For Entertainment Purposes Only

Achieving Excellence Part ll

2010-02-12T14:47:00.000-08:00

So, you've made your decision.
The next step--get to work!

Hone your Craft One of the biggest mistakes people make is underestimating what it takes to be successful. In our microwave, drive-thru, express-lane society, we all want it now. People honor and idolize what is visible--success, but they have difficulty conceiving all of the work that goes into achieving it.
If you have a love for something and you know it is your destiny, learn all that you can about it. Read all that you can about it. Talk to and LISTEN to experts in the field.
When I started my own company I had NO idea what I was getting into. I had been successful in the rat race and that success came very easily, but, I made the big mistake of assuming my success would transfer to everything else I did--by osmosis or something! Working for someone was completely different from owning a company. I wasn't prepared. I lacked knowledge and self-discipline. The worse thing was--I didn't know what I didn't know.
While your success is greatly contingent upon your actions, it doesn't necessarily mean you can get by with what you've been gifted with. Educate yourself. Apply what you learn. Evaluate your performance and make it better.
Excellence requires a very high price. That price must always be paid--and always paid in advance!!

Be Relentless Believe it or not, there are forces out there that want to keep you from being your best. Every decision we ever make is a choice between life and death. Some of the same choices can mean life or death, depending on the circumstance. For example, in the middle of getting an important task completed something may tell you you need to take a nap. Do you really need a nap? You may or may not. A nap at that time could keep you from productivity or it could help you to be more productive later. It's up to you to figure out if the decision is moving you closer to your goal or further away.
When you get down to work, things will happen to distract you, intimidate you, infuriate you or just plain deter you from your goal. Not necessarily bad things. Just things. Don't let them!
Keep your goals in front of you. Literally. Write them down and put them in your bathroom, on mirrors, on the refrigerator, in your car, in your purse--everywhere. The plan for your life is so important that you were CREATED for it.
If you know that you know that you know that this is what you're supposed to be doing, NEVER GIVE UP.

Take it to the Edge The Truth: There is nothing new under the sun. People are sheep. No one thinks. How else can you explain the proliferation of "reality" tv shows, mediocre recycled "music" and the endless, mindless activities that do nothing to improve society.
I hate boring stuff! Don't settle for that! There may be nothing new, but everything can become new. How?
You!
Be true to yourself. Show us what you're working with. You, and only you, have your own unique perspective of life. Everyone does. Don't be afraid--give us something to think about. Nobody wants a tired, been there-done that, generic version of ANYTHING! Explode the box! Trust that the Creator was right when He made you. It is a privilege and an honor to be able to carry out what you are purposed for. Let your heart sing and people will love you for it.

The dream is free. It's the journey you're gonna pay for. John Maxwell

Excellence costs. Pay that price! Be the one that brings people to tears. Be the one to make people LOL! Be the one that makes them go "hmmmm???".
Make it interesting. Make it fun. And, most of all, make it worth it!

Achieving Excellence Part l

2010-01-22T19:18:00.000-08:00

Achieving excellence always begins with one thing. Making a decision.

Seems simple enough, right? It is, if you know who you are. Most failure can be contributed to a lack of determination. Do you know yourself well enough to be able to determine exactly what it is that you want?
If not, in your quest to figure out just who you are and what you would like to happen in your life, consider these 3 things:

Recognize your gifting I believe we have all been endowed with unlimited gifting in unlimited areas in unlimited amounts. Take some time and think about some of the things you're good at. Some things may seem more important than others. Some are more or less evident. Even if you complete what you may consider to be the most mundane of tasks well, that is a gift. There is no one anywhere that is able to do whatever it is that you do, and give it your special touch.
Determine your gifting and use it to help you get what you want and, more importantly, help improve our world.

Give in to your desires Our desires are planted in us for a reason. Have you ever looked at someone that enjoys a particular activity and wondered "What in the World???" People make the world go 'round and it is desire that fuels the trip. Desire may be the most important part of achieving success because, whatever it is we have a desire for, we will be enthusiastic about. Enthusiasm is crucial to accomplishment. The word enthusiasm comes from the Greek éntheos, meaning "God within". Enthusiasm reflects the love that you have for whatever it is that you desire.
It is that Love, my friend, that can be the biggest determining factor of whether or not you will succeed at obtaining your heart's desire.

You are not a victim Everything is beautiful in it's own time. Circumstances are never perfect. Sometimes they appear to be out of our control. Sometimes they are not favorable. Sometimes, to avoid being held accountable, we blame our circumstances.
One thing is for certain, no matter what the circumstance, everything happens for a reason. Work in your circumstance. Use it as a tool. Examine what's happening around you. What's hot? What's not? Why? What can you use to improve your circumstances and move you closer to your goals? What can you do differently next time to avoid a counter-productive situation?
You can either be a victim of or victorious in your circumstance. You will never be both.

Although determining your desires and gifting and capitalizing on your circumstances play major roles in deciding the plan for your life, the most important thing you can do to achieve real success is to get to know your Maker. We all have an important and unique part to play in His plan. Using all that He has given us, and knowing Him and His plan for our lives is the Most Excellent Way to achieve success.

(MY) Top Quotes for 2009

2010-01-13T08:05:00.001-08:00

A recap of 2009 in quotes. Some I heard, some I read. All I liked. Here goes:

"Love is a verb."
Joyce Meyer
(The runner up, only because I heard it in 2010): "'No' is a complete sentence!"

