Life...

If you are alive at this minute then every other person who is alive too have something in common with you. It's called life. No matter what kind of life you lead, we all have to deal with whatever happens when life takes over.
This is how I felt this past week. Nothing unusual really happened but it was simply a week of life taking over and causing every emotion in me to be ignited. I went from laughing to crying. I felt happy and sad. Mostly sad but almost equally happy. Am I making much sense? It's quite hard to explain. All I know is I had a week of frustration. I felt "out of sorts" of some kind. I was not entirely unhappy all the time but I had moments of frustration. Times when I felt overwhelmed. Times when I was purely miserable.
As a stay-at-home Mom (SAHM), I am dealing with a lot of frustration with my son who is going through the terrible twos.
We go through a kind of love-hate relationship now and sometimes I get so mad and unsure if I can last another minute. Then just as quickly I'll be on the floor laughing so hard from something he had just finished doing that was so funny.
I am on a emotional roller coaster right now. There are days when I want to get off the roller coaster. Other times, I'm enjoying the ride tremendously. I coach myself with reassurance and remind myself that I have been on this ride before. My daughter went through the terrible twos a few years back and I survived. I comfort myself with knowing that "I have been there, done that and bought the t-shirt." Sometimes though my comforting is short-lived and I wake up on days like today with a headache and not sure how I will make it through another day of toddler tantrums.
So what to do when life takes over? You do the one thing you can do. You live. You also remember this: Philippians 4:13 "I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Strengthens Me."

The Devil and Soap Scum Connection

BTW, thank God my bathroom looks nothing like that. I would die if I had to clean one that disgusting! I cringe just looking at it!

Yesterday I spent some time cleaning the bathrooms in my house. I really enjoy cleaning but cleaning bathrooms is one of my least favorite chores. Cleaning the shower tiles in my bathroom is the worst part of cleaning my bathroom. I hate soap scum and I hate cleaning it too!
While I was cleaning the soap scum off my shower tiles I got lost in deep thought. I started to think about how soap scum is so stubborn; it's really hard to get rid of. This made me think of the devil and how he too is stubborn and will continuously come around even more so when he knows you belong to God.
It made me remember something my grandmother would say, "it's hard to keep out the devil, but it is worse to drive him out (once he has gotten in)." The devil is a very stubborn creature. He has already lost it all so ultimately he has nothing to lose by coming after us. He will constantly come around and show his ugly head. He wants to drag us down with him. It is definitely hard to keep him out but once you let him in you will have to suffer the consequences. It might seem wonderful in the beginning (since the devil comes in very pleasing disguises)but watch out!

What does that have to do with soap scum? Well, soap scum is just that... it is scum and it keeps coming back no matter how often or how good you clean it the first time. It's really hard to keep soap scum off your shower tiles (yes even if you spray every day with one of those "clean shower" product) but it is worse if you let soap scum sit on your shower tiles for a long period of time. Then it will be more disgusting and harder to get rid of it. Just like the devil. Think about it. Pray about it. Guard your heart from the devil. Don't take any chances.

Escape

Recently I spoke with another Mom from my daughter's school. We were talking about some of the craziness we had to deal with when you have 2 or more young children in your home. She is also dealing with a teenager and said most days she is quite overwhelmed. She explained that she didn't use to work-out but has recently started because she needed an "escape." That might sound a little harsh but I totally agree that Moms desperately need a break and should definitely look for a way to "escape." Don't look at it as an escape from your children. Look at it as a time of refreshing and renewing for you.
Here are some of my "escape" (refreshing and renewing) tactics:
1) Exercise-- I've never been a fan of working out either. However, as a child and even an young adult I loved to bike. Recently I decided to start biking again. We have an exercise bike and I have found that I've been biking almost every day. At first I was skeptical because it is kind of hard to get away from the kids because of my husband's work schedule. They are usually with me for many hours before he gets home. However, I have found that even 20-30 minutes on the bike gives me a much needed "break." Even if the kids are bickering, I put on my I-Pod and I just listen to my music and go and go. Last night I did my first 45 minutes while they were already in bed and it was the best. Yippeee!!!
2) Hobby-- I love reading. I mean if someone would pay me to be a professional reader that would be what I would do. I also don't mind research but of course it is a lot better to read just for pure pleasure. Also, I love writing too. Both reading and writing are my passions.
3) Relaxation Techniques-- I constantly do deep breathing exercises; it helps to calm me down when I'm facing conflicts and plain craziness. Also at nights when I go to sleep I sometimes have a hard time going to sleep and deep breathing exercises have helped me alot. Some people like to drink tea, I am not the biggest tea fan (I'm more of a coffee drinker) but I have found a tea I like (it's a combination of ginger and lemon grass).
Of course if I could get a massage every day I would absolutely love that. However, that won't happen so I try to get a massage every once in a while (every quarter is my goal right now and so far I've gotten 1 this year already so we'll see). Another relaxing thing to do is to take a bubble bath. Why not go all the way and get some really nice bath oil, salts and aromatherapy-type products and even light some candles. This is one of my favorite thing to do.
4) Just DO YOU--Do something that you really enjoy as much as you possibly can do it (I know that some of the things we like can get very expensive so we have to be mindful of that). However, treat yourself to a mani/pedi if you like that; buy yourself some new shoes if that's what you like. The bottom line is to take time to spend time with you. If you get a rare opportunity to take a "break" just take it even if you don't have anything planned. It's okay to do something by yourself just for you.
I know that there are many ways that you can get an "escape" so if I have forgotten something please leave a comment and tell me of some of the things you do to get a break. I would love to get some new ideas.

