Sunday, July 30, 2006
Big Rev's Take on Christian Evangelism
My brother V in California has something to say and I wanted to link to his blog to share it from his point of view. Big Rev's Blog.
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Free - A Poem by Maryee
Written7-24-06
And I saw Sharnaquanesha Alizé Jackson walkin' by
And I wanted sooo much to tell her how she'd been fed a LIE
This SyStEm puts a BIG X by your name baby girl...
and you think your name is cute but they use it against you to hold you back. But your mama didn't know cause...she ain't never been nowhere herself. That was her closest stab at artistic expression.
And you just think it's cool tryin' to live your life playing an XBOX PS2 kind of game...You don't think it's wrong but somehow you just get pee-o'd after you get up from playing grand theft auto. And you purse your lips and jack your head and say something mean to the first person you run in to...you might even cuss
And all the while it's so InSaNe
Auditioning for the video in the next BET MTV Game.
Comb in yo hair
grills kickin' high
wife beater and thongs on
and you know you're lookin' oohh so fly!
But all the while you wonder why you don't get the respect
and then you just don't try
You say you're MAD and ANGRY
and you…you don't know why
Your soul burns like embers on a toasty gas stove
Your heart aches for real love
a tender needy desire
and some days...you'd rather just die!
Mom's no good example
got her own issues to deal
she's strung out herself
never found time to heal
Lost the sensation to feel
Not knowing why she plots in her mind for someone to kill
So you search for someone else to show you the REAL DEAL
Cause looking for love and guidance is only natural
And then out of nowhere
You find yourself in a place
Where you’re trapped with his lips upon your face
His hands on your body
His fire in your soul
You give up what’s pure
Then fear takes control
Now that, which was innocent is GUILTY as SIN
And you don’t know how this mess of CONFUSION
Slipped right in
The videos and music sang you a fool’s song
Told you you were in the right space
This HIP HOP generation
Has now become your maser,
No God can replace
You submit to it and it gives you what you think is right
But all the while broken and confused
You find yourself crying yourself to sleep…each night
And then like clockwork, your mind gets flooded
Images, situations, thoughts untold
And I ask you, Who’s the ruler of your soul?
How will your future unfold?
Just how much has your present been determined by your past?
Do you really know what love is? Come on, now! Do you really know what love is?
Just how deceived are you? And how long have you been deceiving yourself and others? How long? How long have the lies been riding high? How long has it been since you gave up on truth and lies carried you to the fairy tale book? How long?
Baby girl, where are you going and on what ride are you tryin’ to take?
Where’s your destination and what chances are you willing to make?
Make?
Make.
Make!
What chances are you willing to make?
Make the right choice!
How many times will you allow your tender heart to break?
How many times will you repeat that same mistake?
And you confuse sex for love and love for sex.
How many times will you make the same mistake,
passed down from generation to generation to generation to generation
And it’s a silly sensation
To see daughters of the King sink into total damnation
Complete Asphyxiation from demented imagination
Arise Daughters of Zion!!
Wake up oh you sleeper!
Arise and take your place
No more destruction
No more self hate
Go take one good look in the mirror
And identify what’s righteous
What’s great!
Strive for love
Stamp out hate!
Love yourself enough to rewrite that bad script
Love yourself enough to rewrite that bad script
That was given to you. It’s a role I know you’re tired of playing.
Love yourself enough to make a change
Love yourself enough to make a change
A change for the better
For there’s a bright bright future ahead of you
But, Baby doll, the change
It must start with you!
So choose to love not hate
FORGIVE now LIVE
Share and care
Strive to stay alive
Run to a higher place
Lay a smile upon your face
Be the queen God created you to be
Be free to love yourself
So that will free you to love everyone else
Be free to forgive yourself
And that will free you to forgive everyone else
And Be free to give God the Best
So that will free, you to be the best you can be
FREE to LOVE
Free to forgive
Free to Love
Free to Live
Free to be the Best you can be
Free to love you
Free to love me!
Free!
Monday, July 24, 2006
Maryee wants to share this video with you!
Jena Evans playing Little Girl along with
Miles Morgan on the Bass.
Share your images and videos at Photobucket.com
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers
Redeeming Love, a historical, contemporary retelling of the story of Hosea from the Bible. This book was Francine Rivers' first novel after becoming saved in 1986. I can't quite remember who turned me on to Francine Rivers, but I must say that if you want to be taken to another place and time and learn and grow in fiction, then this is a good place to start. I finished this about a week ago or so and believe it or not, it only took about 5 days to get through it. I'm not a big fan of reading anything past two hundred pages, but this work of 464 pages seemed to fly by over night. I think I was around page 100 when Jen decided to jump on board with me. When I read a novel I end up talking to Jen about it, you know character development, plot, and conflict and all that jazz. Since we love the story of Hosea in the Bible and Jen has already read two of the three books from Francine's Mark of The Lion Series as well as The Last Sin Eater, it wasn't hard for her to join in the "read" with me. It was definitely a beautiful story filled with drama only Francine could paint. It is definitely filled also with love, trials, struggles, and most of all, redemption. I highly recommend anyone read this, man, woman, and teens alike. The content is strong and as the publishers preface, it would be considered PG-13 if it were a movie. Read an excerpt here. If you have read it or go ahead and read it, please leave me you comments on the novel. The next Francine Rivers novel I plan to read is The Priest. Blessings to you!
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Ultimate Authority-Are You Under It?
This was written in my live journal almost two years ago and it still holds true today. My writing is in blue and Stanley's is in black:
9:25-04
I woke up this morning really pondering the lesson we had Thursday night in Bible study about Checkpoint #6 Ultimate Authority, Finding Freedom under God in The Seven Checkpoints by Andy Stanley. We are in preparation for Women's Conference in a couple of weeks and this is the guided lesson resource.
With the hopes of not plagiarizing, since I'm not turning this in to the professor, I want to pull nuggets from this chapter that really spoke to me, with hopes that it will speak to whoever reads this journal as well. I write so that God will be glorified and that the people of God will be edified and built up.
I say: It's true, most people don't believe that Freedom and God are actually supposed to go together. Stanley mentions how it's just as "oxymoronic as saying poor Bill Gates, or ugly Tyra Banks." I love that. That's why it's hard to get your hands around Jesus' saying, "you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32. If God wanted us to have so much freedom, then why so many rules?
I see it everywhere with kids, youth, and adults as well. My brother once told me after getting out of jail for the 3rd or 4th time, "I have a problem with authority." I asked him why. He then said, "Cause I don't like nobody telling me what to do." Ouch! Some respect for authority huh? And he's bitter at the fact that it was his lack of respect for authority that keeps sending him back and forth into jail. He still rebels with the probation officer and anyone whom he thinks is trying to "control" him.
