LightAndShadow's Personal Journal

Forwarding Address

2006-04-03T03:59:00.000-07:00

Zeros and Ones... Revised

2006-03-26T05:52:00.000-08:00

It is rather appropriate that my final Blogger entry should be on this particular topic... and on a Sunday, too. It's funny how things seem to come full circle!

I don't know if I can close this out without going back to the beginning and examining the events of the last... gosh, almost six months.

I joined a couple of online communities around my last birthday. I was tired and yes, lonely and looking to spark up a few interesting conversations with people I'd probably never meet any other way.

The Forum and Personal Messaging systems were an experiment of sorts... an out of character venture into the online world of relationships and personal interaction. It was an experiment that carried me into places that I didn't even know existed (at least not on this scale).

I’ve learned that for many of us the world is a very lonely and isolated place, but like it or not, agree with it or not, zeros and ones bouncing off satellites can address the void left by make-work busy lives. Lives that are filled, in part, with people who simply don’t have the time or inclination to listen to our idle rants and ramblings.

Online I discovered a world of e-families, e-friends, e-enemies, and e-loves. In this microcosm of “real” life I've explored and learned and grown and tackled a few personal issues that needed to be dealt with, knocked to the ground, held down, and controlled.

To my surprise, I’ve found that my heart is bigger than I imagined it to be and my fear is less than I thought it was.

Here’s to growing where we are planted. Here’s to continued exploration through Zeros and Ones!

I Think I May Have Found A New Home

2006-03-25T18:47:00.000-08:00

I'm still fiddlin' and faddlin', but I do believe I found a new home!

I found a WordPress template that I like. I had to do some customizing, but once I familiarized myself with PHP (a server-side scripting language designed specifically for integration with HTML and MySQL) things moved right along. I still need to add a few links, categorize my posts, and deal with the misaligned pictures, but I'm hoping to be completely done by Monday!

http://light-n-shadow.com/blog => Come See!

Here's to packing up and moving on.

I'm Thinking About Making A Move

2006-03-23T20:04:00.000-08:00

I'm considering moving my Blog. Moving is hard... I feel very much at home here and I like Blogger's look and feel, but I'm concerned about the technical issues plaguing the site. I've got a host and I'm experimenting with Wordpress. This evening I imported all of my posts and so far so good. I'll continue to use Blogger until I'm absolutely sure that I'm satisfied with Wordpress. Of course, I'll let ya know how it goes!

Here's to greener pastures!

Black. White. Episode III

2006-03-23T09:26:00.000-08:00

Remember what I said about Little Miss. WhiteGirl and Little Mr. BlackBoy being all right? Well, I take that back. Yes, I think we viewers may find that WhiteGirl is the sole voice of reason in this black/white ensemble, but BlackBoy… Oh, BlackBoy… Oh, boy!

It turns out that Jr. BlackMan is what WhiteGirl referred to as “stereotypical!” The astute youngster pointed out that not only is he stereotypical, but he’s proud of it, and this blogger has to agree with her assessment. BlackBoy ain’t got much in the way of a clue.

When asked what grade he was in, BlackBoy said, “I’m sixteen.” as if that answered the question. It didn’t. After WhiteGirl dug around a bit, BlackBoy admitted that he’d failed both the sixth and eighth grades. He eventually got caught holding a “frrrriend’s” knife and was permanently kicked out of school. Curious WhiteGirl tried to get at the reason BlackBoy had the knife in the first place and the only explanation he was able to offer was that he didn’t really know. “I don’t ask all these questions,” BlackBoy said. Well, doll, here you are sixteen with an eighth grade education and it may be time to ask a few questions.

The other day I ran across an article written last year. In it the author, Charles Johnson, wrote the following:

As tired as one might be of hearing this, the crisis (black men being an endangered species) can be seen as possibly terminal for a considerable portion of black Americans at the dawn of the 21st century. Furthermore, it is not merely an economic or political problem but also a cultural, spiritual and moral one that has at its center behavior and attitudes that make far too many black men noncompetitive… and, perhaps, irrelevant in an increasingly complex multicultural and knowledge-based global economy.