Keeping Up With The Jones'

One of my grandmother's favorite sayings is "Don't hang your basket further than you can reach it!" My friend, Keveta,
and I exchange these sayings from time to time and this is also one of her grandmother's favorite. This one usually refer to people who are greedy and have a "keeping up with the Jones'" mentality. In Jamaica, we usually refer to these people as having a "red eye." Their eyes are always looking at other people's belongings and coveting what their friends, neighbors or even family members already have. They are never satisfied with what they have.
This "don't hang your basket further than you can reach it" saying was coiled to talk about how these kinds of people ("red eye" people/covetous people) are constantly trying to reach higher than they can afford(therefore hanging their baskets too high). My friend has often said that her grandmother would explain that when a person hang their basket out of their reach, they will later have to ask for help and their neighbors (most likely the Jones'...lol) will have to come and help them use a stick to push their basket down. Thereby revealing the contents of their basket. This would definitely be embarasssing thus the reason why our grandmothers felt that it was vital for people to stay in their means.
I agree that if you are stretching your limit and living beyond your means, there will be consequences for those actions. People who cannot be content with what they have will eventually have to face their bad decisions. I'm not saying you shouldn't be ambitious because I believe that ambitions fuel success. However, if you are constantly not satisfied with your accomplishments and become very greedy, it will catch up to you eventually. Soon, you will realize that you can't keep reaching for something that is so out of your reach and you will fall.
Count your blessings, no matter how small they may appear. With the economy being as bad as it is today, we should definitely be grateful for whatever we have. I thank God each day that I have a roof over my head, food to eat and all the other blessings in my life. We are only human and will continue to have many desires but always remember that God will supply our needs but He doesn't have to give us everything we want.

Home Training

I have to admit, there are so many of my grandmother's words of wisdom that I'm sure I could keep posting about them for a long time. After this one, I will do 2 more and if need be, in the future I can share more. I've chosen the ones that I did because I hope that it will minister to you as much as they have to me. Also, my grandmother is not the only wise woman to say these things. These are pretty common sayings in Jamaica and so my friends and I laugh many times when we share our experiences about what our grandmothers, mothers and other elderly people told us growing up. While we find humor in these sayings, I have to add that they are not really a laughing matter. The lessons that we were taught by these words of wisdom have helped to shape me into the person I am today.
The saying that I want to emphasize today is, "you must learn how to dance at yard (home) before you can dance abroad." This means that you need to get proper training (learn manners) at home before you can act properly outside of your home. With that said, I would like to address parents with these words of wisdom. Since parents are the ones that mold their children's lives, this is only fitting.


Most of you reading my blog probably already know that I am a stay-at-home Mom(SAHM) of 2 young children. I take my job very seriously and spend countless hours shaping the lives of my children. I believe that parents are ultimately responsible for the opportunities that their children are exposed to. We create the circumstances to ensure their future success.
Nowadays, children are not being disciplined like they were back in the days. Parents have become too lenient with their children and this may be the cause for why there are so many behavioral problems to attend to. If your child can't dance at home then how do you expect that your child will dance away from home? If you are not teaching your child good manners at home, how can you expect them to behave with those skills when you take them in public? Don't be afraid to discipline your child in public too. If your child is out of line, you can excuse yourself and have a "talk" with your child. You don't have to embarrass them in front of their friends or your friends.
Many times parents are in denial about their children's bad behaviors. They do not want it to be a reflection of their parenting so they constantly make excuses. If their child is doing something disrespectful in public, they simply avoid addressing it and if someone mentions it then they will give an excuse and swear up and down that their child is not like this at home. I agree that children will not always do as they have been taught. They will test you constantly to see how much they can get away with. They will also try to manipulate a situation because they know how to read us and they know when we'll give in for fear of embarrassment. Children are much smarter than we give them credit.
I've been around parents who seem scared of their own children (and I'm talking about even a young child). They will avoid leaving their house because they say that their child does not know how to behave in public. They are definitely right about that because if they are not teaching their child how to behave properly then he/she will behave poorly. Children are a product of their environment. They are learning these poor behavior skills at home. Most parents do not deliberately teach their children these poor skills but children do learn from examples. Be good role models for your children and they will follow your lead. From the beginning if you are not teaching your child good manners like please and thank you, then don't expect them to use this when they go out to dinner with your friends. Children will pay more attention to what you do than what you say too so you will have to be careful that you are staying consistent. Consistency is key. Your children will never be perfect; nobody's perfect. However, you may save yourself a lot of headache down the line. No one is saying you have to be so strict that your kids will swear you are a robot but kids need to learn how to respect you first so that they can respect themselves and others. This will make it easier for them to strive in society.

As a parent, I know how overwhelming it gets at times. I know that most of us do try our best to train our children and really want what is best for them. It can definitely get frustrating at times but I believe that proper home training will save parents a lot of frustration. We are responsible for our children's lives. God has placed them in our care. I know that we cannot be with them 24 hours per day and that is why it is imperative that we train them how to dance at home so that they'll be great dancers abroad.