Help Haiti here.

"If money can fix it, it's not really a problem."
S Pitts

"People are either frustrating or fascinating. The choice is yours."
J Blasko

"Ignorance isn't the problem. The problem is the ignorance of ignorance."
A Sweeney (Heard this last week. Added it anyway :)

"Nobody wants to buy a drill but everybody wants a hole."
J Dwyer (I'm sure this one was recycled from somewhere)

"The pole vaulter doesn't know how high he can jump until he knocks down the pole."
Dr. Robert Schuller from the book "You Can Become the Person You Want to Be"

"Be it if you want to be it."
Dr. J Davis
First runner up: "Explode the box!"

“The pendulum of the mind oscillates between sense and nonsense, not between right and wrong."
~Carl Gustav Jung via The Cushite @ www.FirstWorldBooks.com

"The difference between try and triumph is a little UMPH!"
Rev. Run via Dr. Robert Schuller

"People that are fearful are easy to control."
Dani Johnson
First runner up: "Quit needing it and GO GET IT!"

"I learned that I could be a giver by simply bringing a smile to another person."
Maya Angelou
(Bonus)"...when I walk in, they may like me or dislike me, but everybody knows I'm here."

Happy New Year! Off to make my own quotes :)

Winning Starts with Beginning!

2009-12-22T08:26:00.001-08:00

I enjoyed this little excerpt from the book "You Can Become the Person You Want to Be" as written by Dr. Robert H. Schuller:

Walt Disney liked to tell the story of the boy who wanted so much to march in the circus parade. When the show came to town the bandmaster needed a trombonist, so the boy signed up. He hadn't marched a block when his horrible sounds created pandemonium. "Why didn't you tell me you couldn't play a trombone?" the bandmaster demanded. The boy answered simply, "How did I know? I never tried before!"

Taken from the chapter "Self-Confidence--Get it! Use it! Keep it!

One of my favorite trainers, Dani Johnson, tells us that in order to be truly successful at anything we need the persistence, enthusiasm and adventurism of a child.
What are you not doing now because you do not yet know that you can?

Do You Remember Where You Were When the Levees Broke?

2009-08-23T10:41:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in a minute--I've been going through some things that have snatched my focus. Excuse me, that I've allowed to snatch my focus. When I thought I was ready to write, I couldn't think of anything to write about. I don't claim to be a writer but, if I were, you might call what I had writer's block.

Then I found this delightful man, Brad Bechler on Twitter , who wrote a book about Hurricane Katrina. (Kind of a reminder that there's always someone that has it worse than you do.) His book is called "When Will the Sky Fall?". I haven't read it yet, but if it's anything like his tweets, I'm sure it will be an enlightening read.

This week is the fourth anniversary of the hurricane that made history. Where the media desensitizes us to tragedies and horrific catastrophies by dehumanizing them and making them appear commonplace (you know the media CHOOSES what they report), the effects of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina remain to this day.

Spike Lee's "When the Levees Broke" puts a most human face on the tragedy that occurred August 29, 2005. Mr. Lee is a master documentarian and this piece is nothing short of mesmerizing. It is a much needed, must-see "look at a community that has been through hell and back, surviving death, devastation and disease at every turn".
I hope you've seen it.

The effects of Katrina were far reaching--I remember new members of our congregation became new members because they had been displaced by the storm. I live in New Jersey.
The Coast Guard, the National Guard, volunteer organizations were stretched by rescue efforts.
The world watched, and ridiculed, our government's stunted response to one of the worst natural disasters in our nation's history.
(Not to go THERE but even the most *weatherly* challenged know that a Category 5 hurricane is going to require more than a little bit of attention--even in the best of circumstances.)
And finally, people from all over banded together to help a devastated region & people resume some sort of semblance of a life.

Amidst their tragedy, the people of the bayou go on. My heart goes out to the people of New Orleans and everyone else affected, still.
Sometimes you just have to get over your sweet self and put things into perspective in order to get things done.
I'm glad I am able to write again. :) Feel free to share your thoughts!

The Covenant Relationship

2009-07-29T08:07:00.000-07:00

We had our family reunion this past week and it was a complete blast! Two of my brothers (and their families) came in from Cali. One actually relocated back to the east coast--where he belongs! My mother and sister came from Georgia, so we filled a couple of houses--and a couple of hotel rooms. We hadn't all
been together since my brother's wedding a few years ago, so we were long overdue.

Somehow, even though there were like, a million of us, we all pretty much got along. Probably because we hadn't all been together in such a long time. So, there was nothing at our reunion like those Tyler Perry movies. We swam, ate, sang (Michael Jackson songs, of course), drank, danced, yelled, murmurred, complained, argued (mostly about Prince vs MJJ. Who knew there was such a rivalry amongst musicians. We decided comparing Prince & MJJ is like comparing apples to oranges), learned, loved--and nobody pulled a knife on anybody. Although there was a close call during the pictionary game. Girls RULE!!! Oh, and none of the men in the family ended up dressed like a woman. Go figure. All in all, it was a fantastic time! Family is awesome.

Anyway, I usually wait until the Sunday Sermon to finish up my weekly posts. This week is no different--it just took me a little longer to recover from last week. Plus, I forgot to take pictures, so I had to wait for some of my brethren to post some pics so I could finish this post. I'm still waiting.