Don’t get me wrong, I have a great deal of sympathy for BlackBoy. He’s not hopeless. He just needs guidance. Clearly, his parents are trying to do just that. As they literally cursed their son out for buying a $150 dollar bling-bling watch, Mom and Dad emphasized that they wanted him to get his GED and go to college. BlackBoy expressed confusion at the thought of education. “Why you want me to go to college?” he wanted to know. See, I guess he does ask a question or two!

Unfortunately, BlackMan in his paternal role gave sonny boy a cliché response. Between cuss words he noted he wanted the boy to have a better life. Stop cussin’ at the boy, Dad! Give your son a few facts. Tell him that UC Berkeley's 2004-05 freshman class had only 108 African-Americans out of 3,600 students, with less than 40 males, and not one black among the 800 engineering students. Tell him that 1/3 of black men in their 20s graduate from high school with an eighth-grade level of proficiency in math and reading, tell him about the numbers in prison, on probation or on parole. School your son! Stop cussin’ and start teachin’!

Now, to be fair Mom and Dad do have a problem on their hands – a sixteen year old who’s failed school and doesn’t seem to “get” it is not easy to handle. To their credit they are certainly trying to help their teenager find the “path”, however, Dad’s emphasis on racism maybe misplaced. Now, this ‘ere blogger thinks lessons in racism should be pretty far down on Papa’s list of required study. BlackBoy has more pressing problems. In this particular case, I have to agree with columnist William Raspberry as he urges black people to resist becoming trapped and limited by antique narratives about their lives.

For the first time in black American history, what we do is a greater determinant of our future than what is done to us. We need to teach that and preach that and shout that--to our young people and ourselves.

Teach, preach, and shout, BlackMan! Don’t you think this is what your son needs to hear?! Doesn’t he need to hear that “he” can make better choices? Doesn’t he need to hear that those choices can break the stereotype he’s living?

Oh, and what were WhiteMan and WhiteWoman doing during this black family moment? Well, Whiteman was stretched out on the couch thoroughly enjoying hearing BlackWoman call her son, “Neeeeegro!” And WhiteWoman was off somewhere recuperating from cursing at her own child and, of course, getting her cry on!

Here’s to not drowning our children in foul language and actually teaching them to navigate life’s difficult waters!

Just Askin'

2006-03-22T05:51:00.000-08:00

Today, I’m going to ask these questions in some of the forums I frequent!

Where is the line between sexual banter and vulgarity?

Should that line be crossed?

Setting aside the fact that it is illegal and assuming no minors are present, should you masturbate in the middle of a crowded mall?

Here's to just askin'!

I Thought About This Song The Other Day!

2006-03-21T17:06:00.000-08:00

Has HBO's The Sopranos Jumped The Shark?

2006-03-21T16:02:00.000-08:00

Has the show fundamentally and permanently strayed from its original premise leaving Tony and crew to their water ski moment? Should series fans be cringing as a comatose version of our favorite mob boss flails around in a nightmarish Vegas with the wrong wallet? Are we about to witness, in its final season, the decline of the New Jersey nasties? My God, will it end with a dream sequence?

Did you know that little AJ couldn’t act?

Oh, so many questions.

Here’s to the writers pulling their pens outta their… oooops, sorry. Here’s to ~~Happy~~ Better Days!

Taglines

2006-03-21T12:21:00.000-08:00

I like taglines.

Simple phrases that sum up and define purpose.

Have you noticed that LightAndShadow’s Journal has a tagline?

No! Well, take a look. Over there in the sidebar under "About"! See it! That’s right… right there. Ummm hmmmm, The Things I Think! Yep, that’s the one.

See I chose that as my motto for a very specific reason. I’m beginning to understand that where the mind goes the man follows. If my thinking is twisted and rooted in unhappiness and dissatisfaction, I’m likely to remain locked in unhappiness and dissatisfaction. That’s just the way it seems to work. In the final analysis, attitude is everything.

I like the expression… Check Yourself!