See, in my humble opinion, when Authority isn't respected, you will inevitably pay it back for the respect it deserves and demands. A simple concept and simple principle, but most of us haven't even a clue as to the magnitude of that concept. So Andy goes on to say, "we ignore this biblical truth and search longingly for a life with little or no authority, hoping one day to find the elusive land of freedom."
"Much of our lives is influenced by how we respond to authority. How we respond to authority will have a direct effect on how we respond to initially our parents. How we respond to parental authority will have a direct effect on how we respond to the laws that govern this land and to the people that enforce laws. How we respond to the people and institutions that enforce the laws will determine our standing and influence in society," Stanley shares.
Remember my brother's statement about authority? Remember what position he has placed himself in because of his lack of respect for authority? But it's not as deep as doing things that will get you landed in jail. I believe it's more subtle in other ways that can lead you to a path like my brother. To me, it seems the more authority is disregarded, the more you will have to submit to it. Not so sure if that premise will hold, but I'll leave it here for now for whomever to ponder.
Stanley goes on to say folk's mindsets or "attitude toward authority will ultimately impact their intimacy with God. It will also impact how much authority they are entrusted with in their lives."
I say authority is inevitable. Whether you embrace it or not. Whether you be married, a parent, a church member, or anyone who wants to become spiritually influential in the lives of others requires one to regard authority as an ultimate issue.
Now the big picture for us all to see is that God is the ultimate authority and He wants us to understand that and submit to who/whatever authorities He has placed in our lives. If we want true freedom, it can only be found in this way (Stanley).
ONE LIL' RULE
I remember teaching a couple of months ago as a substitute for the fourth grade Sunday school class at my church. The lesson was about Adam and Eve. One of the kids asked the previous week, "If God knew Adam and Eve were gonna sin (eat the forbidden fruit), then why did He create em anyway?" The main findings we concluded after scrolling through the scripture were two things, #1, God gives us free will to choose right from wrong, or better yet if we will choose Him over something/someone else, and #2 That all he gave Adam and Eve was One Lil' Rule. Don't eat the fruit!! Talk about what God may have perceived, as the easiest rule to follow. Especially since He created alllll this other stuff for Adam and Eve to be preoccupied with; you know swimming in the ocean enjoying all of His creation, naming more animals and creatures, making love, and spending quality time with each other. But who's to know how much wisdom God gave Adam when He created him. And of course since Eve came from Adam, I heard it once said, the apple don't fall far from the tree (no pun intended).
God initially only instituted one rule from the beginning. He wanted to focus on enjoying His creation, not putting it under some bondage of rules and regulations. Andy Stanley shares that "God is not into rules. God loves and values freedom.
Adam and Eve were happy in God's one-rule world until Satan came along and convinced them that they were not absolutely free." Satan handed them a raw deal by deceiving them into believing God was holding something good from them, that they should really have.
So instead of following the Creator's (God's) one lil' rule, they chose to rebel and follow the "creations" (Satan's) suggestion. Deep huh? And don't we do that all the time; take the "creations" advice and leading over the Creator's? "Ultimately," Stanley goes on to say, "in an attempt to reach for absolute freedom, they chose the way of disobedience and rebellion to God's authority. The premise of their decision was that rebellion brings freedom." If anyone on this earth has been paying attention to life as it has been unfolding before our very eyes, one would see that choosing to do something forbidden, such as what Adam and Eve did, not only strips you of your freedom, but causes an influx of rules and regulations, and punishments to get you back in line. Something to ponder, I guess.
It reminds me of how we have childproof doors and gates. It's obvious that children and babies don't have an understanding of authority and consequences. So to protect them from being harmed, we set things (rules) in place so they can actually enjoy the freedom of being a child. Take the childproof things away or let the baby get out of the crib unattended and wander into what's forbidden and not safe, and the consequences can be deadly.
So following rules and submitting to them actually gives you more freedom than choosing to rebel.
Stanley shares, "Rebellion was and is the attitude and act of disobeying God's rule. Adam and Eve were convinced that freedom could be found in doing what was forbidden. What they soon realized was that they lost their freedom because of their rebellion." They lost all their rights and privileges and had to get to work and experience much pain from work and childbearing.
The gift the two received for their choice to rebel: RULES, RULES, RULES, RULES today. They broke one lil' rule. Says Stanley, "Now we are inundated with rules."
Maryee's assessment in a nutshell:
Freedom=Submitting to God's Ultimate Authority
Rebellion=Bondage and being a slave to Sin and it's consequences
What I'll do now is just quote from Checkpoint 6.
Anyone who wants to get the full skinny on the subject should buy the book.
Stanley throughout the chapter asks one simple question: "Sound like freedom to you?
Did Adam and Eve's choice to rebel and go their own way lead them to freedom or bondage?
What we can't seem to get our hands around is the concept that freedom and authority do coexist.
Stanley on the Cost of Freedom
Most of us think freedom is a world without authority. This is a lie that will rob you of your freedom.
He illustrates a story about a teenager named Bobby who decided one night that he would disobey his parents' rule of not drinking or hanging out with anyone who does. Although Bobby loved his parents, he decided that their rules were stifling to him. He reasoned that his other friends' parents didn't put all this rule mumbo jumbo in their way, so goes out one night and parties with his friends. He doesn't drink much, but his friends do. On the way home with a drunken friend behind the wheel, the car swerves into the path of a family in a van. The wreck is horrific. The mother and three kids in the van are all killed instantly. Bobby's friend, the driver loses his life as well. Bobby survives, to face to consequence of his choice to rebel.
Stanly goes on to share,
The list can go on. Sound like freedom to you?
The same can apply if you are married and you decide to cheat in your marriage. You want freedom to break the laws of marriage, for just one night. The result:
The list can go on. Sound like freedom to you?
"Maximum Freedom is found under authority. Breaking the rules or having no rules at all will not bring freedom."
It can't be escaped, and if you ask any adult they will tell you, that the older you get, the more authorities you will have to answer to. If we could get that down in our spirits in our youth, our lives would not be so filled with rebellious tendencies.
When you chose to rebel against authority, you've just handed all your freedom away. Think about the folks who on the streets of LA and even Houston, get into these high speed chases on the Freeway. Have you ever seen anyone like that who chooses to rebel against authority get away Scott free? I haven't. No matter where you run, authority waits you. Ask Adam and Eve, when they hid after being naked and ashamed. Even if you end up in jail, authority awaits you. And when you get in there everyone around you who (other inmates) have no value of authority will "lord" their authority over you. Some gift or reward for freedom huh? And when these folks who have no respect for authority begin to exercise their freedom to abuse you or have authority over you, how then can you call on your friend "authority", whom you yourself betrayed? What a phenomenon.
Guess what? "There is no such thing as absolute freedom. Stanley shares. Everybody answers to somebody. Even Jesus....He had authority because He was under God's authority".