My pastor told us that in any covenant relationship there will be disagreements. What exactly is a covenant relationship? A relationship that is covenanted. Just kidding. According to Wikipedia, a covenant, in its most general sense, is a solemn promise to engage in or refrain from a specified action.

We love each other. From the top to the bottom, youngest to the oldest, yellowest to the brownest, we love each other. We are a blended family, of many races, varying opinions, many abilities and at different stages of our lives.

Our reunion was everything a reunion should be--we engaged in love and refrained from anything that moved us away from it.

Not a bad covenant.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

2009-07-17T06:52:00.000-07:00

.
A couple of days ago a friend was telling me about a surgical procedure his son had gone through a few days before. Although the surgery is intricate and quite extensive, it has pretty much become a standard procedure, thanks to advances in surgical technology. His son came through the operation fine, but it was a MAJOR undertaking.

Prior to making the decision to have the surgery, he had asked for my advice because my son had had the same procedure a few years ago. When he asked, I sensed the same apprehension I felt when trying to determine whether or not to subject my son to the same op. (As it turned out, according to all of the experts, there was no other option. Without getting into too much detail, both boys are wheelchair bound, and, in order to keep them from becoming "deformed"--the doctor's words--and having their bodies cave in on them and crush their internal organs, the surgery had to be performed.)

As he gave me the details of his son's procedure and his post-op experience, he got kind of choked up. He told me all about the intubation/extubation, the swelling, the cries for help, the blood loss. I just listened. My mind wandered off to my son's surgical experience. Hearing my friend's story helped me to understand things just a little bit more.

I see now that the empathy I feel for him, and his situation, is purposeful, relational and specific. Sometimes I complain about my life being too hard. Shoot, sometimes it is! But, being able to identify with and help someone whose situation is similar to mine is the antidote to just about any woe I may ever have.

In the end, all things do work together for the common good. Hang in there! Even though all that we are is a culmination of genetics and experience, we are all wonderfully made. Share your beauty. Even if it's just a listening ear. Sometimes that's all someone needs to make their day a little better.

My Michael Jackson Post

2009-07-07T17:41:00.000-07:00

I am a bit baffled. And confused. The death of Michael Jackson threw me for the biggest loop I never expected. I wasn't the hugest fan when he was alive, but I have always loved his music.

So, why write about him? Everybody pretty much has a Michael Jackson post, right? What else is there to say?

Two words: Al Sharpton. Excuse me--The Reverend Al Sharpton.
The reverend opened his mouth and purported that Michael Jackson wasn't strange.

Now, I know that in the heat of the moment, things can be said that may not be completely true or accurate, but how in the world could you even let it come out of your mouth that Jacko wasn't strange? How could you form those words and seriously speak (or preach) them to anybody???

Michael Jackson was friends with a monkey. Does anything else need to be said?

I guess there's truth to the addage "it's not what you say, it's how you say it".
Sorry, but, I'm not going for that okey-doke.

I tell you this right now, I LOVE MJJ! LOVE HIM! I always will. My heart aches over losing him. His talent was beyond exception. He CREATED the music video and put MTV on the map. His music spans, like, five different decades and numerous generations. If he was an icon, he was THE ICON.

With all that gifting, I figure he was entitled to some sort of oddness. And odd he was. We all know he was strange. And really, is there anything wrong with being a little strange? Especially when you're the freaking King of the Universe?! Besides, who among us isn't strange? I like strange. Strange keeps it interesting.

Michael may have been the looniest of the toons, though.

But, I am certain, there is a reason for it all. We've all been given just enough crazy to balance out the brilliance. It keeps us humble. Or at least it's supposed to. The key is to recognize it or sometimes it doesn't work out so well.

In the end, none of that matters. What matters is what he gave. I don't know about you, but to me, it looks like he gave a lot.

Thank you, Michael! I love you.

My Dad

2009-06-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

My dad came to church with me today. It was cool.
I was going to write a whole entry about it,
but I don't feel like it.
It was just a really cool day. Thanks, Dad.

Happy Father's Day :)

Pucker Up!

2009-06-18T06:48:00.000-07:00

I work as a make-up artist with Motives Cosmetics, a cosmetics company I absolutely love. I love it so much that I probably own every product that they have ever come out with.

There was almost one exception to my collection: the lip plumper.

I am usually the guinea pig for all of the products I choose to market. By choice. The lip plumper, however, presented me with a couple of unique issues.
Number one: Suppose it didn't work. (I'm not exactly sure why I had this issue with this particular product. This has never been an issue before.)
Number two: Suppose it did work. (Lip plumpers give me visions of Hollywood lip enhancement mishaps and plastic surgery horror stories.)

Since I was being a big baby, somebody else had to test it. I embarked on a little marketing venture. I sat down with a few clients and friends and tried to demonstrate our new offering.

What ensued wasn't pretty. If you are at all familiar with females of the negroid persuasion, lip plumper is a BAD word. (They must have those same lip enhancement visions dancing in their heads!)

My friends were skeptical. My clients ran. One of my clients literally jumped up from the table and backed away from me. Another one crossed her two index fingers at me, as if to keep me from draining the lifeblood from her body.

Obviously, I needed to rethink my whole marketing strategy.

I did--and it worked! Soon my "lip plumper" became my "clear lip gloss conditioner that's just a little tingly." I got a couple of my clients and a few of my thin-lipped friends to try it and got some good reviews.

Then it was my turn. Here are my results:

See the difference?!!
OK, so, the second picture looks like the first picture, just a little shinier.
Look closely, though--the plumpiness is there.