I created this blog to so just that. I created it to capture my thoughts. Not just to get ‘em out there, but to lock them down so that I could go back and examine them later. I wanted to check myself by tracking my fleeting thoughts, chronicling my quiet musings, giving voice to my crazy rants, laughing out loud at the foolishness around me, all the while solidifying my values.

Why? Once again, where the mind goes the man follows and I wanted to know where my mind was leading me.

I hear you! I know you’re saying that with or without writing everything down I am in a position to know precisely what’s own my own d@mn mind, right? Yes, right! Absolutely correct, but…

My blog makes me… it makes me accountable.

There it is. Everything, well… almost everything I think right out in the open… easily examined and peeled back. Unhidden. It is the public nature of recording my thoughts that makes them so much more powerful than just leaning back in my chair and thinking them.

See, if it is just me in my head it’s easy to become disconnected from the way my thoughts are impacting my life, but once those thoughts find their way into the zeros and ones of blogging, I am forced to carefully examine them. I have to ask myself… Is this true? Is this the way I want to feel? Is this the way I wish to be perceived? And if the answer is no, then I must ask myself where I should change my thinking.

Why? Because if I don’t want to be seen in a certain light, than I can’t live there. Period!

To my discredit, I must say that my mind doesn’t always go where it should. To my credit, I can also say that I am fully aware of this and I’m working on it… consciously breaking old patterns and attempting to establish better ones. And that, in a nutshell, is what the blog is all about!

My blog not only makes me accountable, but it encourages me to change my mind and, as a result, my destination.

Here’s to the things I think! Oh, and have I told you how much I appreciate our time together?!

Black. White. Episode II

2006-03-20T14:12:00.000-08:00

All right people, who’s watching this pseudo-documentary reality show, Black/White?! I caught last week’s episode on TiVo and I got stuff to say.

Surprised, right?

Look, I don’t know if it is the editing (that is always suspect) or if they’ve chosen the most paranoid black family on the planet and the stupidest white people in the world.

Before I begin my analysis let me say that we can extract the youngsters from my vent. Little Miss. and Little Mr. are just fine. It’s the PARENTS!

Help me, Jesus!

I’m here to tell you that these people are coming off as complete idiots.

First, we have the eye-rollin-I’ll-go-there-if-I-have-to black woman.

Next, we have the you-don’t-understand-how-hard-it-is-for-a-brutha brother man.

Followed up with the cry-me-a-river-I-didn’t-mean-it-when-I-called-you-a-bitch white lady.

And finally, a white-man-can’t-jump-but-Ima-get-real-hood-on-yous white guy.

Now, tell me this isn’t a recipe for disaster. Stereotypes and Cliches! Yes, folks misunderstanding abound!

In last week's episode WhiteMan set out to prove to BlackMan that ain’t nobody thinkin’ ‘bout him.

See what happened was…

The black guy dons his white disguise and he and WhiteMan go to a white bar. Now, WhiteMan made it fairly clear that he intends to draw the Caucasian patrons into a discussion on race. He’s trying to show that even if alone and without witnesses white folks aren’t sitting around droppin’ “N” words. See what I’m sayin’?

So, they sit down like a couple-a white guys looking to bend the elbow and WhiteMan starts asking not so subtle albiet exceedingly dumb questions… he asks if the patrons would date black… they would… they had. He follows that up with a “so even though black men are notorious for abandoning their family you’d still date one” question, and a “oh, by the way is it true what they say about penis size” query.

Well, the patrons weren’t impressed. They were clearly uncomfortable and basically let WhiteMan know his inquiries weren’t appreciated.

Good, right?

Naw, not really!

Ask me what this little encounter showed BlackMan dressin' as a white man? Well, he told his wife that WhiteMan was revealing his prejudice with the types of questions he asked.

Huh, WhiteMan told you he was going in there to start some racial mess? What makes you, BlackMan, think he was expressing some inner belief that you ain’t up to par.

Sigh and Shake My Head!

But that ain’t all…

We gotta discuss the dialect coach and all that bitch foolishness!

See what happened was…

BlackWoman and WhiteWoman were in Black/White training. The dialect coach was helping them practice speaking each other’s language… there is a difference.