I remember when I was working out in the field last year around this time, I spoke to a young lady at one of my stores who was getting married in November. She was sweet as apple pie and very smart for her age. She'd been living with her fiance for some time and was excited to finally get married. She knew I was "religious" (as they say), but approachable. So she asked me, "What do you do if you and a person have a problem and the person says, let's talk about it later, but later never happens?" Having an idea she was speaking of her fiance, I gently shared with her two things: #1, I said, Sweetheart, if this person handles conflict in this manner, then (when you get married) he will continue to handle problems and conflict in the same manner. Putting a ring on a finger does not change the person. Being under God's authority does.
Fearing that she wouldn't understand what I meant by saying "authority", I then before sharing the second point asked her, "Are you or your fiance Christians?" She said no. I paused, trying to get my words right and hoping the Holy Spirit would definitely intercede. I then said, Well, if your fiance is not saved, that means he is not under any authority. If he is not under any authority, whatever rules he thinks is right to him will become the authority. If the rules are not from God, then he's not accountable. If you marry him, then you are under his authority. Which means, that if he makes a decision and he is his own point of reference instead of God, then you will have to submit to that authority." Tears started streaming down her face. Of course my intent was not to make her cry, but to share with her the importance of authority.
Of course I hadn't read the Seven Checkpoints at this time last year, but God must have already been working on me in understanding His role in my and others' lives. The young lady a bit overwhelmed by the news, wiped her face, looked down at the ground. I was immobilized because I didn't know if she would be mad or angry at facing the truth. She lifted her head, and simply said, "This is a lil' too heavy for me to be hearing right now." The inflection in my opinion, was, "Hey, I'm getting married in 8 weeks. I haven't considered this until you've shared it with me. It's too late now." Well, only a month later I soon left that job and career to begin writing. I don't know if the wedding went on, I don't know what the young lady did after that day we spoke, I only hope that the two of them have been drawn to a relationship with God and that His authority is what leads and guides them in their marriage.
Romans 13:1-2 says on the subject:
Submission to the Authorities
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
1 Peter 2:13-14 adds more:
Submission to Rulers and Masters
13Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
I love what Stanley says next about these two scriptures. "...are the backbone of the Ultimate Authority Checkpoint. If God is ultimately behind all authority, then authority issues are ultimately spiritual issues. (Folks) cannot pursue intimacy with God and ignore their conflicts with authority. Or to put it another way, they cannot be right with God and out of sorts with the authorities God has placed over them."
I remember when I worked for a candy company and the leadership of the company was a fowl as fowl could get. Even though at that time I looked at their authority as one not to value God in His own unique way revealed to me that I had to respect that authority if I wanted to be free from the company. So instead of rebelling, not doing my work, plotting to "get them back", it was sown in my spirit to give excellence. The spirit of rebellion ceased and the spirit of submission and cooperation rose up. I was at peace, even though this authority that was abusing it's power did not cease to come at me. I had freedom to give excellence, which is what rebellion couldn't take away from me. In a matter of weeks, I was freed from that company, but I don't think that would have happened had my attitude about authority not changed to respect authority.
Think about Joseph in the Bible when he was sold into slavery, or better yet, into prison after the Potipher's wife situation. Never did he get it twisted about being under authority, be it good or bad. And God rescued him every time and honored his respect for not only God's ultimate authority, but every authority God placed before him. And incredible testimony about being under authority. So much that when he was given authority under Pharoah, he still make wise choices to love.
That brings me to another point I just got. Being under God's authority gives you freedom to love. Any other authority only leads to bitterness, rebellion, hate, guilt, and shame. When the acts of the sinful nature are present, Love is hard to be found. I love the way the Message Bible puts Galations 5:19-21
Galatians 5
19It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; 20trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; 21the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.
This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.
For those who want to read it from NIV the meaning is still the same:
19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
You can't get any deeper than this. whew!!!
I'll go on to quote more of Stanley a lil' later. I'll be back.
9:25-04
I woke up this morning really pondering the lesson we had Thursday night in Bible study about Checkpoint #6 Ultimate Authority, Finding Freedom under God in The Seven Checkpoints by Andy Stanley. We are in preparation for Women's Conference in a couple of weeks and this is the guided lesson resource.
With the hopes of not plagiarizing, since I'm not turning this in to the professor, I want to pull nuggets from this chapter that really spoke to me, with hopes that it will speak to whoever reads this journal as well. I write so that God will be glorified and that the people of God will be edified and built up.
I say: It's true, most people don't believe that Freedom and God are actually supposed to go together. Stanley mentions how it's just as "oxymoronic as saying poor Bill Gates, or ugly Tyra Banks." I love that. That's why it's hard to get your hands around Jesus' saying, "you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32. If God wanted us to have so much freedom, then why so many rules?
I see it everywhere with kids, youth, and adults as well. My brother once told me after getting out of jail for the 3rd or 4th time, "I have a problem with authority." I asked him why. He then said, "Cause I don't like nobody telling me what to do." Ouch! Some respect for authority huh? And he's bitter at the fact that it was his lack of respect for authority that keeps sending him back and forth into jail. He still rebels with the probation officer and anyone whom he thinks is trying to "control" him.
See, in my humble opinion, when Authority isn't respected, you will inevitably pay it back for the respect it deserves and demands. A simple concept and simple principle, but most of us haven't even a clue as to the magnitude of that concept. So Andy goes on to say, "we ignore this biblical truth and search longingly for a life with little or no authority, hoping one day to find the elusive land of freedom."
"Much of our lives is influenced by how we respond to authority. How we respond to authority will have a direct effect on how we respond to initially our parents. How we respond to parental authority will have a direct effect on how we respond to the laws that govern this land and to the people that enforce laws. How we respond to the people and institutions that enforce the laws will determine our standing and influence in society," Stanley shares.
Remember my brother's statement about authority? Remember what position he has placed himself in because of his lack of respect for authority? But it's not as deep as doing things that will get you landed in jail. I believe it's more subtle in other ways that can lead you to a path like my brother. To me, it seems the more authority is disregarded, the more you will have to submit to it. Not so sure if that premise will hold, but I'll leave it here for now for whomever to ponder.
Stanley goes on to say folk's mindsets or "attitude toward authority will ultimately impact their intimacy with God. It will also impact how much authority they are entrusted with in their lives."
I say authority is inevitable. Whether you embrace it or not. Whether you be married, a parent, a church member, or anyone who wants to become spiritually influential in the lives of others requires one to regard authority as an ultimate issue.
Now the big picture for us all to see is that God is the ultimate authority and He wants us to understand that and submit to who/whatever authorities He has placed in our lives. If we want true freedom, it can only be found in this way (Stanley).
