Monday, May 25, 2009

Learning in Economic Quicksand

RESPECT
I don’t have an acronym for RESPECT… and won’t make one here. Instead, I ask you to enjoy this message extracted from my book of respect, the Bible.

The Bible I read gives modern day application to scripture, broken down periodically by topic. What follows is not what is written in the Bible, but what has been extracted and applied. If you are a reader of the Bible, you can read the scripture for additional connection. Doing so is not required to embrace the need for RESPECT as we S.H.I.N.E.:

Exodus 20:12
All of the 10 Commandments deal with our priorities of honor, or respect. The 1st and 2nd commandments tell us to honor God above everything else. The 3rd commands us to honor his name. The 4th to honor the Sabbath, and the 5th, to honor parents. The last 5 commandments tell us to honor others in our community – not to murder them (6), not to defile them with adultery (7), not to steal from them (8), not to lie to them or against them (9), and not to want what they have (10). Proper respect for God and others – that is the heartbeat of the 10 Commandments.
- Touch Point Bible (© 1996, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.)

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Take a Moment... or Two... or Three....

Mary Louise “Leah” King August 15,1931- January 14, 2007

M.O.M.
M
aking Ongoing Memories
One of my favorite memories of my mother is her baking a cake. Oh no, not the actual cake and how it tasted after filling the apartment with that sweet aroma of anticipation… or fighting over who got the first piece. The memory is of the days before we owned a cake mixer or could afford buying cake mix from the store. Leah made the cake from scratch with carefully memorized and measured ingredients. She would mix the ingredients in a bowl over the sink. But before she’d start the “mixing” my brother, sister and I would stand on both sides and behind her… hold onto her waist… and get “a ride” as she shook while stirring the bowl.

One day we’d grow old enough to go to amusement parks, laugh, scream, line up, eat and ride.... I’d say we got a pretty good start right there in our apartment in Grant Projects… Harlem, NYC. I know that my younger brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews all benefited from that joy and continue to Make Ongoing Memories and make our family S.H.I.N.E.
What’s one of yours?

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Learning in Economic Quicksand

Let’s stay with J.O.Y. Just One You ...

Ever have someone say, “If I were you I’d [do this or that]”? The fact of the matter is, only you can be you. And as you focus on that blessing, it becomes clearer what you would do. Ask yourself, “What would I do if I were me?”

None of us will make the history we were born to make if we do not concentrate on being ourselves. Sometimes people think they want to be someone else, or that the grass is greener on the other side. The truth is, it’s only grass… and (who knows) maybe their water bill is higher. And no one’s looking for a higher water bill these days.

What we’re looking for is the best way to celebrate the joy of being who we are… giving us the chance to know how important it is that we allow ourselves to S.H.I.N.E.

The Master of Listening

The Master of Listening
... and Smiling