I will say that this plumper has a cumulative effect--the more you wear it, the better the result. My lips are "plumper" now than they were a few weeks ago when I first started wearing it. I guess that's the "filler effect". It reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, which gives your lips a fuller look.

It has a nice texture and my lips feel better--supple is the word I'm looking for. Even when I'm not wearing it.

All in all, I'm glad I worked up the courage to try it. Especially now that summer is here-- I prefer minimal make up when it's hot outside. I can use it by itself or layer it on top of my lipstick or lip gel.

Because, after all, what's better than a nice summertime pucker?

My Kids

2009-06-07T12:45:00.001-07:00

Kids are so entertaining. They had me cracking up today. Our Sunday School lesson was "Who was Jesus?"
We all know who Jesus is. Or at least we have some idea of who He is.
We went through our lesson today and came to the conclusion that Jesus was God. Here on earth. He could have done anything He wanted to do, but He chose to die to save us from ourselves.

This lesson quickly degenerated. Degenerated is probably the wrong word, but I can't think of another word right now. Mutated may be a better choice.

At least it inspired them to think.

Once they figured out that Jesus was God and walked among us, they thought He could have done a lot more than He did while He was here.

The first student's thoughts: I would have used my "powers" to fly. I would have been flying all over the place!
The next: (Flexing his muscles) Mannnn, I would have made myself buff!
The next: I would have just snapped my fingers and traveled all over the world.
There were a lot more, but I didn't have time to write them down while class was in session.

Creative little beings they are, comparing what He could have done to what He did. I don't think I could have come up with that one in a million years.

I'm pretty sure that lesson was a success.

Men are Just Happier People

2009-06-05T09:02:00.000-07:00

(recieved via email)

NICKNAMES:
If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.
If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla and Four-eyes.

EATING OUT:
When the bill arrives, Mike, Dave and John will each throw in $20, even though it's only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.
When the girls get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

MONEY:
A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.
A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn't need but it's on> sale.

BATHROOMS:
A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shavingcream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel .
The average number of items in the typical woman's bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify more than 20 of these items.

ARGUMENTS:
A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

FUTURE:
A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.
A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

SUCCESS:
A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

MARRIAGE:
A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn't.
A man marries a woman expecting that she won't change, but she does.

DRESSING UP:
A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.
A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

NATURAL:
Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.
Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

OFFSPRING:
Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secretfears and hopes and dreams.
A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
A married man should forget his mistakes.
There's no use in two people remembering the same thing!

Thought that was cute :)

Negative Thoughts? Blast 'em with a Word!

2009-05-27T19:57:00.000-07:00

Research indicates that we can't think and talk at the same time. Apparently, it is physiologically impossible because the thinking and speaking processes originate from the area part in the brain.

I don't know a lot about the research--couldn't find too much about it on the internet (I did find an insanely interesting article about the brain called "Brains are Apple sauce"), but all you need to do is try it for yourself.

I went to a training where the instructor demonstrated the process with a very simple exercise. He told us to count to 100 in our heads when he raised his right hand and to say our ABC's, out loud, when he raised his left . He raised his right hand and then in the middle of counting, he raised his left.

Needless to say, the ABC's took over.

Everything starts with at thought. Unfortunately, some studies indicate that up to 77 percent of our thoughts are negative.

Are we doomed?

Not at all.

If all it takes, physiologically, to interrupt the thought process is a spoken word, we've got this! Three things that help me:

Recognize a negative thought. Sound silly? Bad thoughts can creep in, just like that. They are insidious. I have to make a seriously concious effort to realize what's going on in my head. And check it. As Joyce Meyer says "think about what you are thinking about". Recognize what's going on in that mind of yours and take charge!

Be prepared. As I said, negative thoughts will creep in. All the time! Have positive affirmations ready and waiting. Use props--write 'em out, carry a book in your purse--whatever you have to do, just be ready to stomp them out with a word.

Focus on the good. Every situation, no matter how ominous it appears to be, has a silver lining. Find it and shout it out! This is easier in some instances than others. It doesn't matter. Just do it.

No need to allow your thoughts keep you down any longer! Stay Real.

Out of the Mouth of Babes

2009-05-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

Today one of my Sunday School students told me that whether you're the student or the teacher, you are still the student.

In class today I had to tell him (for the 700th time) to stop texting and pay attention to the lesson, to which he replied something like "well, you have your phone".

I explained to him, very patiently, that I am the teacher. What I say goes in the classroom and, when he becomes the teacher, he can run his class any way he sees fit. (In a very Christian manner.)

He mumbled something unintelligible under his breath. I asked 'if he would like to be the teacher'. He gave a big NO and made the above statement.

I couldn't be mad at him. And, of course I know that we should all be learning every day of our lives, but, this comes from a young man that has come a long way. His background is not privleged--it can pretty much be described as disadvantaged. He's attended church and Sunday school for the past five years, on his own. I am proud of him!

He reminded me of "Sista Know-it-All" who once told me that she grew up with a preacher father, so there was nothing new the preacher could teach her. Or "Brotha Can't-Tell-Me-Nothin" who mocked Joel Osteen's preaching style, even as he chased down all the PYTs in the congregation.

They could learn a thing or two from him! My preacher said in his sermon today that if you are coming to church and leaving the same way you came, we haven't done our job. I agree!

Today, the teacher became the student. Thanks, J!