"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6 KJV

Hard Work

My most recent post gave some words of wisdom that I received from my grandmother. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, please read here. Today I wanted to write about another one of these wise sayings that my grandmother used to say. I've heard her say, "if you want good, your nose must run!" For the longest time I thought this was the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I imagined my nose running plenty of times and it didn't seem good to me. I mean, what is so good about your nose running when you have a cold? Later, I realized that it meant that you have to work hard for what you want.
This is just so true because if you are not a hard worker then it will be hard for you to be successful. I get so tired of lazy people complaining about not getting ahead. They claim that they have a vision but they are not getting anywhere. Don't get me wrong, it is good to have a vision. Proverbs 29:18 tells us, "where there is no vision, the people perish." However, if you have a vision and are unwilling to do the work necessary to see your vision come to fruition, then how do you expect it to happen? Consider Proverbs 12:24, "the hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor."
I believe that you have to be willing to get out there and pull your sleeves up and work your tail off. It doesn't matter if you are working in the corporate world, in retail or food services or even in a church. God wants you to come with a willing heart but He also wants you to work. Many times we get so set in our ways that we don't even realize that we aren't even giving enough effort. We can't see our efforts objectively and we've convinced ourselves that we are giving our best. But, if we were to stop and take another look then we would see that what we are doing is not really our best. We are just doing enough to get by. We didn't really do enough research to write that report but the deadline is here, so why bother? We didn't practice enough but we have to go give a presentation or even a performance so why not just wing it?
Is it really enough? If you've seen American Idol, then you know that no matter how good the contestants might think they are, it all comes down to how they will be critiqued, whether it's by the judges or even us, the American people who vote. Your work is being critiqued in some form and how you complete your work will be judged. So just because you are working with kids and you think, oh they are not smart enough to figure out that I didn't do my best today. The truth is, no matter who you work with, kids or adults, you have to always give your best. Only your best is good enough. Practice, work hard. Do whatever it takes. You can take yourself to the next level but you have to submit yourself to the work. Quit being lazy. Let your nose run and run until you get to the finish line of success.

Bad Blessings

This is a picture of my cousin, Trecia, my grandmother and me in Jamaica.

My grandmother used to say some things that sounded so strange when I was growing up. Now that I've gotten older, I have come to realize that those things that she said weren't really that strange. In fact, they were very wise. I will be sharing several of my grandmother sayings in future posts.
I've often heard her say that people who strive to do bad things to others would have bad blessings follow them. I never quite understood what she was saying until I was well on my way to adulthood. She was basically saying that you will reap what you sow. If you think evil things and did evil things to others then it will come back to you.
There are so many people who go around today pretending to be your friend. However, they are so consumed with jealousy and a need for greed that they cannot truly be a genuine friend. They will back stab you in a minute if it means that they can get ahead. They watch and wait for something bad to happen to you because they are so sick and tired of watching you excel in what you do. They don't care how hard you worked for what you have. The minute you lose it all they are there to offer you "pretend comfort" when all the time they are really laughing behind your back. They pretend to be grief-stricken for you but they are really happy to see that you are down. Misery loves company. The Bible said in Proverbs 23:7 "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee." These kinds of people are not truly your friend. The sooner you realize this and distance yourself from them the healthier you can be. These kind of friends can weigh you down. They can make you emotionally and physically ill. They bring unnecessary stress and heartache to your lives. Have you ever had a friend like this? Do you remember how much it hurt when you realized that this person was not truly your friend?
Well, if what my grandmother said was true then these people will reap what they sow. They will get what is coming to them. Bad blessings will follow them. While everything in us wants to reciprocate hate to these kinds of people, we must not fall into sin. We need to pray for these people. Their eyes are blind and the devil has a hold on their lives. We must pray that they will be redeemed and set free from their evil ways. We must pray that they will find Jesus so that their bad blessings can turn into good blessings.

My Musings About MOSI

Today is the first day of Spring Break and I am already exhausted. I took the kids to MOSI. We went with one of Adryana's friend from school. Her mom and sister (who is almost 2) went too.
It's so funny how kids can make you do things that you were never really that interested in. Also, isn't it interesting how you can have some really cool places in your own backyard but you never take the time to experience them? That's what going to MOSI was like for me.
We've lived in Tampa now for 6 years and we have not gone to MOSI once. It just never seemed that appealing to us. Not that we took the time to see what it was all about. We are not really fond of museums and could probably count on one hand how many museums we have been to. So, we've never been to MOSI until now and I actually liked it. Granted we did mostly kid stuff today because I do have a toddler and a preschooler that wouldn't be interested in some of their science exhibits anyway. It's definitely a place to visit especially if you like science and even if you have a few little explorers at home. Even young kids will be entertained, I wasn't sure about that but the younger ones seemed like they were having as much fun as the older ones.
The most fun thing for me of course was going into the wind tunnel and experiencing winds over 100 miles per hour. Crazy, huh? My hair was really messed up after and my daughter thought that was real funny. I had a comb and brush so it was an easy fix. I didn't take Arjay in with me, I didn't think he could handle it yet. He's only 2 after all. We did the hurricane and tornado exhibits too and he was a little scared so I wasn't going to push my luck. Also, it was almost nap time for him and he tends to get a little cranky when he's tired.
There were lots of other things to keep the kids occupied and they had a great time playing with other kids. They got pretty tired after lunch but we were still able to do a few more exhibits and then head home. They were both asleep within minutes of the drive home. Unfortunately they woke up once we got home, which was about a 35 minute drive. So now I'm dealing with some cranky kids. We'll see how I manage the rest of the day. Right now they are watching TV so I stole away to write this post. Soon they will be driving me crazy again. The countdown for bedtime begins now...