Anyway, the word B.I.T.C.H was on the study sheet. Please, don’t ask me why! I thought the fact that the word was there at all was pretty telling, but I digress!

Back to the scene - WhiteWoman practicing black dialect said, “Yo, Bitch!” to BlackWoman. Well, sistah girl didn’t cotton ta that. No, She Did Not. She reared back and essential told WhiteWoman… who was of course in tears… that she didn’t know her like that! You know what WhiteWoman thought?… she admitted to thinking “bitch” was a term of endearment used by sister girls great and small.

Huh? It’s what?

Have mercy!

Look, everybody in this little episode was jacked up… Black/White… didn’t matter… e’rybody (another word on the dialect coach's list! He had the children practicing that one. Like I keep sayin’… Mercy!)

I know I probably shouldn’t, but I’ma stay turned to see what happens next!

Here’s to e’rybody lookin’ like a nutcase and not dealing with the honest to goodness race problems we have in America!

Forgiveness

2006-03-19T11:48:00.000-08:00

I've suffered from having an unforgiving nature. One day, I was saying The Lord's Prayer and my heart changed as I mouthed these words:

Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us

I was suddenly able to see myself and my own sins with His eyes. I realized how desperately I needed forgiveness... how much I wanted His pardon. I thought about the words in that prayer and realized that if I was to be true to them... if I was really asking God to forgive me like I forgave others, than I had to change. I had no choice but to ask God to help me begin to see the people around me the way He sees them... I needed him to help me offer others the forgiveness I myself needed.

Things became much easier after that. He showed me that all I have to do is think about what I want from Him and give it to someone else.

When a discussion of forgiveness arises talk of forgetting is sure to pop up.

Well, as for forgetting... The more I practice forgiveness the less important the concept of forgetting becomes.

I use to comfort myself with the thought that I could forgive, but I didn't have to forget. I’d say, “I’ll forgive you, but I’ll never forget what you’ve done!”

I'm seeing that that attitude was just an excuse to hold onto my unforgiveness. As I’m learning to truly forgive, I’m finding that I do indeed forget. I don't need to remember(focus on) things I've forgiven. I can really let go of past hurts. I can be free of them and I can trust God enough to not worry about old stuff revisiting me! With his help I’ll handle whatever comes.

You see we don’t need to remember that this one did that and that one did this to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. No, we don’t need to remember any more than we need to focus on some long ago kid in the third grade cutting in front of us in the lunch line. You know what I mean?

God gives you a gift when you practice forgiveness - peace.

Here's to being at peace and not having to worry about the past in the same way that someone does who can’t forgive and break free of old, painful memories.

Catholic Bashing

2006-03-18T13:15:00.003-08:00

Two things happened to me today that showed me just how ugly people can be. Especially when it comes to religion in general and Catholicism in particular.

I woke up this morning and read an opinion written by someone who quoted an obviously non-Catholic website that referred to a certain pop star as satanic. The writer was clearly upset and pointed out that “the fools who created the website didn’t know what it means to be Christian.”

I couldn’t agree more, however, I had to question the writer’s understanding of the faith when he/she went on to add this comment:

When will people realise that Catholosism is a misconception of the Bible? When will people realise that God is a loving God. He doesn't hate people, he's not to be feared... that's Satan. Catholosism is blind worship of the devil.

Remember the writer is commenting on an opinion he found on a non-Catholic website. Somehow or other he/she decided to use this opportunity to attack Catholics.

Now, this upset me greatly and it upset me not just because I’m Catholic and don’t appreciate being called a devil worshiper, but because the writer was perfectly comfortable blasting one group for labeling someone he/she admired as satanic and then turning around and doing the same thing to Catholics. I couldn’t believe the hypocrisy. I couldn’t believe the insensitivity. I just couldn’t believe how easily this person could condemn one ignorant opinion with another one!

Even though I am not one to want to start a fight I couldn’t help responding to the Catholic bashing. I essentially told the writer that calling Catholics devil worshipers sounded a whole lot like the website he/she was so appalled at for claiming that his pop star’s music is Satanic!