Giving is Living

2009-05-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

Just in case you've ever had any doubt:

People are COMPLETELY AWESOME!!

The picture to the left is what was collected for the Githen's Center (my son's school) outside of Walmart this weekend (yes, we sat outside and begged).

But that's not all. That jar was filled FIVE times over!!! We had to empty it FIVE times!!! That is very encouraging. Especially with the state of the economy being what it is.

More over, I've increased my Bike-a-Thon goal by %100 this year and I am more than halfway there, with donations coming in everyday.

Thank you for your support. I love you all!

I Am Favored

2009-05-10T11:24:00.000-07:00

'For in Him I live and I move and, I have my being.'

For I am His child.

Acts 17:28

When Crying Isn't Enough

2009-05-08T13:45:00.001-07:00

No matter

how trendy the clothes,
ornate the trinket or
meticulous the makeup;
Sometimes you have to cry.

No matter

how discerning the eye,
determined the decision or
where you place your faith;
Sometimes you gotta cry.

No matter

how entertaining the dialog,
how hauntingly beautiful the lyric or
valuable the content;
Sometimes you need to cry.

No matter

how sustaining the rays of the sun,
magnetic the pull of the moon or
brilliant and numerous the stars;
Sometimes you want to cry.

No matter

how exquisite the bone structure,
precisely cut the coif or
chiseled the abs;
Sometimes you have to cry.

No matter

how immaculate the home,
lush the lawn or
new smelling the car;
Sometimes you need to cry.

No matter

how crystal the vision,
strong the spine or
clean the bill of health;
Sometimes you want to cry.

No matter

how well intentioned your loved ones,
comforting the kindness of strangers or
how well you turn the other cheek;
Sometimes you have to cry.

No matter

how attentive the gaze,
profound the words or
fulfilling the touch;
Sometimes you want to cry.

The Only Thing that Matters.

The enormity of The Miracle.
The awesomeness of The Sacrifice.
The grace and mercy of His Love.

Sometimes you can't cry enough.

Psalm 7:14

2009-04-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

"He who is pregnant with evil and conceives trouble gives birth to disillusionment."

That explains A LOT.

Everybody's Got Their Something

2009-04-18T19:24:00.000-07:00

The Githens Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals with disabilities and their families. For over 55 years they have provided programs and services that are uniquely designed to help individuals to reach their highest level of independence.

They are holding their 21st Annual Bike and Walk-A-Thon-Saturday, June, 6, 2009. Because of the nature of the school, the kids are unable to participate in typical school fundraisers, so they depend on these types of fundraisers to get the funds they need to run the programs needed by the students.

My son, Julian, has attended Githens since he was 6, when he was diagnosed with a life-threatening illness which left him incapacitated. He is now 19.

I encourage you to give! These days, it seems everyone is in need of something. We are constantly bombarded with requests for help. It's easy to become jaded and not think twice about tossing these requests into the round file.

I'm here to put a face on the cause. Without the help from the Githens Center, we may not even be here right now. And you guys would be very sad. :(

So, don't be jaded! Everybody really needs help! I need help! This may not be the cause for you, but there is probably some cause tugging at your heart. You may feel the need to help Feed the Children or Rebuild New Orleans. Don't put it off--check it out!

And, if you know of anyone in the South Jersey/ Philadelphia area that would like to take a nice walk or ride through the beautiful Pine Barrens of New Jersey--send them my way!

Want to help? Click here!

He

2009-04-12T10:48:00.000-07:00

He never owned a home
He never wrote a book
He never had a family
He never held an office
He never went to college
He never had an income
He never visited a big city
He never traveled more than 200 miles from where he was born
He did none of the things usually associated with greatness

Yet He stands as the central figure in all of history.

Anonymous

He is my Love. He is alive. Thank you, Jesus!

Reclaiming My Southern Roots

2009-04-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

"After generations of separations and decades of forgetfulness, the mention of the South brings back to our memories ancient years of pain and pleasure. At the turn of the twentieth century, many African Americans left the Southern towns, left the crushing prejudice and prohibition, and moved north to Chicago and New York City, west to Los Angeles and San Diego."

That is an excerpt from Maya Angelou's book, Letter to My Daughter, "a short collection of spellbinding essays--part guidebook, part memoir, part poetry and pure delight." The title of this post and all excerpts come from one of the entries entitled "Reclaiming Southern Roots."

"The climate which the immigrants imagined as free of racial prejudice was found to be discriminatory in ways different from the Southern modes and possibly even more humiliating."

In Reclaiming Southern Roots, Dr. Angelou writes of our ancestors emigration from the South to the promise of better lives to be lived in the North and the West, and the return of these immigrant's decendents (like me!) to the South, because of their "memories...of Southern summers, fish fries, Saturday barbecues, and the gentle manners of Southern upbringing."

I am ashamed to say that I've never read Dr. Angelou before. I never believe the hype! How sorry I am. I read this entire book in one sitting--in less than two hours. It is one of the most beautiful things I've ever read.

"when I walk in, they may like me or dislike me, but everybody knows I'm here."

This one's a must read. Sista's got skills. Check out an excerpt here.

What are You Afraid of?

2009-03-22T14:07:00.000-07:00

Last week, one of my friends invited me over to check out the new make-up our company came out with for this season. Being the makeup fiend that I am, I went. With a certain quickness, I might add.

But, that's not what this post is about.