ONE LIL' RULE
I remember teaching a couple of months ago as a substitute for the fourth grade Sunday school class at my church. The lesson was about Adam and Eve. One of the kids asked the previous week, "If God knew Adam and Eve were gonna sin (eat the forbidden fruit), then why did He create em anyway?" The main findings we concluded after scrolling through the scripture were two things, #1, God gives us free will to choose right from wrong, or better yet if we will choose Him over something/someone else, and #2 That all he gave Adam and Eve was One Lil' Rule. Don't eat the fruit!! Talk about what God may have perceived, as the easiest rule to follow. Especially since He created alllll this other stuff for Adam and Eve to be preoccupied with; you know swimming in the ocean enjoying all of His creation, naming more animals and creatures, making love, and spending quality time with each other. But who's to know how much wisdom God gave Adam when He created him. And of course since Eve came from Adam, I heard it once said, the apple don't fall far from the tree (no pun intended).
God initially only instituted one rule from the beginning. He wanted to focus on enjoying His creation, not putting it under some bondage of rules and regulations. Andy Stanley shares that "God is not into rules. God loves and values freedom.
Adam and Eve were happy in God's one-rule world until Satan came along and convinced them that they were not absolutely free." Satan handed them a raw deal by deceiving them into believing God was holding something good from them, that they should really have.
So instead of following the Creator's (God's) one lil' rule, they chose to rebel and follow the "creations" (Satan's) suggestion. Deep huh? And don't we do that all the time; take the "creations" advice and leading over the Creator's? "Ultimately," Stanley goes on to say, "in an attempt to reach for absolute freedom, they chose the way of disobedience and rebellion to God's authority. The premise of their decision was that rebellion brings freedom." If anyone on this earth has been paying attention to life as it has been unfolding before our very eyes, one would see that choosing to do something forbidden, such as what Adam and Eve did, not only strips you of your freedom, but causes an influx of rules and regulations, and punishments to get you back in line. Something to ponder, I guess.
It reminds me of how we have childproof doors and gates. It's obvious that children and babies don't have an understanding of authority and consequences. So to protect them from being harmed, we set things (rules) in place so they can actually enjoy the freedom of being a child. Take the childproof things away or let the baby get out of the crib unattended and wander into what's forbidden and not safe, and the consequences can be deadly.
So following rules and submitting to them actually gives you more freedom than choosing to rebel.
Stanley shares, "Rebellion was and is the attitude and act of disobeying God's rule. Adam and Eve were convinced that freedom could be found in doing what was forbidden. What they soon realized was that they lost their freedom because of their rebellion." They lost all their rights and privileges and had to get to work and experience much pain from work and childbearing.
The gift the two received for their choice to rebel: RULES, RULES, RULES, RULES today. They broke one lil' rule. Says Stanley, "Now we are inundated with rules."
Maryee's assessment in a nutshell:
Freedom=Submitting to God's Ultimate Authority
Rebellion=Bondage and being a slave to Sin and it's consequences
What I'll do now is just quote from Checkpoint 6.
Anyone who wants to get the full skinny on the subject should buy the book.
Stanley throughout the chapter asks one simple question: "Sound like freedom to you?
Did Adam and Eve's choice to rebel and go their own way lead them to freedom or bondage?
What we can't seem to get our hands around is the concept that freedom and authority do coexist.
Stanley on the Cost of Freedom
Most of us think freedom is a world without authority. This is a lie that will rob you of your freedom.
He illustrates a story about a teenager named Bobby who decided one night that he would disobey his parents' rule of not drinking or hanging out with anyone who does. Although Bobby loved his parents, he decided that their rules were stifling to him. He reasoned that his other friends' parents didn't put all this rule mumbo jumbo in their way, so goes out one night and parties with his friends. He doesn't drink much, but his friends do. On the way home with a drunken friend behind the wheel, the car swerves into the path of a family in a van. The wreck is horrific. The mother and three kids in the van are all killed instantly. Bobby's friend, the driver loses his life as well. Bobby survives, to face to consequence of his choice to rebel.
Stanly goes on to share,
- "Let's think about what Bobby's desire for freedom has granted him:
- He lost a friend.
- He has had a part in a death of a woman and three kids.
- He has seen families devastated for years to come.
- He has broken the law by drinking underage.
- He'll probably be fined and lose his driving privileges.
- He will lose the trust of his parents and peers
- He will probably lose his friends.
The list can go on. Sound like freedom to you?
The same can apply if you are married and you decide to cheat in your marriage. You want freedom to break the laws of marriage, for just one night. The result:
- You lose your marriage.
- You will lose your sexual relationship with your spouse
- You will lose friends
- You will lose money via divorce court, alimony, and child support
- You will lose the trust of your wife and children
- You may lose your home and or at least some possessions
The list can go on. Sound like freedom to you?
"Maximum Freedom is found under authority. Breaking the rules or having no rules at all will not bring freedom."
It can't be escaped, and if you ask any adult they will tell you, that the older you get, the more authorities you will have to answer to. If we could get that down in our spirits in our youth, our lives would not be so filled with rebellious tendencies.
When you chose to rebel against authority, you've just handed all your freedom away. Think about the folks who on the streets of LA and even Houston, get into these high speed chases on the Freeway. Have you ever seen anyone like that who chooses to rebel against authority get away Scott free? I haven't. No matter where you run, authority waits you. Ask Adam and Eve, when they hid after being naked and ashamed. Even if you end up in jail, authority awaits you. And when you get in there everyone around you who (other inmates) have no value of authority will "lord" their authority over you. Some gift or reward for freedom huh? And when these folks who have no respect for authority begin to exercise their freedom to abuse you or have authority over you, how then can you call on your friend "authority", whom you yourself betrayed? What a phenomenon.
Guess what? "There is no such thing as absolute freedom. Stanley shares. Everybody answers to somebody. Even Jesus....He had authority because He was under God's authority".
I remember when I was working out in the field last year around this time, I spoke to a young lady at one of my stores who was getting married in November. She was sweet as apple pie and very smart for her age. She'd been living with her fiance for some time and was excited to finally get married. She knew I was "religious" (as they say), but approachable. So she asked me, "What do you do if you and a person have a problem and the person says, let's talk about it later, but later never happens?" Having an idea she was speaking of her fiance, I gently shared with her two things: #1, I said, Sweetheart, if this person handles conflict in this manner, then (when you get married) he will continue to handle problems and conflict in the same manner. Putting a ring on a finger does not change the person. Being under God's authority does.
Fearing that she wouldn't understand what I meant by saying "authority", I then before sharing the second point asked her, "Are you or your fiance Christians?" She said no. I paused, trying to get my words right and hoping the Holy Spirit would definitely intercede. I then said, Well, if your fiance is not saved, that means he is not under any authority. If he is not under any authority, whatever rules he thinks is right to him will become the authority. If the rules are not from God, then he's not accountable. If you marry him, then you are under his authority. Which means, that if he makes a decision and he is his own point of reference instead of God, then you will have to submit to that authority." Tears started streaming down her face. Of course my intent was not to make her cry, but to share with her the importance of authority.