In Memory of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who was assassinated on April 4, 1968.
Today I celebrate his life and all that it means to me, not just because I am black but because I am human. I am a child of God and was created in His likeness.
If only we as a nation would always remember that, always remember that God created us all then this world could truly be a better place.
Below you will find the famous, "I've been to the Mountaintop" speech. I've pondered about it many times. While it saddens and angers me(not the speech but the circumstances surrounding it), it also gives me hope.
I have asked God "Why?" many times. I am not just speaking of Dr. King's death. I am speaking of the American experience for a black person. I have often said that I did not know I was black until I came to America. Simply because I lived in a country, that although it had other problems, I was never merely considered a black person. I was considered a human. While I love this country and the opportunities if offers, it is obviously very hard to sit back and watch how a whole race is being treated so unfairly just because some ignorant persons thought that they were far more superior.
So, yes I have asked God "Why?" many times. I have not gotten the answers but I believe just as my grandmother has often said, "God nah sleep!" (Jamaican patios which means that God is watching us;He is not sleeping). He will judge us. Time may go by but God has not forgotten. In the meantime, I still get angry from time to time. Ephesians 4:26 tells us, "Be ye angry, and sin not..." I have chosen to take the high road and not let anger consume me. I believe that we shall overcome.

Please read Dr. King's speech and ponder about his words. I hope it will also empower you and give you hope.


Copied from www. africanamericans.com
Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

"I've Been to the Mountaintop"

3 April 1968

Memphis, Tennessee

Thank you very kindly, my friends. As I listened to Ralph Abernathy and his eloquent and generous introduction and then thought about myself, I wondered who he was talking about. [laughter] It's always good to have your closest friend and associate to say something good about you, and Ralph Abernathy is the best friend that I have in the world.

I'm delighted to see each of you here tonight in spite of a storm warning. You reveal that you are determined (Right) to go on anyhow. (Yeah, All right) Something is happening in Memphis, something is happening in our world. And you know, if I were standing at the beginning of time with the possibility of taking a kind of general and panoramic view of the whole of human history up to now, and the Almighty said to me, "Martin Luther King, which age would you like to live in?" I would take my mental flight by Egypt (Yeah), and I would watch God's children in their magnificent trek from the dark dungeons of Egypt through, or rather, across the Red Sea, through the wilderness, on toward the Promised Land. And in spite of its magnificence, I wouldn't stop there. (All right)

I would move on by Greece, and take my mind to Mount Olympus. And I would see Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Euripides, and Aristophanes assembled around the Parthenon [applause], and I would watch them around the Parthenon as they discussed the great and eternal issues of reality. But I wouldn't stop there. (Oh yeah)

I would go on even to the great heyday of the Roman Empire (Yes), and I would see developments around there, through various emperors and leaders. But I wouldn't stop there. (Keep on)

I would even come up to the day of the Renaissance and get a quick picture of all that the Renaissance did for the cultural and aesthetic life of man. But I wouldn't stop there. (Yeah)

I would even go by the way that the man for whom I'm named had his habitat, and I would watch Martin Luther as he tacks his ninety-five theses on the door at the church of Wittenberg. But I wouldn't stop there. (All right)

I would come on up even to 1863 and watch a vacillating president by the name of Abraham Lincoln finally come to the conclusion that he had to sign the Emancipation Proclamation. But I wouldn't stop there. (Yeah) [applause]

I would even come up to the early thirties and see a man grappling with the problems of the bankruptcy of his nation, and come with an eloquent cry that "we have nothing to fear but fear itself." But I wouldn't stop there. (All right)

Strangely enough, I would turn to the Almighty and say, "If you allow me to live just a few years in the second half of the twentieth century, I will be happy." [applause]

Now that's a strange statement to make because the world is all messed up. The nation is sick, trouble is in the land, confusion all around. That's a strange statement. But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. (All right, Yes) And I see God working in this period of the twentieth century in a way that men in some strange way are responding. Something is happening in our world. (Yeah) The masses of people are rising up. And wherever they are assembled today, whether they are in Johannesburg, South Africa; Nairobi, Kenya; Accra, Ghana; New York City; Atlanta, Georgia; Jackson, Mississippi; or Memphis, Tennessee, the cry is always the same: "We want to be free." [applause]

And another reason that I'm happy to live in this period is that we have been forced to a point where we are going to have to grapple with the problems that men have been trying to grapple with through history, but the demands didn't force them to do it. Survival demands that we grapple with them. (Yes) Men for years now have been talking about war and peace. But now no longer can they just talk about it. It is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence in this world; it's nonviolence or nonexistence. That is where we are today. [applause]

And also, in the human rights revolution, if something isn't done and done in a hurry to bring the colored peoples of the world out of their long years of poverty, their long years of hurt and neglect, the whole world is doomed. (All right) [applause] Now I'm just happy that God has allowed me to live in this period, to see what is unfolding. And I'm happy that he's allowed me to be in Memphis. (Oh yeah)

I can remember [applause], I can remember when Negroes were just going around, as Ralph has said so often, scratching where they didn't itch and laughing when they were not tickled. [laughter, applause] But that day is all over. (Yeah) [applause] We mean business now and we are determined to gain our rightful place in God's world. (Yeah) [applause] And that's all this whole thing is about. We aren't engaged in any negative protest and in any negative arguments with anybody. We are saying that we are determined to be men. We are determined to be people. (Yeah) We are saying [applause], we are saying that we are God's children. (Yeah) [applause] And if we are God's children, we don't have to live like we are forced to live.