My friend and I work with the same company, so we've know each other for a few years. In the past year or two, we've grown closer. This was the first time I actually visited her at her home, so I got to see some pictures of her and her family. I was a bit taken aback by what I saw.
She's a pretty lady now, but back in the day she was completely stunning! In one picture she looked like a very well sculpted Ms. America Barbie Doll. She told me she actually won one of those body building contests back then. So, me, in all my tact, very excitedly suggested we lose weight and tone ourselves up so we could both look like that now.
She replied with a bunch of reasons she couldn't do it--you know, no time, a medical condition, uncontrollable urges for cupcakes, blah blah blah.

Being in weight management, I'm used to hearing a bunch of excuses as to why people can't lose the weight they claim to want to lose. This time I was kind of thrown, though, because we work with the same company and I never expect to hear those same excuses from one of my compadres.
Not that I don't make excuses for the things I don't really want to do. But, because on a conscious level, I don't believe in excuses and I am certain I can do anything I set my mind to, my excuses are born of more crafty methods. And crafty, they are. Indeed.

Initially, there are no excuses--I take on a task like nobody's business! And, unfortunately,there doesn't have to be any excuses, because my subconscious knows how easily I (choose to be) am distracted. The lyrics from a love song, a candy bar wrapper (yup, it's happened), the sun--you name it, as long as it's easier to think about than the task at hand, my attention is there. By the time my conscious has figured out what's happened, it's too late. The task at hand is incomplete and here come the excuses.
I understand the fact that it is human nature to travel the path of least resistance. I really like that path. It's a lot easier. The only thing with that is, you just can't accomplish a whole lot of good stuff travelling down that road. Fortunately, I do know what I need to do to get things done. I just need to take action.

Fear creeps up on us in a number of ways, for a number of reasons. People that are fearful are easy to control. Sometimes it's so deep-seated, it's unrecognizable. It makes us do crazy things. It also keeps us from doing the right things.

Do you recognize fear in your life? If you need help in this area, check out DaniJohnson. She offers no-nonsense insight and advice on focus, fear, excuses and results and has helped me quite a bit in all areas of my life.

Stay Real!

A Simple Question

2009-03-15T12:47:00.000-07:00

Yesterday a friend asked me how my year is going.

Ask a simple question, get a simple answer. Not with moi. It's funny how one can complicate the simplest of questions.

When he asked, I was sort of taken aback. It actually took a second for me to process the question. I can't recall anyone ever asking me that before and being sincerely interested in hearing the answer.

So he asked. And, since I'm always so on top of things, I answered. With a question. "What month is it?"

March.

What ensued was a rather lengthy explanation full of all the things I haven't done, I need to do or I plan to do. By the time I was finished, he may have been sorry he asked.
I wasn't.

It has taken me a long time to realize that, if not kept in check, I tend to jump off the track. With a certain quickness.

I think I may possibly be on track to keeping one of my New Years Resolutions.

So I ask you. With March being the last month of the first quarter of the new year, are you satisfied with what you've accomplished for the year so far?

If not, you may want to check this out: Why You’re Not Doing The Things You Said You Wanted To.

Stay Real

The Story of My Life

2009-02-26T18:28:00.000-08:00

Most people want what God wants them to have, but don't want to be who God wants them to be.

Joyce Meyer

Nuff Said. Stay Real.

Media Emersion

2009-02-12T19:57:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed that in commercials the people eating dessert, fast food, snacks, etc are never overweight? And the people taking drugs are always happy and attractive--hanging out on a beach or dancing in a field full of flowers? And the women wearing cosmetics are unnaturally beautiful?

Is that fair? Do we ever think about what we are watching?

I just saw a commercial for some sort of delectable looking chocolate delight. All of the women in the commercial were skinny, sexy and having quite a bit of fun with that dessert.
We all know that one too many of those concoctions will put us on the other side of skinny real quick, but those ladies sure looked like they were really enjoying themselves.

Who looks like that, anyway? Some statistics indicate that 63% of Americans are overweight; with %37 percent of them being obese. What are those people eating?

Anti-depressants are the most prescribed pharmaceuticals in the United States. I don't know about you, but I don't really associate being happy and attractive with depression. And how often do you actually end up dancing in a field of daisies?

And the cosmetics thing. C'mon! It should be unlawful for cosmetics companies to show models with false eyelashes in a mascara commercials.

A few years back there was a commercial about a test for a certain type of cancer that was supposed to be one of the most difficult types of cancer to detect and one of the deadliest forms of cancer in women. Maybe it was ovarian cancer.
So, of course, me, being the super hypochondriac that I am, asked for the test at my very next routine OB/Gyn appointment. You can never be too careful.

When I asked the doctor for the test, her whole countenance changed and the color pretty much drained from her face. She took me through a serious interrogation. Why did I want the test? Is it inherent in my family? Do I have any symptoms? Any changes in my menstrual cycle?

No, I exclaimed. I saw this commercial on tv and, well, you know the rest.
The doctor looked somewhat relieved and like she wanted to slap me upside my head, all at the same time. She kind of muttered something about stupid commercials under her breath and continued on with my exam.

All of this because I was brainwashed.

Think about that the next time you want to go out and buy a snuggie.

Nuff said. Stay Real.

Marching Toward Decrepitude II

2009-02-11T09:01:00.000-08:00

I am becoming more and more concerned about my growing concern with aging. There. I said it. I can't believe I'm really thinking this hard about how aging is affecting me, but after yesterday, I can no longer live in my own little world of denial. After all, my motto has always been that I will live to be 150 and look and feel like I'm 50.