Of course I hadn't read the Seven Checkpoints at this time last year, but God must have already been working on me in understanding His role in my and others' lives. The young lady a bit overwhelmed by the news, wiped her face, looked down at the ground. I was immobilized because I didn't know if she would be mad or angry at facing the truth. She lifted her head, and simply said, "This is a lil' too heavy for me to be hearing right now." The inflection in my opinion, was, "Hey, I'm getting married in 8 weeks. I haven't considered this until you've shared it with me. It's too late now." Well, only a month later I soon left that job and career to begin writing. I don't know if the wedding went on, I don't know what the young lady did after that day we spoke, I only hope that the two of them have been drawn to a relationship with God and that His authority is what leads and guides them in their marriage.
Romans 13:1-2 says on the subject:
Submission to the Authorities
1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
1 Peter 2:13-14 adds more:
Submission to Rulers and Masters
13Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, 14or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.
I love what Stanley says next about these two scriptures. "...are the backbone of the Ultimate Authority Checkpoint. If God is ultimately behind all authority, then authority issues are ultimately spiritual issues. (Folks) cannot pursue intimacy with God and ignore their conflicts with authority. Or to put it another way, they cannot be right with God and out of sorts with the authorities God has placed over them."
I remember when I worked for a candy company and the leadership of the company was a fowl as fowl could get. Even though at that time I looked at their authority as one not to value God in His own unique way revealed to me that I had to respect that authority if I wanted to be free from the company. So instead of rebelling, not doing my work, plotting to "get them back", it was sown in my spirit to give excellence. The spirit of rebellion ceased and the spirit of submission and cooperation rose up. I was at peace, even though this authority that was abusing it's power did not cease to come at me. I had freedom to give excellence, which is what rebellion couldn't take away from me. In a matter of weeks, I was freed from that company, but I don't think that would have happened had my attitude about authority not changed to respect authority.
Think about Joseph in the Bible when he was sold into slavery, or better yet, into prison after the Potipher's wife situation. Never did he get it twisted about being under authority, be it good or bad. And God rescued him every time and honored his respect for not only God's ultimate authority, but every authority God placed before him. And incredible testimony about being under authority. So much that when he was given authority under Pharoah, he still make wise choices to love.
That brings me to another point I just got. Being under God's authority gives you freedom to love. Any other authority only leads to bitterness, rebellion, hate, guilt, and shame. When the acts of the sinful nature are present, Love is hard to be found. I love the way the Message Bible puts Galations 5:19-21
Galatians 5
19It is obvious what kind of life develops out of trying to get your own way all the time: repetitive, loveless, cheap sex; a stinking accumulation of mental and emotional garbage; frenzied and joyless grabs for happiness; 20trinket gods; magic-show religion; paranoid loneliness; cutthroat competition; all-consuming-yet-never-satisfied wants; a brutal temper; an impotence to love or be loved; divided homes and divided lives; small-minded and lopsided pursuits; 21the vicious habit of depersonalizing everyone into a rival; uncontrolled and uncontrollable addictions; ugly parodies of community. I could go on.
This isn't the first time I have warned you, you know. If you use your freedom this way, you will not inherit God's kingdom.
For those who want to read it from NIV the meaning is still the same:
19The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
You can't get any deeper than this. whew!!!
I'll go on to quote more of Stanley a lil' later. I'll be back.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Their Eyes Were Watching God
I just finished reading Zora Neale Hurston's novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. My sister Jen suggested I read it to help me with my writing. A year and 1/2 ago we watched the Oprah funded movie which I must say helped bring the book alive for me. I was astonished when I found out Zora wrote that book in 7 weeks. Can we say focused or perhaps driven? Her writing style for me was inspiring. An amazingly talented writer, dreamer and connoisseur of words and imagery.
The next item I'd like to get my hands on is:
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Video Test with Google
A Waco High School student shows off his solo drumming skills at the end of the year Spring Band Show.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
Jacks Tournament and the High Dive
“I got it!”, Mary shouted as she jumped to her feet, running into the house and into the bedroom she and her sister Jenny shared. Jenny was lying on the bed, head nestled in her pillow.
“You got what?”
“An idea for a tournament we can have with all the girls in the neighborhood. We can maybe see if Mr. Green at the Quick Check can donate a prize for the winner. This should be fun. You can tell Alvena, Cynthia, Joveeda and…”
“Hold up, girl. You haven’t even told me what kind of tournament you are talking about. More information please.” Jenny flipped her body over, tucking the pillow behind her head.
“Oh, my bad. I forgot to say. Jacks! A Jacks tournament!” Mary pulled a handful of steel jacks with multi-colored knobby ends out of one pocket and a soft red ball a little smaller than a golf ball out of the other pocket. She had on a yellow and white stripped halter top and a pair of dingy khaki shorts with white side laced sandals on. It was the third day since school had let out for summer break and Mary was itching for something fun and constructive to do.
Pacing the floor, throwing the ball in the air and catching it, she thought, about how much fun the tournament would be, how many girls would possible participate, and how this could be the start of an annual event. Mary pulled out a piece of tablet paper from her backpack and began scribbling tournament ideas.
Usually Mary and her sister Jennifer’s summer routine would be spent at summer camp. “Too bad we’re not going to Camp Kachina this year” Jenny sighed.
“Yeah, I wish we hadn’t turned in our registration late. I’m gonna miss all my friends from last year.” Mary plopped down on the floor bulldozing the jacks with the red ball. “I’ll miss the hay rides, roasting hotdogs and smores by the campfire, singing fun sing-a-longs, horseback riding, and sleeping out in the woods with those big ole mosquitoes. I heard one year this girl saw a red fox and a bear cub.”
“They don’t have bears in the woods in Texas, girl. Somebody lied to you. If that were true, that would have been cool to see, but I don’t believe it.”
“Foxes and bears have rabies.”
“Stop it.”
“OK. I’m just playing. All I know is we need to have this tournament so we’ll have something to do and I’ll have something to talk about when school starts back. So, Jenny, are you gonna help me organize it or what?”
Jenny lay on the bed looking over her volleyball practice and game schedule for the Fall. “I’m in middle school now, girl. I don’t mess around with kiddy games like ‘Jacks’ anymore. I’m sure you can find some of your buddies in the neighborhood to help you. I don’t think my friends would be interested either.”
“No I want you to help me! Please Jenny, please!”
“No.”
Jenny always had a way of getting Mary to do many things she wasn’t willing to do herself or had never experienced herself. Mary was her guinea pig. After the girls learned how to swim, they’d go swimming by themselves without their Mom or Dad. One day, they went to Lion’s Park. Lion’s Park had a one hundred foot Super Slide, Putt-putt golf, Go-karts, and bumper boats. But what the girls enjoyed most was the Olympic sized pool with a forty foot high dive. Jenny had never taken a dive off the “big dive”, as they called it, but told Mary to jump off it two summers ago.
“Jump.”
“No, I’m scared.”
