:

Today’s graduating males are faced with over-aggressive females. We use to chase the girls and talk game as we say however; today’s females are much more aggressive. They initiate the conversations as well as other things without thinking about the consequences to follow.

The bodies of today’s female are much more mature at younger ages than when I was in school. Some 15 year olds look like full-grown women while the males are just enjoying #1 without any complaints.

Sex, something once regarded as sacred because it was so difficult to even be alone with a girl back then, is common enough without regards to having a child out of wedlock. A high percentage of them won’t go to college because they will have to get jobs to pay for childcare expenses.

Parents are much younger than when I was in school. Many of them are still children themselves.

So what is there to do when you are a young man with raging hormones and these now robust starlet creatures are just throwing themselves at your mercy or if you are a female and these now well defined young men tell you everything you want to hear? A not-so-easy-to-do word, resist.

Easier said than done especially when there is no one around to chastise you or tell you that it only takes one act of passion or lust to ruin a future. That it only takes one irresponsible act to change every dream into a reality of long work hours and perhaps frequent visits to the nearest health facility for treatment.

Take time to think about what you are doing and envision the outcome. Just maybe you will think about what you are doing.


I Can Make It