Now what does all of this mean in this great period of history? It means that we've got to stay together. (Yeah) We've got to stay together and maintain unity. You know, whenever Pharaoh wanted to prolong the period of slavery in Egypt, he had a favorite, favorite formula for doing it. What was that? He kept the slaves fighting among themselves. [applause] But whenever the slaves get together, something happens in Pharaoh's court, and he cannot hold the slaves in slavery. When the slaves get together, that's the beginning of getting out of slavery. [applause] Now let us maintain unity.

Secondly, let us keep the issues where they are. (Right) The issue is injustice. The issue is the refusal of Memphis to be fair and honest in its dealings with its public servants, who happen to be sanitation workers [applause]. Now we've got to keep attention on that. (That's right) That's always the problem with a little violence. You know what happened the other day, and the press dealt only with the window breaking. (That's right) I read the articles. They very seldom got around to mentioning the fact that 1,300 sanitation workers are on strike, and that Memphis is not being fair to them, and that Mayor Loeb is in dire need of a doctor. They didn't get around to that. (Yeah) [applause]

Now we're going to march again, and we've got to march again (Yeah), in order to put the issue where it is supposed to be (Yeah) [applause] and force everybody to see that there are thirteen hundred of God's children here suffering (That's right), sometimes going hungry, going through dark and dreary nights wondering how this thing is going to come out. That's the issue. (That's right) And we've got to say to the nation, we know how it's coming out. For when people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory. [applause]

We aren't going to let any mace stop us. We are masters in our nonviolent movement in disarming police forces. They don't know what to do. I've seen them so often. I remember in Birmingham, Alabama, when we were in that majestic struggle there, we would move out of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church day after day. By the hundreds we would move out, and Bull Connor would tell them to send the dogs forth, and they did come. But we just went before the dogs singing, "Ain't gonna let nobody turn me around." [applause] Bull Connor next would say, "Turn the fire hoses on." (Yeah) And as I said to you the other night, Bull Connor didn't know history. He knew a kind of physics that somehow didn't relate to the trans-physics that we knew about. And that was the fact that there was a certain kind of fire that no water could put out. [applause] And we went before the fire hoses. (Yeah) We had known water. (All right) If we were Baptist or some other denominations, we had been immersed. If we were Methodist and some others, we had been sprinkled. But we knew water. That couldn't stop us. [applause]

And we just went on before the dogs and we would look at them, and we'd go on before the water hoses and we would look at it. And we'd just go on singing, "Over my head, I see freedom in the air." (Yeah) [applause] And then we would be thrown in to paddy wagons, and sometimes we were stacked in there like sardines in a can. (All right) And they would throw us in, and old Bull would say, "Take 'em off." And they did, and we would just go on in the paddy wagon singing, "We Shall Overcome." (Yeah) And every now and then we'd get in jail, and we'd see the jailers looking through the windows being moved by our prayers (Yes) and being moved by our words and our songs. (Yes) And there was a power there which Bull Connor couldn't adjust to (All right), and so we ended up transforming Bull into a steer, and we won our struggle in Birmingham. [applause]

Now we've got to go on in Memphis just like that. I call upon you to be with us when we go out Monday. (Yes) Now about injunctions. We have an injunction and we're going into court tomorrow morning (Go ahead) to fight this illegal, unconstitutional injunction. All we say to America is be true to what you said on paper. [applause] If I lived in China or even Russia, or any totalitarian country, maybe I could understand some of these illegal injunctions. Maybe I could understand the denial of certain basic First Amendment privileges, because they haven't committed themselves to that over there. But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read (Yes) of the freedom of speech. (Yes) Somewhere I read (All right ) of the freedom of press. (Yes) Somewhere I read (Yes) that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right. [applause] And so just as I say we aren't going to let any dogs or water hoses turn us around, we aren't going to let any injunction turn us around. [applause] We are going on. We need all of you.

You know, what's beautiful to me is to see all of these ministers of the Gospel. (Amen) It's a marvelous picture. (Yes) Who is it that is supposed to articulate the longings and aspirations of the people more than the preacher? Somehow the preacher must have a kind of fire shut up in his bones (Yes), and whenever injustice is around he must tell it. (Yes) Somehow the preacher must be an Amos, who said, "When God speaks, who can but prophesy?" (Yes) Again with Amos, "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." (Yes) Somehow the preacher must say with Jesus, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me (Yes), because he hath anointed me (Yes), and he's anointed me to deal with the problems of the poor." (Go ahead)

And I want to commend the preachers, under the leadership of these noble men: James Lawson, one who has been in this struggle for many years. He's been to jail for struggling; he's been kicked out of Vanderbilt University for this struggling; but he's still going on, fighting for the rights of his people. [applause] Reverend Ralph Jackson, Billy Kiles; I could just go right on down the list, but time will not permit. But I want to thank all of them, and I want you to thank them because so often preachers aren't concerned about anything but themselves. [applause] And I'm always happy to see a relevant ministry. It's all right to talk about long white robes over yonder, in all of its symbolism, but ultimately people want some suits and dresses and shoes to wear down here. [applause] It's all right to talk about streets flowing with milk and honey, but God has commanded us to be concerned about the slums down here and His children who can't eat three square meals a day. [applause] It's all right to talk about the new Jerusalem, but one day God's preacher must talk about the new New York, the new Atlanta, the new Philadelphia, the new Los Angeles, the new Memphis, Tennessee. [applause] This is what we have to do.