“Don’t be scared. It’s just like jumping in from the side, cept’ it’s only a little higher off the ground.”
“Higher! That diving board is touching the sun and the clouds. No!” Mary’s teeth were chattering and she was shivering from water and wind kissing against her wet bathing suit.
“Girl, don’t be scared, you can do it.”
“Have you ever done it before?” Mary asked while peering to the top of the towering steel monument with the gray trampoline board sticking out its tongue to her from below. Her eyes were watering from the sting of the chlorine as well as the sun and fear that was slowly creeping in her mind.
“Yeah, girl. I’ve jumped in many times before.” Jen lied.
Now Mary was trapped. She knew if her big sister had already Jen dove in, she had to, too. The walk to the ladder that led to the top of the diving board felt like a journey up a mountain to an anticipated death. Mary drug her feet and kept looking back at her sister with every step. Finally to the top, she was ready to make her plunge. "I'm not gonna be scared," she told herself.
With eyes closed, Mary took a deep breath and jumped into the deep dark blue watery grave, death knocking at her door in her mind more than in her body. Initially her body felt like a feather floating in the air when she jumped off the flexible board, but then upon the decent she immediately turned to a human torpedo. Eyes and mouth wide open, arms and legs flailing, she plummeted. The weight of her body yanked her to the bottom of the pool. She opened her eyes only to see a dark abyss with only her and the lonely water below. She began kicking her legs and swinging her arms like an octopus to free herself from the liquid casket. Gasping for breath as her face touched air again, she wiggled like a fish to the side of the pool. Jenny held her hand out to help her baby sister up the ladder and on to dry concrete land again.
“Whoa! That was fun!”
“Was you scared?”
“Yeah, but since I’m still alive, I think I want to do it again. But this time Jenny, you go first.”
"So, will you help me with the Jacks tournament or what?"
"Nope."
And so Jen was able to talk her sister into doing things she didn’t want to do, but this time when the shoe was on the other foot for Mary, she had no luck. Jenny wouldn’t budge. Hurt and embarrassed, she scooped up the jacks and ball and slid them back into the pockets of her shorts and slowly walked out the bedroom door dragging her bottom lip under her sandals along the hardwood floors.
“You got what?”
“An idea for a tournament we can have with all the girls in the neighborhood. We can maybe see if Mr. Green at the Quick Check can donate a prize for the winner. This should be fun. You can tell Alvena, Cynthia, Joveeda and…”
“Hold up, girl. You haven’t even told me what kind of tournament you are talking about. More information please.” Jenny flipped her body over, tucking the pillow behind her head.
“Oh, my bad. I forgot to say. Jacks! A Jacks tournament!” Mary pulled a handful of steel jacks with multi-colored knobby ends out of one pocket and a soft red ball a little smaller than a golf ball out of the other pocket. She had on a yellow and white stripped halter top and a pair of dingy khaki shorts with white side laced sandals on. It was the third day since school had let out for summer break and Mary was itching for something fun and constructive to do.
Pacing the floor, throwing the ball in the air and catching it, she thought, about how much fun the tournament would be, how many girls would possible participate, and how this could be the start of an annual event. Mary pulled out a piece of tablet paper from her backpack and began scribbling tournament ideas.
Usually Mary and her sister Jennifer’s summer routine would be spent at summer camp. “Too bad we’re not going to Camp Kachina this year” Jenny sighed.
“Yeah, I wish we hadn’t turned in our registration late. I’m gonna miss all my friends from last year.” Mary plopped down on the floor bulldozing the jacks with the red ball. “I’ll miss the hay rides, roasting hotdogs and smores by the campfire, singing fun sing-a-longs, horseback riding, and sleeping out in the woods with those big ole mosquitoes. I heard one year this girl saw a red fox and a bear cub.”
“They don’t have bears in the woods in Texas, girl. Somebody lied to you. If that were true, that would have been cool to see, but I don’t believe it.”
“Foxes and bears have rabies.”
“Stop it.”
“OK. I’m just playing. All I know is we need to have this tournament so we’ll have something to do and I’ll have something to talk about when school starts back. So, Jenny, are you gonna help me organize it or what?”
Jenny lay on the bed looking over her volleyball practice and game schedule for the Fall. “I’m in middle school now, girl. I don’t mess around with kiddy games like ‘Jacks’ anymore. I’m sure you can find some of your buddies in the neighborhood to help you. I don’t think my friends would be interested either.”
“No I want you to help me! Please Jenny, please!”
“No.”
Jenny always had a way of getting Mary to do many things she wasn’t willing to do herself or had never experienced herself. Mary was her guinea pig. After the girls learned how to swim, they’d go swimming by themselves without their Mom or Dad. One day, they went to Lion’s Park. Lion’s Park had a one hundred foot Super Slide, Putt-putt golf, Go-karts, and bumper boats. But what the girls enjoyed most was the Olympic sized pool with a forty foot high dive. Jenny had never taken a dive off the “big dive”, as they called it, but told Mary to jump off it two summers ago.
“Jump.”
“No, I’m scared.”
“Don’t be scared. It’s just like jumping in from the side, cept’ it’s only a little higher off the ground.”
“Higher! That diving board is touching the sun and the clouds. No!” Mary’s teeth were chattering and she was shivering from water and wind kissing against her wet bathing suit.
“Girl, don’t be scared, you can do it.”
“Have you ever done it before?” Mary asked while peering to the top of the towering steel monument with the gray trampoline board sticking out its tongue to her from below. Her eyes were watering from the sting of the chlorine as well as the sun and fear that was slowly creeping in her mind.
“Yeah, girl. I’ve jumped in many times before.” Jen lied.
Now Mary was trapped. She knew if her big sister had already Jen dove in, she had to, too. The walk to the ladder that led to the top of the diving board felt like a journey up a mountain to an anticipated death. Mary drug her feet and kept looking back at her sister with every step. Finally to the top, she was ready to make her plunge. "I'm not gonna be scared," she told herself.
With eyes closed, Mary took a deep breath and jumped into the deep dark blue watery grave, death knocking at her door in her mind more than in her body. Initially her body felt like a feather floating in the air when she jumped off the flexible board, but then upon the decent she immediately turned to a human torpedo. Eyes and mouth wide open, arms and legs flailing, she plummeted. The weight of her body yanked her to the bottom of the pool. She opened her eyes only to see a dark abyss with only her and the lonely water below. She began kicking her legs and swinging her arms like an octopus to free herself from the liquid casket. Gasping for breath as her face touched air again, she wiggled like a fish to the side of the pool. Jenny held her hand out to help her baby sister up the ladder and on to dry concrete land again.
“Whoa! That was fun!”
“Was you scared?”
“Yeah, but since I’m still alive, I think I want to do it again. But this time Jenny, you go first.”
"So, will you help me with the Jacks tournament or what?"
"Nope."