I wasn’t surprised that the writer couldn’t follow the jest of what I was saying. They were not moved to reconsider the fairness of their opinion. They couldn’t see their own hypocrisy. The irony of their statement was completely lost on them. Like I said, I wasn’t surprised.

Instead, they insisted that Catholics have been “mislead into blindly worshiping the devil.” They admitted to the boldness of their statement but insisted that:

Catholosism is centered around fear. Fear is the way of the devil… the Catholic church is hypocritical… there is nothing so far from what the Bible promotes, than the Catholic church.

Clearly this person has no more idea about the truth of my faith than the obviously non-Catholic website has about his pop star’s.

What a way to start the day, huh?

Well, the tone set by my first contact of the day continued into the afternoon.

I went to the museum to see the Illuminated Bible. I attended the private exhibition with a small group of my mother’s friends. We had our own tour guide and a couple we did not know just started tagging along. No problem. We could all enjoy learning about the exquisite documents on display. Right? Wrong!

This couple began asking the guide how she became such an expert on the bible. She said that she and my mother attended a four-year bible study program sponsored by the archdiocese. What did she want to say that for?!

This couple launched into a sardonic diatribe about how Catholics knew nothing about the bible. How dare they? Here they were tagging along with a group of Catholic women touring an exhibit of the first Illuminated Bible commissioned in 500 years. A bible that was designed to honor God, multiculturalism, and modern society. A bible commissioned by Catholics mind you. A bible crafted by artisans from all over the world using materials and techniques that would ensure that it would be around for a thousand years. And here these people were saying that Catholics know nothing of the bible! What audacity!!!

Well, I’ve had enough.

I’m hear to tell you what my Granmama told me… God don’t like ugly!

Blogger Bloggin' Blues

2006-03-17T10:09:00.000-08:00

Well, it looks like the filer problem that's been plaguing my little online world is fixed! Can you say... FINALLY!

I tell you one thing... This technical snafu has shown me just how important spilling my guts in this way has become to me. It is extremely therapeutic, but more importantly it is a 'ell of a lot of fun!

Here's to a stable blogging environment... oh, and backups... can't stress it enough... Backthatthangup!

*SPOKE TO SOON... it looks like they are still migrating data off the bad filer. Oh, well... *

*Okay, it looks like we're back on track. Let the blogging begin... or rather... let the blogging continue!*

The Illuminated Bible

2006-03-17T02:45:00.000-08:00

I’ve taken an interest in the Saint John’s Bible. It is the first modern handwritten and illuminated Bible commissioned since the advent of the printing press 500 years ago.

The illuminations (drawings) I’ve seen are beautiful. Each one is illustrated with gold, silver, and platinum, using goose quills on vellum. Calligraphers have hand drawn 1,150 pages with every letter written in a font created especially for the Saint John’s Bible by Donald Jackson.

The Saint John’s Bible created in this historic six-year project interprets scripture through illumination reflecting a multicultural world and humanity’s enormous strides in science, technology, and space travel.

The calligraphy is complete, but the illuminations are still being worked on. The bible is currently on tour.

A sketch design for the Road to Emmaus Illustration

What He Said

2006-03-16T12:20:00.000-08:00

Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away.
- Philip K. Dick

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.
- Albert Einstein

Reality is a question of perspective; the further you get from the past, the more concrete and plausible it seems -- but as you approach the present, it inevitably seems incredible.
- Salman Rushdie

There is an objective reality out there, but we view it through the spectacles of our beliefs, attitudes, and values.
- David G. Myers

Nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is opinion.
- Democritus

To treat your facts with imagination is one thing, but to imagine your facts is another.
- John Burroughs