Now the other thing we'll have to do is this: always anchor our external direct action with the power of economic withdrawal. Now we are poor people, individually we are poor when you compare us with white society in America. We are poor. Never stop and forget that collectively, that means all of us together, collectively we are richer than all the nations in the world, with the exception of nine. Did you ever think about that? After you leave the United States, Soviet Russia, Great Britain, West Germany, France, and I could name the others, the American Negro collectively is richer than most nations of the world. We have an annual income of more than thirty billion dollars a year, which is more than all of the exports of the United States and more than the national budget of Canada. Did you know that? That's power right there, if we know how to pool it. (Yeah) [applause]

We don't have to argue with anybody. We don't have to curse and go around acting bad with our words. We don't need any bricks and bottles; we don't need any Molotov cocktails. (Yes) We just need to go around to these stores (Yes sir), and to these massive industries in our country, (Amen) and say, "God sent us by here (All right) to say to you that you're not treating His children right. (That's right) And we've come by here to ask you to make the first item on your agenda fair treatment where God's children are concerned. Now if you are not prepared to do that, we do have an agenda that we must follow. And our agenda calls for withdrawing economic support from you." [applause]

And so, as a result of this, we are asking you tonight (Amen) to go out and tell your neighbors not to buy Coca-Cola in Memphis. (Yeah) [applause] Go by and tell them not to buy Sealtest milk. (Yeah) [applause] Tell them not to buy-what is the other bread?-Wonder Bread. [applause] And what is the other bread company, Jesse? Tell them not to buy Hart's bread. [applause] As Jesse Jackson has said, up to now only the garbage men have been feeling pain. Now we must kind of redistribute the pain. [applause] We are choosing these companies because they haven't been fair in their hiring policies, and we are choosing them because they can begin the process of saying they are going to support the needs and the rights of these men who are on strike. And then they can move on downtown and tell Mayor Loeb to do what is right. (That's right, Speak) [applause]

Now not only that, we've got to strengthen black institutions. (That's right, Yeah) I call upon you to take your money out of the banks downtown and deposit your money in Tri-State Bank. (Yeah) [applause] We want a "bank-in" movement in Memphis. (Yes) Go by the savings and loan association. I'm not asking you something that we don't do ourselves in SCLC. Judge Hooks and others will tell you that we have an account here in the savings and loan association from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. We are telling you to follow what we're doing, put your money there. [applause] You have six or seven black insurance companies here in the city of Memphis. Take out your insurance there. We want to have an "insurance-in." [applause] Now these are some practical things that we ca n do. We begin the process of building a greater economic base, and at the same time, we are putting pressure where it really hurts. (There you go) And I ask you to follow through here. [applause]

Now let me say as I move to my conclusion that we've got to give ourselves to this struggle until the end. (Amen) Nothing would be more tragic than to stop at this point in Memphis. We've got to see it through. [applause] And when we have our march, you need to be there. If it means leaving work, if it means leaving school, be there. [applause] Be concerned about your brother. You may not be on strike (Yeah), but either we go up together or we go down together. [applause] Let us develop a kind of dangerous unselfishness.

One day a man came to Jesus and he wanted to raise some questions about some vital matters of life. At points he wanted to trick Jesus (That's right), and show him that he knew a little more than Jesus knew and throw him off base. [recording interrupted] Now that question could have easily ended up in a philosophical and theological debate. But Jesus immediately pulled that question from midair and placed it on a dangerous curve between Jerusalem and Jericho. (Yeah) And he talked about a certain man who fell among thieves. (Sure) You remember that a Levite (Sure) and a priest passed by on the other side; they didn't stop to help him. Finally, a man of another race came by. (Yes sir) He got down from his beast, decided not to be compassionate by proxy. But he got down with him, administered first aid, and helped the man in need. Jesus ended up saying this was the good man, this was the great man because he had the capacity to project the "I" into the "thou," and to be concerned about his brother.

Now, you know, we use our imagination a great deal to try to determine why the priest and the Levite didn't stop. At times we say they were busy going to a church meeting, an ecclesiastical gathering, and they had to get on down to Jerusalem so they wouldn't be late for their meeting. (Yeah) At other times we would speculate that there was a religious law that one who was engaged in religious ceremonials was not to touch a human body twenty-four hours before the ceremony. (All right) And every now and then we begin to wonder whether maybe they were not going down to Jerusalem, or down to Jericho, rather, to organize a Jericho Road Improvement Association. [laughter] That's a possibility. Maybe they felt that it was better to deal with the problem from the causal root, rather than to get bogged down with an individual effect. [laughter]