I'm not so sure about that anymore.

Yesterday I took a day trip to New York. Driving, the trip would take about an hour and forty-five minutes. No problem. Go in, do some work and get out, right?

Riiiight.

I got up at the crack of dawn. That's no biggie for most people. Not for Her Graciousness. I hate to admit it, but it's been a few dawns since I've seen the other side of 7 o'clock.
But, really, no problem. It doesn't happen that often, so I'm not complaining.

So, I'm up and I'm out. Up the turnpike. Clear highway. Great tracks. Plenty of caffeine.
For some reason, though, I'm tired. Driving UP. Dang. The day hasn't even begun and I'm tired. What's that about?

So I get to the place and everything's cool. It's a pretty easy day. Sold a few young ladies some lipstick. A mini-makeover, a couple of consults. Nothing too strenuous. A good day.

The drive home, though, was no reflection of the ease of the day. As soon as I jumped back onto the turnpike, I had trouble keeping my eyes open. I thought, maybe I went to bed too late. Maybe I didn't eat enough. Maybe the day wasn't as stress-free as I thought.

Or maybe, just maybe, I'm getting OLD!

Well, that thought was confirmed later on in the day. That evening, after slipping out of my coma, I realized that I maybe can't do the things at 44 that I did when I was 24. Well, do it and not be exhausted. Like driving to New York and back in a day.

Because I work in the Anti-Aging industry, I'm pretty much up on the tricks of the trade to help people look and feel their best. I know that diet, sleep, stress, aging, etc. have a direct affect on performance. I know this. I've seen the results of people taking care of themselves.
I can tell you, in the blink of an eye, how to drop a quick five pounds. Or how to get rid of those pesky little frown lines. Or how get relief to those crickity-crackity joints.

My refusal to apply these principles to my own life, however, is quite baffling. Getting enough sleep. Eating the right foods. It may not be a game anymore.

Nuff said. Stay real.

THE STOCK BOY AND THE CHECKOUT GIRL

2009-01-28T17:24:00.000-08:00

In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy, was busily working when a new voice came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register 4. Kurtis was almost finished and wanted to get some fresh air and decided to answer the call.

As he approached the check-out stand a distant smile caught his eye. The new check-out girl was beautiful. She was an older woman (maybe 26, and he was only 22) and he fell in love. Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by the punch clock to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him, took her card and punched out, then left. He looked at her card, BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road.

The next day, he waited outside as she left the supermarket, and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She simply said it wasn't possible. He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn't afford a baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following Saturday.

That Saturday night he arrived at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The baby-sitter had called and cancelled. To which Kurtis simply said, "Well, let's take the kids with us."
She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not taking no for an answer, he pressed. Finally Brenda, brought him inside to meet her children. She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis thought, then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair. He was born a paraplegic with Down Syndrome.

Kurtis said to Brenda, "I still don't understand why the kids can't come with us?" Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman with two kids, especially if one had disabilities, just like her first husband and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary - - - he had a different mindset.
That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him. When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the end of the evening, Brenda knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life with.
A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children. Since then they have added two more kids.

So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl?

Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona, where he is currently employed as the quarterback of the National Football League Arizona Cardinals and has his Cardinals in the hunt for a possible appearance in the Super Bowl.
Is this a surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person.
It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.

Everybody loves this story! Wish I could claim it for my own, but this is a reprint.

Brilliant Genius

2009-01-20T18:04:00.000-08:00

I talked to my sister today and excitedly exclaimed to her that our new President is a brilliant genius! She laughed "Not just brilliant, but brilliant and a genius". I thought it was a perfect description.

Watching the ceremony today only confirmed my unwavering confidence in this man.
If you've ever read the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" you'd know exactly, exactly what our new Commander-In-Chief is doing.
He is following the lead of two of the most influential and popular Presidents in our history, Lincoln and FDR.
He isn't taking this monumental task of the presidency upon himself. Through every single action he takes, he is engaging us, as a people, together, to rebuild what has been lost in this country. The key word here being together. Through a series of savvy and unique relationship building tecniques, he's made us all feel like we are personally involved in his presidency and with that, we are more than happy to engage.

One of the signs of a true leader is getting people to want to do what you want them to do while reaching a goal that is mutually beneficial to both parties. There were close to two million people at the Inauguration Ceremony and not one incidence of violence. One poll shows that eight out of ten people approve of this man. He's already there. On his first day in office. Less than a half a day.

I fully expect him to do everything he says he's going to do. And I also expect that, if he doesn't, we won't hold it against him.

RESOLUTIONS 2009 II

2009-01-14T10:30:00.000-08:00

It is January 14th and so far I have managed to stay out of jail and lose four of the six pounds I gained over the holiday. Even though losing weight wasn't one of my goals, after that holiday, it probably should have been.

I now feel comfortable enough with my accomplishments to release the rest of my top ten:

10. Listen with My Heart
Focusing on my lovewalk :-) With everyone. Even people that get on my nerves. I have my work cut out for me.

9. Less Socializing, More Networking (Online)
I'm such the social butterfly. Soon to be the BROKE social butterfly if I don't get my butt in gear. Who am I kidding, I'm already broke.

8. More Socializing, Less Networking (Real Life)
Real people (friends & family) don't know who I am anymore. Gotta fix that. (The newest member of our family, nephew Elijah).