But There is Saving Grace

2006-03-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

Warren's Wave

An error does not become truth

by reason of multiplied propagation,

nor does truth become error because nobody sees it.
- Mahatma Gandhi

The Heart Of My Distrust

2006-03-16T11:57:00.000-08:00

Gonslave's Ladies Of The Lake

Anyone who can handle a needle convincingly can

make us see a thread which is not there.
- E.H. Gombrich

Late Breaking News

2006-03-15T17:08:00.000-08:00

According to a certain Jedi Master a certain Padawan may be getting a lightsaber soon... More to follow... According to a certain Jedi Master a certain Padawan may be getting a lightsaber soon... More to follow... According to a certain Jedi Master a certain Padawan may be getting a lightsaber soon... More to follow. According to a certain Jedi Master a certain Padawan may be getting a lightsaber soon... More to follow... According to a certain Jedi Master a certain Padawan may be getting a lightsaber soon... More to follow... According to a certain Jedi Master a certain Padawan may be getting a lightsaber soon... More to follow... According to a certain Jedi Master a certain Padawan may be getting a lightsaber soon... More to follow... According to a certain Jedi Master a certain Padawan may be getting a lightsaber soon... More to follow...

An Annoyance

2006-03-15T11:30:00.000-08:00

While I’m waiting for my next telecon to begin, I thought I’d explore another subject that’s been nagging at me.

Mean Spirited People... what an annoyance!

Again, I’m writing about people I run into in forums. Well, not just people, but one specific person who’s been drawing my attention of late.

I will spare him the embarrassment of using his screen name and yes, I realize he’d never be embarrassed by anything I could say about him, but he should be. He should be ashamed of his online behavior and God help him if he carries on like this out in the “real” world.

I’ve never “talked” to this guy. I’ve never posted a response in one of his asinine threads and truthfully, I try to avoid reading anything he writes. However, every once in awhile I make the mistake of irritating myself by venturing into his mean little world. And honestly, it is a mistake.

This man has little to offer other than a very twisted outlook coupled with an over inflated sense of his own worth. I occasionally drop into one of his topics with the same “can’t help but look” frame of mind a driver has when peering at a traffic accident. It most assuredly isn’t about entertainment. The entertainment value is minimal. Unless you think harping on fat women, dumb people, and what he likes to think of as hoes is entertaining. No, it is my own morbid curiosity that leads me to him. It is my own good sense that quickly sends me away shaking my head and wondering about the state of people in general, and this poor man in particular.

I wonder if he has any idea how much the hatred he spews says about him. The other day, after spending the afternoon generating the usual “I hate fat women” posts the man I’m talking about had the audacity to defend himself by saying that he writes the things he writes to “help” people. Right? Thanks, but no thanks. I can’t think of anyone that needs his kind of help. Naw, I think the world would be better off without his aid.

Here’s to avoiding unsightly things on the side of the road!

Rich Man Or Poor Man

2006-03-15T09:57:00.000-08:00

I’m sorry, I feel a preach coming on. Bear with me people… Believers and Non-Believers it doesn’t really matter - hear me out!

I wanted to take a few minutes this morning before my day blew up and jot down a few thoughts I have about money, its influence on us, and its importance in our lives.

Let me begin by explaining what has me thinking about this subject!

I frequent several forums. Some of them I simply read, and others I take an active role in. Lately, I’ve run into several threads that have me concerned. No, not “toss and turn can’t sleep at night” concerned, just “hmmmmm that’s unfortunate” concerned.

Allow me to address a thread I read the other day that questioned whether or not dating a rich man is significantly different from being involved with a poor one. I find nothing inherently wrong with this question. In fact, it is rather interesting.

What did surprised me was the attitude many of the respondents brought to the discussion. The stereotyped beliefs about the differences between the rich and poor didn’t necessarily astonish me, but I found it rather disturbing that people could show such essentially unfounded animosity toward one another.

Let me give you an example. I don’t have time to dig through the forums and directly quote the posts, however, I’ll give you a general summary of some of the things that were said.

Rich men just buy women to use!

Poor men get jealous and can’t accept a woman that tries to earn a decent living!

Rich men have no character while poor men are sincere!

Am I the only one disturbed by these statements?

Naive or not, I am of the belief that character is a function of moral or ethical strength and that has little to do with financial wealth. It does, however, have much to do with an individual’s relationship to wealth.

Now, this is where I’m going to pull out my scripture. This is a fundamental one, but it seems to make my point.

You are probably familiar with the statement Jesus made about the rich man and entrance into heaven. The story of the rich man and heaven goes like this:

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?"

"Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "Only God is good. If you want to enter eternal life, obey the commandments… If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

Notice the young man’s reaction to the thought of giving away what he had. He sadly walked away knowing he couldn’t do it. See, that was the problem… not the having, but the inability to part with what he had.

I’m sure you’ve heard the other often quoted biblical passage about the “love” of money:

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

Timothy writes:

Warn the rich people of this world not to be proud or to trust in wealth that is easily lost. Tell them to have faith in God, who is rich and blesses us with everything we need to enjoy life. Instruct them to do as many good deeds as they can and to help everyone. Remind the rich to be generous and share what they have. This will lay a solid foundation for the future, so that they will know what true life is like.

Again, notice that wealth itself is not evil nor does it make people evil. In fact, wealth allows for sharing. So, it is not wealth, but the love of wealth that must be combated.

Look guys, I know this is basic stuff, but some of the things I’ve been seeing lately tell me that people need to get back to some of these basics.

There’s a third statement about the importance of money that is worth remembering:

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.

Okay, so let’s say we accept the truth of these statements. What do they mean for the poor?

First, what I really find interesting is that in the world of forums, I’d say these statements are directed not to some “rich folk” out there, but to us. Anybody with a PC and broadband can consider themselves rich as far as I’m concerned.

Secondly, I think these principals mean exactly the same thing for the actual “poor” as they do for the rich. All of us have something that we hold dear. All of us have something we are tempted to hoard away for ourselves… things we are afraid to let go of. Things we put before God.

The lesson given to the rich young man, the warning Timothy gave to the rich people of the world, the admonition about attempting to serve God and Wealth found in the scriptures are for us… All of us! Rich and Poor alike!

So, is it with this is mind that I answer the question posed earlier – Is being with a rich man significantly different than being involved with a poor man?

Well, I say… it depends on their attitude about money!

Here’s to remembering the lessons we've probably learned somewhere along the way!

I'm Gonna Get Serious

2006-03-14T18:57:00.000-08:00

I’ve been a giggly mess the last couple of days. I’ve decided to serious up.

These Are My Confessions…

2006-03-14T06:58:00.000-08:00

May not be as exciting as Usher's but here's the truth...

I’ve turned one of the file draws in my office into a pharmacy. Taaaaacky! I know, but I don’t care.

Walgreens Jr. Inventory:

Tylenol 3’s… yes, I have a prescription
Alka-Seltzer Plus
Multi-vitamins
Chewable chocolate calcium… hmm, maybe I’ll move this to the kitchenette
Iron Supplements
Hemorrhoid suppositories… yes, I said it… I believe in being prepared.
Imodium AD… I told you… I believe in being prepared.
Advil
Hair gel
Perfume (8 bottles)… what did I say…
Lotion
Comb
Brush
Q-tips
2 toothbrushes
Marvis Toothpaste... 8 bucks a tube and worth every penny! Sooooo good.
Feminine Products Galore… we got your light days, your heavy days, your interior and exterior protective devices, we got your plastic applicators, your cardboard inserters, we got wings….we… oh, never mind!

I’ve turned one of the bins in my office into a kitchenette. Taaaaacky! I know, but I don’t care.

Overhead bin kitchenette inventory:

2 currently unopened boxes of Girl Scout cookies – charity cookies tempting the crap outta me
1 possibly stale box of multigrain crackers
1 partially consumed jar of smooth natural peanut butter
2 cans of pop-top chicken noodle soup
1 box of microwave popcorn (made with real butter)
1 family sized box of Raisin Bran... good for the bowels
1 box of Brown Sugar Quaker Instant Oatmeal... Grandpa lived to be 101 and ate it er’ry day
1 tin of Constant Comment tea
1 box of gifted peppermint herbal tea I’ll never drink… I need caffeine
1 box of Splenda – they say this company is black owned (?)
1 unopened jar of Orange Marmalade
20 pilfered packets of sugar-free hot chocolate – they give it free in the coffee room, but I sneak it into my kitchen. I’m afraid one day they’ll run out!
Paper plates and napkins
2 microwave safe bowls
1 large cappuccino mug
1 tall company mission statement emblazoned coffee cup – GO TEAM!
1 blue plastic water cup
1 Empty Boy Scout caramel corn tin full of takeout restaurant plastic silverware kits
1 Empty Christmas Candy tin full of takeout restaurant condiments
and…
1 book of matches.