But I'm going to tell you what my imagination tells me. It's possible that those men were afraid. You see, the Jericho Road is a dangerous road. (That's right) I remember when Mrs. King and I were first in Jerusalem. We rented a car and drove from Jerusalem down to Jericho. (Yeah) And as soon as we got on that road I said to my wife, "I can see why Jesus used this as the setting for his parable." It's a winding, meandering road. (Yes) It's really conducive for ambushing. You start out in Jerusalem, which is about twelve hundred miles, or rather, twelve hundred feet above sea level. And by the time you get down to Jericho fifteen or twenty minutes later, you're about twenty-two hundred feet below sea level. That's a dangerous road. (Yes) In the days of Jesus it came to be known as the "Bloody Pass." And you know, it's possible that the priest and the Levite looked over that man on the ground and wondered if the robbers were still around. (Go ahead) Or it's possible that they felt that the man on the ground was merely faking (Yeah), and he was acting like he had been robbed and hurt, in order to seize them over there, lure them there for quick and easy seizure. (Oh yeah) And so the first question that the priest asked, the first question that the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" (All right)

But then the Good Samaritan came by, and he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?" That's the question before you tonight. (Yes) Not, "If I stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to my job?" Not, "If I stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to all of the hours that I usually spend in my office every day and every week as a pastor?" (Yes) The question is not, "If I stop to help this man in need, what will happen to me?" The question is, "If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?" That's the question. [applause]

Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge, to make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make America a better nation. (Amen)

And I want to thank God, once more, for allowing me to be here with you. (Yes sir) You know, several years ago I was in New York City autographing the first book that I had written. And while sitting there autographing books, a demented black woman came up. The only question I heard from her was, "Are you Martin Luther King?" And I was looking down writing and I said, "Yes."

The next minute I felt something beating on my chest. Before I knew it I had been stabbed by this demented woman. I was rushed to Harlem Hospital. It was a dark Saturday afternoon. And that blade had gone through, and the X rays revealed that the tip of the blade was on the edge of my aorta, the main artery. And once that's punctured you're drowned in your own blood; that's the end of you. (Yes sir) It came out in the New York Times the next morning that if I had merely sneezed, I would have died.

Well, about four days later, they allowed me, after the operation, after my chest had been opened and the blade had been taken out, to move around in the wheelchair in the hospital. They allowed me to read some of the mail that came in, and from all over the states and the world kind letters came in. I read a few, but one of them I will never forget. I had received one from the president and the vice president; I've forgotten what those telegrams said. I'd received a visit and a letter from the governor of New York, but I've forgotten what that letter said. (Yes)

But there was another letter (All right) that came from a little girl, a young girl who was a student at the White Plains High School. And I looked at that letter and I'll never forget it. It said simply, "Dear Dr. King: I am a ninth-grade student at the White Plains High School." She said, "While it should not matter, I would like to mention that I'm a white girl. I read in the paper of your misfortune and of your suffering. And I read that if you had sneezed, you would have died. And I'm simply writing you to say that I'm so happy that you didn't sneeze." (Yes) [applause]

And I want to say tonight [applause], I want to say tonight that I, too, am happy that I didn't sneeze. Because if I had sneezed, (All right) I wouldn't have been around here in 1960 (Well), when students all over the South started sitting-in at lunch counters. And I knew that as they were sitting in, they were really standing up (Yes sir) for the best in the American dream and taking the whole nation back to those great wells of democracy, which were dug deep by the founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

If I had sneezed (Yes), I wouldn't have been around here in 1961, when we decided to take a ride for freedom and ended segregation in interstate travel. (All right)

If I had sneezed (Yes), I wouldn't have been around here in 1962, when Negroes in Albany, Georgia, decided to straighten their backs up. And whenever men and women straighten their backs up, they are going somewhere, because a man can't ride your back unless it is bent.

If I had sneezed [applause], if I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been here in 1963 (All right), when the black people of Birmingham, Alabama, aroused the conscience of this nation and brought into being the Civil Rights Bill.

If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have had a chance later that year, in August, to try to tell America about a dream that I had had. (Yes)

If I had sneezed [applause], I wouldn't have been down in Selma, Alabama, to see the great movement there.

If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been in Memphis to see a community rally around those brothers and sisters who are suffering. (Yes) I'm so happy that I didn't sneeze.

And they were telling me. [applause] Now it doesn't matter now. (Go ahead) It really doesn't matter what happens now. I left Atlanta this morning, and as we got started on the plane-there were six of us-the pilot said over the public address system: "We are sorry for the delay, but we have Dr. Martin Luther King on the plane. And to be sure that all of the bags were checked, and to be sure that nothing would be wrong on the plane, we had to check out everything carefully. And we've had the plane protected and guarded all night."

And then I got into Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out (Yeah), or what would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers.


Well, I don't know what will happen now; we've got some difficult days ahead. (Amen) But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop. (Yeah) [applause] And I don't mind. [applause continues] Like anybody, I would like to live a long life-longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. (Yeah) And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. (Go ahead) And I've looked over (Yes sir), and I've seen the Promised Land. (Go ahead) I may not get there with you. (Go ahead) But I want you to know tonight, (Yes) that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land. [applause] (Go ahead. Go ahead) And so I'm happy tonight; I'm not worried about anything; I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. [applause]

Are You Destiny Driven?