7. I can't remember what this one is. Will update as soon as I remember.

6. Stop Telling God What To Do.
I'm such a brat.

No Greater Love

2009-01-05T08:50:00.000-08:00

Clearly the love of his life.

Twitter Rules!

2009-01-03T18:55:00.000-08:00

So I go to the store in the middle of the Indianapolis-San Diego Wildcard Playoff game to get a few things that were needed to finish dinner.

When I get back, I try to find out what's going on with the game from my son and his girlfriend. I wasn't expecting too much--I know neither one is really into football, but I didn't really expect what I got.

Me: So what's up with the game?
*crickets*
Clearly too much thought required from these two 20 year olds. Rephrase.
Me: Who's winning?
The Boy: Uhhh, not Indiana.
Me (looking at my son like he's an alien): Not Indiana?? (Indiana. Is this my son?)
The Girl (trying to help the boy out): South Dakota. (She was dead serious)

I couldn't hold it back. I didn't want to laugh in her face, but South Dakota??? Holy Crap!
My son looks at me. "Mom, you're going to twitter this, aren't you?"

Exactly.

Dear Cherry Pie,

2009-01-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

Stop looking at me like that! I'm having enough trouble with this break up without you giving me the eye everytime I walk by.
You know I have to go. You knew from the beginning that there's not enough room in my life for you and Size 6.

But wait, one more go round may not hurt. As long as we both understand it's temporary. I'll be back later. shhhhhh!

Your love-
Ginger

The Dark Side

2009-01-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

Hard to see, the Dark Side is. That was Yoda in Episode One of the Star Wars Franchise.

Last Sunday my Pastor preached about the young rich ruler. He asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus replied 'Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother." When the ruler replied that he had done all of these things, Jesus told him the last thing he needed to do was give away his riches.
Needless to say, the rich man went away sad. Cause you KNOW he wasn't giving up all that money. He was RICH!!!

The point is, God knows what's coming between us and Him. Sometimes it's not what we think. Sometimes the things that we do or the things that we have aren't necessarily bad, but they are not helping us get to where we need to be. We just don't see it.

Very wise, Yoda is.

Dear Cherry Pie,

2009-01-02T10:54:00.000-08:00

I think I've found a way for us to be together one more time. The best part is, Dr. Anna won't even have a clue! Accountability, schmaccountability. Blech!!!
Guess what! I've worked out these past two days. Today I've only eaten nuts and fruit and I drank a ton of lemon water. As long as I can keep that up all day, she'll never know the difference. The night is OURS!!!
Since this could be our final rendezvous, lets pull out all the stops. Melted Butter. Ice Cream. Whipped Cream. YUMMM. I know how you love all that stuff. We're gonna have some fun tonight *wink*.

So, my love, get ready. We are in for a night to remember. Keep it on the DL...

Ginger

Dear Cherry Pie,

2009-01-01T08:07:00.000-08:00

It appears our time together has come to an end. I know we both thought we'd have more time together, but things have changed.

I thought we would have at least until tomorrow, but apparently today is not the holiday that you and I and the rest of the world thinks it is, and I have to start my New Years Resolutions today.

That is according to Dr. Anna.
I love her dearly, but she is really being mean and insisting that I start my resolutions today and not tomorrow as I had planned. Something about procrastination and accountability. *rolling my eyes* It wouldn't be so bad if she didn't follow me on Twitter and wasn't my friend on Facebook. She is relentless.

So, my love, while I will always cherish the time we had together, I must bid you adieu. I know I spent more time with your cousin Punkin, but that was before I knew Dr. Anna. I hope it's ok for me to send this to Punkin and Cousin Sweet P. Oh, and Texas Toast, as well. You know you will always be my first love. *tearing up*

Missing you already,
Ginger

Marching Toward Decrepitude

2008-12-30T18:13:00.000-08:00

Today I watched my hair turn grey. Literally. I was combing my hair and amongst the million gray hairs already on my head, I found a hair that was brown at the base and graying at the tip. It freaking stood out like a sore thumb. I always thought gray hair just grew in GRAY!

Do you know what it feels like to look at a hair that's turning gray, even as you look at it?? It was like seeing your lifeforce being sapped out of your very being, right in front of your eyes. And there's NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT! As my one little hair was slowly losing its pigment, I was having visions of me, slowly losing my youth.

I don't really have a problem with getting older. Really, I don't. I think I'm doing pretty well to be turning 45 this year. Lately, though, I have to write everything down to remember it from one moment to the next and I'm a little crackity getting off the couch. And my arthritis has moved into my right elbow. But other than that I'm doing pretty well. :~\

Marching toward decrepitude is a line out of the movie "The Bucket List" starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. Two old guys trying to get everything done before they kick "the bucket".

That's probably what I need to be concerned about the most. Watching a movie about growing old and enjoying it.

RESOLUTIONS 2009

2008-12-15T17:20:00.000-08:00

This year I resolve to:

#5 Stay out of jail.
I may have to make this one more of a priority in the near future. You don't even want to know. Trust me.

#4 Feed the Children
This is more of a metaphor for me to just help people that need help. Although, those children really need help. Feed the children, yall!!!

#3 Build Muscle, Reduce Fat
I actually met a resolution and lost the weight last year. Time to maintain.

#2 See DaniJohnson three times this year.
Awesomely annointed speaker. I'm gonna be her when I grow up.

#1 Improve my relationship with the One I love the most.
Seems silly to have to resolve to do this.

Happy New Year!