Acknowledging Thanks in Thanksgiving

I am saddened to hear of the passing of my classmate and friend. During this incredibly difficult holiday time having to suffer through remembering all loved ones lost, but then to be jolted with news of loss... I'm just grateful to know, that she loved The Lord, and believed in her heart that He is her Lord and Savior. I'm just thankful, post Thanksgiving, to have witnessed that she publicly and numerously shared her testimony and His merciless favor over her life, as well as spoke love. I find comfort in knowing that although she is absent from this earth and what we see; she is very much so present with The Lord! 

I pray peace and comfort to her family, as  no loss is ever easy. I pray strength and unity for my classmates of 1999 and anyone else she touched, brought a Word to, or came in contact with. Keyonna was a beautiful person and her spirit lives on with each memory of her smile and presence. If her life did nothing else; she has gathered people closer to God and forced them to lean and truly depend on Him!

Rest in Perfect Peace Keyonna

xoxo

The Unveiling

In light of the "new" Bill Cosby news I must say; get off the gas! Firstly, Janice Dickinson has BEEN saying she'd has an affair with Bill Cosby. She wrote in her "tell-all" book about their escapades and how she'd have affairs with him once he left the stage even when he had a wife and/or with his "good boy" image.

For anyone to claim they don't believe  allegations or claim the other women to be liars; I say again: get off the gas! No one is above the fray and no one is above doing something stupid! Perhaps he didn't rape the women. It more than likely began consentually, regardless; it could have occurred. Perhaps he did throw his weight around to bed vunerable, hungry for success, and naive to the business women. That's something he and the women involved with have to deal with. But what I will say is two things: Don't let the Cosby show skew your opinion and don't believe the hype. 

Raven Simone and the remainder of his cast mates have spoken nothing but highly of him both professionally and personally before any of these allegations.

Bill Cosby may have not been your average comedienne, but he was certainly your average BLACK man in the 60's doing, commanding, and "making" more than most white folks back in a time when racial tension was extenuating and apparent; he would and was not getting away with anything a white male or female couldn't pin him to the cross for. 

There's only ONE judge. I've said my peace...Amen

It's Coming!

I was watching the movie...again...Baggage Claim and I started thinking: sometimes we can allow other people's opinion to become our own or their values and "rules" to become our own. Sometimes we allow their expectations to become imparted on us so much so that we lose track of what we really want, and not only want, but; deserve. 

It's not called settling though; it's called something else. It's not making do with a situation or even putting up with a situation. It's called being tired. You get lazy, exhausted, and apathetic with trying to attain a promise or desire that you have in your mind and heart for so long that you begin to mold your situation into something that it's absolutely not and then you get pissed or disheartened when the outcome doesn't match your predicted thoughts or results. However, at the time you don't realize that so you stay...working things out...putting up with things...figuring something is wrong with you...misguided! 

What you are doing is trying to fit a round peg into a square hole and you have yet to figure out that there's two different shapes. It's not because you are stupid. You just can't see past what you really want! And because you can't see the forest past the row of trees you're looking at- you get lost. 

Lost in years, lost in tears, and lost within your own fears. But I'm here to tell you that if you just hold out for the permanent blessing with your name on it! If you just hold on for the light, logic, and love you truly desire. If you can keep pushing, keep re-adjusting, keep maintaining the little bit of sanity you have left through your situation God will make a way out of no way for you! 

I'm also here to say if at any point you feel as if you're done holding on with no sight of fulfillment. If you feel like a mess, tangled in a nightmare web. If you feel exhausted and weary...go to that quiet place. Get there in a hurry. Remind your self of what you want and no matter if you truly believe it or not, tell yourself, "It's coming!" 

Tell yourself, in that quiet place, "It's coming!" Say it over and over again until you believe it! Tell yourself, "It's coming," until the tears dry. Tell yourself, "It's coming," until you don't fear its arrival or if and how it's coming. Tell yourself, "It's coming," until there's a smile on your face and joy in your heart! And once you get to that place....tell yourself, "It's coming," and place a date on it! Manifest your vision and thoughts! 

It's coming, friends! 

Best of blessings to you,

xoxo

Read Across Texas

Today, my campus promoting reading Ang provided multiple opportunities for the kids to gain Accelerated Reading points. Faculty, staff, and students were encouraged to dress as their favorite book character. My first thought was Ramona, the Pest, Miss Ramona Quimby herself and that's just who I came as. 

I was overwhelmed one student came and told me, she came as me! Lol! She thought because I wrote a book; she should be my character and she stuck with that logic all day! 

As teachers we were asked to start off our classes reading. I was about to read Ramona, the Pest, when all my students swiftly prompted me to read my book (the children's book that is) I did and the feedback was invaluable and fun to hear. They all said they loved it! ...they may have been biased because I'm their teacher; but then as I stopped at the 10 to 15 minute excerpt they wanted more and a few came afterwards telling me ideas they'd like to see in a sequel! 

I tell you: Kids are something else. They are brutally honest, and my students truly hold me down!

It's Not About Holding On...It's About Honoring Life

There were many lives lost in the pursuit to "earn" the right to vote. Many people fought, rallied, suffered, and died fighting for a cause that, now, many people take for granted. 

It's not about holding on to the past. It's about forward change! It's not about being negative! It's about working towards positive results!

Respect your rights!

Honor the lives lost! 

There is a story of someone's son that was beat and hung for just going to the polls back in the Fifties. Don't let all the lives lost to be afforded equal opportunities and unrestricted rights go in vain. Your vote counts starting in all branches of government, not just Presidency!

One Bad Apple

I happen to catch an interview Countess Vaugh gave pertaining to some of her self esteem issues. It was disturbing to say the least. This woman is uber-talented and has been a celebrity public-figure since she was like eight years old or so. She says that she never felt good enough or beautiful enough growing up in the entertainment business. Granted, I get it. In the entertainment business you are in deed a product. You are no longer an individual that can make decisions about your appearsnce AND you are judged according to your appearance. 

In one breathe she said while working on the set of the popular sitcom 227 Marla Gibbs was great. "She told me I was beautiful everyday." In the same breathe she says, "There was an older lady on set that just didn't like me. She thought I was big, black, and ugly. I heard her. She was just brought up in a time where beauty was defined as something else and I wasn't it. That stuck with me." She said as she began to tear up. 

My thing is: you had someone telling you that you were beautiful everyday, but she allowed one statement an ignorant cast member made, not even in her face or directly to her to scar her esteem and essentially she's held on to that "feeling" those words for over twenty years! Really? How could you allow someone to take your energy, steal your joy in that way, especially when you have someone daily telling you that you're beautiful?

Parents talk to your kids! Build them up before others tear them down! Then listen: if you hadn't heard it today; you are brilliant, beautiful and blessed to be one of God's children! Be successful! Live life and enjoy your successes!

Control Your Destiny

We make time for who, what, and anything we want so it's pertinent to make time for your success! Make time to be great! Make time to perfect your craft, skills, and talents. If you want something bad enough you'll do whatever it takes. It'll seem effortless once the initial set-up is complete. Make time to be the best you. If you want success, then you will make (create) the time for it.

Maybe it will require less idle time. Perhaps it will require less of this and more or that. Whatever it is; it will be well worth your sacrifice now to enjoy the fruits of your labor later. 

Blessings to you,

xoxo