Recently I read a book, "Becoming Destiny Driven" by Pastor Tara Sloan and during and after I read it I just felt like shouting. A big old shout of joy!
I'm going to attempt to give a review of her splendid work. I hope I do it some justice because I honestly think you need to just read it yourself.
Her work was very thought-provoking, insightful and inspirational. I was motivated beyond speakable words.
Pastor Tara starts out by directly quoting Proverbs 29:18, "where there is no vision, the people perish." I love that, mostly because it is in the Bible but also because I believe it. I personally love visions. I think we need more people who have visions and are ready to go above and beyond to make things happen. Part of making things happen requires setting attainable goals.
Pastor Tara eloquently described MAD goals (Measurable, Achievable and goals with a Deadline). I realize that I'm jumping the gun here because before all of this she talked about purpose, preferably finding your purpose. I honestly believe the old adage "if you don't stand for something you will fall for anything." How often do we meet people walking around in the world with no vision? They are so oppressed by all the curve balls life has thrown them and they've fallen so many times they refuse to even get up again. To fuel your vision and find your purpose you have to have drive and determination. You can't possibly get anywhere without those two working hand in hand.
Pastor Tara's book is packed with research and quotes after quotes to inspire you to get out there and become destiny driven. She believes that you can find your destiny and I agree. I believe that God has a destiny for us but also a part of Him giving us free will is to allow us to go out there and test the waters so to speak. God wants us to make the decison. He wants to help us but He doesn't want to force us. We need to get out there and search.
Author Rick Warren urges us in his book, to ask the question: What on earth am I here for? You really have to do some soul searching to answer these questions. One way you can do this is by praying. Pastor Tara offered her personal Prayer Blueprint to use as a guide to help you when you pray.Prayer is really just talking to God. Find a quiet place and cry out to Him. Seek Him diligently and you will find Him.I believe that in order to become destiny driven you have to seek God. There are people who take God out of the equation and believe me, you will not accomplish anything without Him. Don't be discouraged and disheartened by what the world has thrown at you. Remember what Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33).
In closing, my prayer for you is:
Dear Jesus, please bless everyone reading this. Give them a clear mind so that they will search their hearts and find their purpose. Help them to have a vision and to work hard at becoming destiny driven. Most importantly, I pray that they will seek you and place you at the center of their lives. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Anniversary, Amazing Friend and "Sweet Girl"

Yesterday was an awesome day for me. Greg and I celebrated 7 years of being married. I still can't believe that 7 years have gone by already because it stills feel like just yesterday. I remember walking down the aisle towards Greg. My Dad was at my side and I was smiling big and bright; I was so ecstatic, nothing could have made me happier. I still re-live my wedding day in my head alot. Mostly because like I've said before I'm a hopeless romantic and I LOVE weddings. However, I do know that the marriage is what's most important.
Yesterday by chance Greg was home in the morning. He usually leaves for work way before the kids and I get up. However, this week will be a very busy and hectic week for him at work since his business partner will be away 2 days at the end of the week. Therefore, Greg was able to take off the morning yesterday.
So we decided to go out for brunch with Arjay in tow. Adryana was at school so we knew it would be alot easier with just one child. We ate at First Watch in Wesley Chapel and absolutely enjoyed the food. We've been there before and we always enjoy the food. They have some really good breakfast items and I actually ate a sandwich that was really good too. It's the grilled chicken terriyaki sandwich. Mmmmm...
Going to First Watch was more of a last minute idea since it was only over the weekend that we knew Greg would have the morning off. We kinda celebrated in Ft. Lauderdale too so I knew that Greg would not be expected anything. But when you are married to someone like me, you have to always expect the unexpected. Let me explain.
With my best friend's assistance, I had something already in the works. I had a dinner planned for us. No fancy restaurant or anything like that, just right here in our home. I used my kitchen table, put a nice tablecloth on, cloth napkins and candles. I even had some of our wedding pictures on the table. For dinner I made chicken Parmesan, garlic toast and garlic mashed potatoes. All are Greg's favorites. My friend took the kids out and I was home waiting for Greg. I knew he would be home soon because I called him.
Once I heard him open the garage, I lit the candles and turned off all the lights in the house. I also had his I-pod playing. Once he came him, I gave him a kiss and wished him Happy Anniversary. He was shocked, he had to catch his breath; literally. He wasn't expecting anything. He was looking around and then he said, "where are the kids?" They usually rush out to meet him when he comes home. After I filled him in, we danced to the song that we did our first dance to at our wedding. It's called, "After all is said and done." A beautiful song from the Best Man movie. We ate, talk, laugh, toasted each other and reminisce about our wedding day and the past 7 years. It was beautiful and even more romantic than being in a crowded restaurant. Happy Anniversary my darling. I hope you know how much I love and adore you. Thank you for being a great man of God and an awesome husband.
So, what's the part about an amazing friend? You probably already figured it out. My best friend, Keveta, was in on this plan. I could not have done it without her. She's been an amazing friend to me for 15 years now. I love her dearly. I know that I have a very rare friend. She always goes above and beyond for me. I am so grateful to her and to God for placing her in my life.
The part about a "sweet girl." That is actually what we call our daughter, Adryana. She is the sweetest little girl ever and so a few years now Greg started calling her "sweet girl" and it stayed with her. She was so instrumental in helping set up for the dinner. She helped with the table and she was so in awe of everything. She made cards, one for me and one for her daddy. She said that she was so happy that we were having a dinner date. She wants me and her to have a dinner like that too is what she told me so I told her that really soon we would.
It was really a great day yesterday. I have to add that I was not feeling really well when I got up yesterday morning. I actually considered not having the dinner either because my friend had a lot of errands to run and I wasn't sure we would even have enough time to get ready before Greg came home. However, I realized it was just like the devil to ruin everything so I could not allow him to win. God is bigger and He helped made everything perfect.