See… I’m ready for anything!

Dang... Here's to me getting a more scandalous life!

Soul Train

2006-03-12T08:55:00.000-08:00

I’ll be honest I haven’t watched Soul Train since... well since forever. Truthfully, I didn’t even know the show was still on.

Well, after getting my kitchen in order I decided to settle down and find a movie or something… I started flippin’ channels and stopped at Soul Train. Can somebody tell me when we lost our good sense? These girls were dancing like they were in the club… not “the” club, but “the” strip club. Nasty. Nasty. Nasty. I expect it on the vids, but Soul Train… pole dancin’, breast strokin’, humpin’. No! Stop! Leave something undefiled.

Oh, my goodness….

Right now somebody is shakin her behind to Kirk Franklin's lyrics:

Jesus you are, (Jesus you are, Jesus you are)
You are my sun right after the rain
Wherever you are
I just wanna be near you
I'm so glad I can hear you

How you gonna pole dance to that?! Have mercy!

Here's to getting a little dignity!

Quiet Weekend

2006-03-12T07:36:00.000-08:00

It’s been a wonderfully quiet, guilt free weekend. My daughter is away for a few days. I dropped her at “diversity” camp Friday morning. She’s a camp councilor and works with kids from all over the State as they gather together to discuss race, religion, and sexual preference. My daughter is probably one of the most accepting people I know. It amazes me. Her level of empathy for others is just astounding. I’d say I don’t know where it came from, but that probably is not true.

We’ve moved around a lot and she learned early how to make friends. She saw that even though people are different there is a sameness that makes it possible to understand just about anyone. I’m proud of her, but it does make me nervous.

My daughter goes for the underdog… the person with problems… she’s a sympathetic listener… and though she has a very strict code of behaviour she tries not to judge others too harshly. Why would that make a mother nervous? Well, I worry that she will not draw the line with certain people. I’m concerned that she will let her friend’s problems drag her down. I’m worried that she will surround herself with needy people who will bring trouble to her life. I know… I shouldn’t worry needlessly… I have to trust that she has a strong enough sense of self-preservation that she will walk away from bad relationships. In many ways we are the people we associate with.

Here’s to praying that my daughter finds good friends to bring love and joy to her life while keeping that beautiful spirit alive and untainted.

I Exist

2006-03-09T14:17:00.000-08:00

Now, here’s something else that’s been nagging at po’ little ol’ me!

I exist!

Sure you do! That’s what you’re saying, right? You’re thinking… okay, the woman has finally lost it. She’s making a point of letting us know she exists. Poor thing!

Naw, I’m good. I ain’t lost it. I’m just sayin’ - I exist. More importantly, I’m saying I want to continue to exist. See… I’ve bought into the whole idea of eternal life and the immortality of the soul and I - like Darius told Nina in "Love Jones"… I Want Mine!

There. I said it. I Want To Go On... like Celine sang when the ship was sinkin' in "Titanic"!

I’m telling anybody who’ll listen that I’m no drop in the ocean.

Drop in the ocean?

Don’t interrupt. Hear me out!

See, there are people out there who’ll tell you that you are just a drop in the ocean. They’ll tell you that your ultimate purpose, your final goal is to eventually rejoin the cosmic oneness of God. Now, I’m not arguing that point. I do believe that it is from God that we came and it is to God that we will return. Yes, God is our final destiny. I truly believe that.

What I’m having a problem with is the drop in a bucket theory. I’m having trouble accepting the idea that my identity, memories, talents, and personality will be swallowed whole into some cosmic One. I keep asking myself - Where would I be? I keep coming back with the disturbing answer that I would no longer be. Nope. I’m not happy with that thought. Like I said…

I’ve bought into the whole idea of eternal life and the immortality of the soul and I - like Darius in Love Jones… I Want Mine!

Here’s to existing!