And so Jen was able to talk her sister into doing things she didn’t want to do, but this time when the shoe was on the other foot for Mary, she had no luck. Jenny wouldn’t budge. Hurt and embarrassed, she scooped up the jacks and ball and slid them back into the pockets of her shorts and slowly walked out the bedroom door dragging her bottom lip under her sandals along the hardwood floors.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Fun Videos to Watch on Line
This one is a cool video of a man playing the piano with balls, juggling. Awesome 2 1/2 minute presentation.
Here's one with Tiger Woods, his iron and ball on a Nike Commercial.
The amazing finale with comedian Chris Bliss jugling. This is the best!
Here's one with Tiger Woods, his iron and ball on a Nike Commercial.
The amazing finale with comedian Chris Bliss jugling. This is the best!
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Forwards-Can't live with em' Can't live without em'
Every once in a while I actually open one of those darn emails that say FWD FWD FWD
1. Budweiser beer conditions the hair
2. Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish
3. Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 minutes
4. Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, it will also condition your hair
5. Elmer's Glue - paint on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see the dead skin and blackheads if any
6. Shiny Hair - use brewed Lipton Tea
7. Sunburn - empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water
8. Minor burn - Colgate or Crest toothpaste
9. Burn your tongue? Put sugar on it!
10. Arthritis? WD-40 Spray and rub in, kill insect stings too
11 Bee stings - meat tenderizer
12. Chigger bite - Preparation H 1
3. Puffy eyes - Preparation H
14. Paper cut - crazy glue or chap stick (glue is used instead of sutures at most hospitals)
15. Stinky feet - Jello!
16. Athletes feet - cornstarch
17. Fungus on toenails or fingernails - Vicks vapor rub
18. Kool aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle, it will also clean a toilet. (Wow, and we drink this stuff) 19. Kool Aid can be used as a dye in paint also Kool Aid in Dannon plain yogurt as a finger paint, your kids will love it and it won't hurt them if they eat it!
20. Peanut butter - will get scratches out of CD's! Wipe off with a coffee filter paper
21. Sticking bicycle chain - Pam no-stick cooking spray
22. Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands! Keep a can in your garage for your hubby
23. Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls
24. When the doll clothes are hard to put on, sprinkle with corn starch and watch them slide on
25. Heavy dandruff - pour on the vinegar!
26. Body paint - Crisco mixed with food coloring. Heat the Crisco in the microwave, pour in to an empty film container and mix with the food color of your choice!
27 Tie Dye T-shirt - mix a solution of Kool Aid in a container, tie a rubber band around a section of the T-shirt and soak
28. Preserving a newspaper clipping - large bottle of club soda and cup of milk of magnesia, soak for 20 min. and let dry, will last for many years!
29. A Slinky will hold toast and CD's!
30. To keep goggles and glasses from fogging, coat with Colgate toothpaste
31. Wine stains, pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt. 32.
To remove wax - Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain, it will absorb into the towel.
33. Remove labels off glassware etc. rub with Peanut butter!
34. Baked on food d - fill container with water, get a Bounce paper softener and the static from the Bounce towel will cause the baked on food to adhere to it.. Soak overnight. Also; you can use 2 Efferdent tablets, soak overnight!
35. Crayon on the wall - Colgate toothpaste and brush it!
36. Dirty grout - Listerine
37. Stains on clothes - Colgate
38. Grass stains - Karo Syrup
39. Grease Stains - Coca Cola, it will also remove grease stains from the driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from car batteries! 40. Fleas in your carpet? 20 Mule Team Borax- sprinkle and let stand for 24 hours. Maybe this will work if you get them back again.
41. To keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little Clorox, or 2 Bayer aspirin, or just use 7-up instead of water.
42. When you go to buy bread in the grocery store, have you ever wondered which is the freshest, so you "squeeze" for freshness or softness? Did you know that bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days a week? Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Each day has a different color twist tie. They are: Monday = Blue, Tuesday = Green, Thursday = Red Friday = White and Saturday = Yellow. So if today was Thursday, you would want red twist tie; not white which is Fridays (almost a week old)! The colors go alphabetically by color Blue- Green - Red - White - Yellow, Monday through Saturday. Very easy to remember. I thought this was interesting. I looked in the grocery store and the bread wrappers DO have different twist ties, and even the ones with the plastic clips have different colors. You learn something new everyday! Enjoy fresh bread when you buy bread with the right color on! the day you are shopping.
Pass this information on to friends so they can be informed also
1. Budweiser beer conditions the hair
2. Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish
3. Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 minutes
4. Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, it will also condition your hair
5. Elmer's Glue - paint on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see the dead skin and blackheads if any
6. Shiny Hair - use brewed Lipton Tea
7. Sunburn - empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water
8. Minor burn - Colgate or Crest toothpaste
9. Burn your tongue? Put sugar on it!
10. Arthritis? WD-40 Spray and rub in, kill insect stings too
11 Bee stings - meat tenderizer
12. Chigger bite - Preparation H 1
3. Puffy eyes - Preparation H
14. Paper cut - crazy glue or chap stick (glue is used instead of sutures at most hospitals)
15. Stinky feet - Jello!
16. Athletes feet - cornstarch
17. Fungus on toenails or fingernails - Vicks vapor rub
18. Kool aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle, it will also clean a toilet. (Wow, and we drink this stuff) 19. Kool Aid can be used as a dye in paint also Kool Aid in Dannon plain yogurt as a finger paint, your kids will love it and it won't hurt them if they eat it!
20. Peanut butter - will get scratches out of CD's! Wipe off with a coffee filter paper
21. Sticking bicycle chain - Pam no-stick cooking spray
22. Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands! Keep a can in your garage for your hubby
23. Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls
24. When the doll clothes are hard to put on, sprinkle with corn starch and watch them slide on
25. Heavy dandruff - pour on the vinegar!
26. Body paint - Crisco mixed with food coloring. Heat the Crisco in the microwave, pour in to an empty film container and mix with the food color of your choice!
27 Tie Dye T-shirt - mix a solution of Kool Aid in a container, tie a rubber band around a section of the T-shirt and soak
28. Preserving a newspaper clipping - large bottle of club soda and cup of milk of magnesia, soak for 20 min. and let dry, will last for many years!
29. A Slinky will hold toast and CD's!
30. To keep goggles and glasses from fogging, coat with Colgate toothpaste
31. Wine stains, pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt. 32.
To remove wax - Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain, it will absorb into the towel.
33. Remove labels off glassware etc. rub with Peanut butter!
34. Baked on food d - fill container with water, get a Bounce paper softener and the static from the Bounce towel will cause the baked on food to adhere to it.. Soak overnight. Also; you can use 2 Efferdent tablets, soak overnight!
35. Crayon on the wall - Colgate toothpaste and brush it!
36. Dirty grout - Listerine
37. Stains on clothes - Colgate
38. Grass stains - Karo Syrup
39. Grease Stains - Coca Cola, it will also remove grease stains from the driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from car batteries! 40. Fleas in your carpet? 20 Mule Team Borax- sprinkle and let stand for 24 hours. Maybe this will work if you get them back again.
41. To keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little Clorox, or 2 Bayer aspirin, or just use 7-up instead of water.
42. When you go to buy bread in the grocery store, have you ever wondered which is the freshest, so you "squeeze" for freshness or softness? Did you know that bread is delivered fresh to the stores five days a week? Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Each day has a different color twist tie. They are: Monday = Blue, Tuesday = Green, Thursday = Red Friday = White and Saturday = Yellow. So if today was Thursday, you would want red twist tie; not white which is Fridays (almost a week old)! The colors go alphabetically by color Blue- Green - Red - White - Yellow, Monday through Saturday. Very easy to remember. I thought this was interesting. I looked in the grocery store and the bread wrappers DO have different twist ties, and even the ones with the plastic clips have different colors. You learn something new everyday! Enjoy fresh bread when you buy bread with the right color on! the day you are shopping.
Pass this information on to friends so they can be informed also
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Tyler Perry recommends Akeelah andthe Bee
I plan on seeing it soon!!
From Tyler:
What's up Everybody, it's me T.P.I just wanted to say hello, and tell you about a few things that havetouched me lately. Before I do, I'd like to talk to you about Akeelah andthe Bee. Now, I know you guys are probably tired of hearing me talk about this movie,but it is really good. Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, and KeKe Palmerwere on Oprah yesterday talking about the movie. The movie is important forso many reasons. I think our children need to see a movie telling them thatit is okay to be smart and okay to be good in school. There are so manythings that tell them the opposite. This movie not only makes them feelgood, but it makes adults proud and it is just a good heart felt story toldin grand fashion. I'm just upset I didn't think of it first, I'm kidding. Iget a lot of request from people asking me to send out emails to all of youabout movies and things but I don't, not for any amount of money. For me, IfI don't believe in it or like it, I ain't sending no email about it. Ya'llwill not be talking about me on the message board. Again I don't get a dimefrom this, but it really doesn't matter because this movie is so important.Go to http://www.akeelahandthebee.com/splash.html to check out the trailerand see what I mean. Please go see this movie, I can't remember a time whenI saw a movie where a little black girl was the star of a movie, can you.I'm not telling you to go see it because of that, but because she is goodand the movie is great, you'll see. It opens this Friday everywhere. Speaking of children, I want to tell you about two young men thatchanged my life. I met both of these boys through the Make a WishFoundation. They wanted to meet me, and I met one a few months ago and one justyesterday in Tampa. One is named Jarred, and the other name is James. Theyare 14 and16 years old. If you know anything about the Make a Wish Foundation, youknow that these kids are seriously ill. The foundation gives them a wish,and both wanted to meet me. I thought to myself "you can meet anybody andyou want to meet me." Wow! Anyway when I looked into their eyes both ofthese kids had so much life in them. No matter how sick or how many monthsin the hospital, they had hope. So, if every I get tired and think aboutcomplaining I remember these two brave and strong children. They have a wayof putting it all into perspective for me. So maybe when you pray you canjoin me in calling their names Jarred and James, I have always been apraying child of God and I believe in the power of it. Let's pray for thestrength of their parents both are single mothers and they need our prayers.Thank you and God bless. Again just thank you, thank you thank you,, for those of you who areasking "for what?" You know what you've done to help me get here. BeBlessed, I'll talk to you soon.Oh P.S.On Monday, check out your email from me. I have BIG NEWS, BIG NEWS, I am soexcited about this. I can't talk about it until then but I can't wait to share it.
From Tyler:
What's up Everybody, it's me T.P.I just wanted to say hello, and tell you about a few things that havetouched me lately. Before I do, I'd like to talk to you about Akeelah andthe Bee. Now, I know you guys are probably tired of hearing me talk about this movie,but it is really good. Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, and KeKe Palmerwere on Oprah yesterday talking about the movie. The movie is important forso many reasons. I think our children need to see a movie telling them thatit is okay to be smart and okay to be good in school. There are so manythings that tell them the opposite. This movie not only makes them feelgood, but it makes adults proud and it is just a good heart felt story toldin grand fashion. I'm just upset I didn't think of it first, I'm kidding. Iget a lot of request from people asking me to send out emails to all of youabout movies and things but I don't, not for any amount of money. For me, IfI don't believe in it or like it, I ain't sending no email about it. Ya'llwill not be talking about me on the message board. Again I don't get a dimefrom this, but it really doesn't matter because this movie is so important.Go to http://www.akeelahandthebee.com/splash.html to check out the trailerand see what I mean. Please go see this movie, I can't remember a time whenI saw a movie where a little black girl was the star of a movie, can you.I'm not telling you to go see it because of that, but because she is goodand the movie is great, you'll see. It opens this Friday everywhere. Speaking of children, I want to tell you about two young men thatchanged my life. I met both of these boys through the Make a WishFoundation. They wanted to meet me, and I met one a few months ago and one justyesterday in Tampa. One is named Jarred, and the other name is James. Theyare 14 and16 years old. If you know anything about the Make a Wish Foundation, youknow that these kids are seriously ill. The foundation gives them a wish,and both wanted to meet me. I thought to myself "you can meet anybody andyou want to meet me." Wow! Anyway when I looked into their eyes both ofthese kids had so much life in them. No matter how sick or how many monthsin the hospital, they had hope. So, if every I get tired and think aboutcomplaining I remember these two brave and strong children. They have a wayof putting it all into perspective for me. So maybe when you pray you canjoin me in calling their names Jarred and James, I have always been apraying child of God and I believe in the power of it. Let's pray for thestrength of their parents both are single mothers and they need our prayers.Thank you and God bless. Again just thank you, thank you thank you,, for those of you who areasking "for what?" You know what you've done to help me get here. BeBlessed, I'll talk to you soon.Oh P.S.On Monday, check out your email from me. I have BIG NEWS, BIG NEWS, I am soexcited about this. I can't talk about it until then but I can't wait to share it.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Thursday, April 06, 2006
One of my poems is published
I was interviewed last week with the entertainment editor of the Waco Trib about poetry and me hosting the Open Night Poetry readings weekly. The article appeared in the paper today. When you click on the link, the article is there, but minus my picture and poem. So, I'll add my poem for those of you who don't get the local paper. That does that mean I'm now "published", right?
Poetry
by Maryee
Recited or read well
Rants, raves or amusing stories to tell
Future songs or picture books
Some rhyme, but not all the time
Poetry
It evokes emotion
Sadness, grief, laughter
Sheer joy, peace, love
Poetry is visual painting written on a paper
It flows from the heart of the poet
to the soul of the hearer or reader
Poetry begins as early as learning your ABC's
and your favorite nursery rhymes
Poetry will never die
From spiritual to lyrical
This muse has longevity
Poetry
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