Reflecting. Sitting in Starbucks drinking a venti caramel macchiato, listening to “v103″ praise music on ihearts radio; the host is Effie Rolfe. Reflecting on my health, my life, my family (those passed and alive) and my friends (those passed and alive). There is so much trouble in the news these days. I am concerned for my Eagles in New York City; this “occupation” in Wall Street area seems to be escalating. Praying for your safety! Feeling well, blah!
Then I heard on the air the praise leader Fred Hammond sing “we are blessed in the city, we are blessed in the fields, we are blessed everywhere we go….” My spirit jumped at this energy coming in song. For my spirit and mind know that we are blessed inspite of our present circumstances. We are blessed everywhere we go and in everything we do!
Keep moving forward Eagles. Keep flying higher. For these current winds of trouble, these current winds of health challenges, these turbulent winds of economic dispair WILL NOT last forever.
We are blessed because we are still here. So many of us take this simple fact for granted. But it is the most power of all of our blessings. We are still here! We are blessed because we still have opportunities to change our situations; to release some of our strongholds and weights that are holding us back. Are blessed because GOD has given us this day the ability to dream, to plan and to act; if we chose.
Yes we are blessed. You are blessed. I am blessed.
About a year ago or so, I was attending church service in my then “commuting city”, Chicago, IL.Yes, it was my commuting city for as of August 22, 2010, I still lived in New York and was commuting back and forth to Chicago.I had just lost my father in July and I had not returned home as of yet. I was starting to mourn his passing, contemplating what the future was to hold for me, feeling sorry for myself and probably a little depressed; I guess you can say I was having a “valley experience!”
On that particularly day I heard a great sermon by Rev. Dr. Alise D. Barrymore, Co-Pastor of The Emmaus Community. It focused on the words of a Miley Cyrus song, entitled “The Climb”; and I thought how truly appropriate the words were as a reflected upon my life, my beliefs and my journey. The entire sermon really lifted me and made me have a tipping point.
In this current economic and political climate which we are in, I reach for things of faith, hope and encouragement to get through the day. I have stop thinking that life is supposed to be so perfect since I am a believer.I have stopped getting discouraged every time a new change or obstacle fell in my path.I have decided to make the effort to move forward and not stop.
I am convinced that the effort is far better than just the thought. The effort is far better than just the talk. We have to make the effort to make our dreams and plans come together. Sometimes the climb will be tough and sometimes we may not finish. But as long as we keep trying we have the ability to finish. Thank GOD for the ability to climb; out of our depression; out of our troubles; out of our miseries; out of our valley experiences. It’s the climb. Thank God for it!
The Climb (Miley Cyrus Performance)
I can almost see it
That dream I am dreaming
But there’s a voice inside my head saying
“You’ll never reach it”
Every step I’m taking
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking
But I gotta keep trying
Gotta keep my head held high
There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb
The struggles I’m facing
The chances I’m taking
Sometimes might knock me down
But no, I’m not breaking
I may not know it.
But these are the moments that I’m gonna remember most, yeah
Just gotta keep going
And I,
I got to be strong.
Just keep pushing on
‘Cause there’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move.
Always gonna be a uphill battle
Sometimes I’m gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb, yeah!
There’s always gonna be another mountain
I’m always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody’s gonna have to lose
Ain’t about how fast I get there
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb, yeah!
Keep on moving, keep climbing
Keep the faith, baby It’s all about, it’s all about the climb.
Keep the faith, keep your faith, whoa
John Wooden, the great former coach of the record-setting UCLA basketball team, wrote in his book simply entitled “Wooden” these words: ‘Early on I came to believe that you should learn as if you were going to live forever, and live as if you were going to die tomorrow. What does this mean? In the simplest way, I would explain it like this: Always be learning, acquiring knowledge, and seeking wisdom with a sense that you are immortal and that you will need much knowledge and wisdom for that long journey ahead. Know that when you are through learning, you are through. But I want to live that life as if I were going to die tomorrow: with relish, immediacy, and the right priorities. I also will not waste even a minute.’
We are in a different time, a different world; the “new economy.” A lot of the old ways of communicating, doing business and just simply living have changed. We should continue learning and improving ourselves, by reading books; listening to audio materials, taking courses, etc.; as if we were going to live forever. These actions will keep us active, current and relevant; particularly, those of us whom are still employed or employable. Mr. Wooden had it right. We will eventually die; because we are immortal; but while we are alive lets act like it and live!
This is a re-post, but still so relevant for the times that we are living. Their are so many people that have lost hope. They have lost loved ones. They have lost jobs and opportunities; the reason why are as numerous.
I believe that this is just a storm; a current storm that we are going through. A storm that will eventually pass. There is hope; the expectation of a brighter day and future.
Today is a day to remember that we can make change happen. We need not wait on someone else to take up the mantel; Gandhi’s says that “We should be the change that we want to see in the world.” Although, I believe many know this saying, I am concern that many do not believe that they can make change. Yes We can Eagles!, Yes We Can!
Yes We Can!
It was a creed written into the founding documents that declared the destiny of a nation.
Yes we can.
It was whispered by slaves and abolitionists as they blazed a trail toward freedom.
Yes we can.
It was sung by immigrants as they struck out from distant shores and pioneers who pushed westward against an unforgiving wilderness.
Yes we can.
It was the call of workers who organized; women who reached for the ballots; a President who chose the moon as our new frontier; and a King who took us to the mountaintop and pointed the way to the Promised Land.
Yes we can to justice and equality.
Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity.
Yes we can heal this nation.
Yes we can repair this world.
Yes we can.
We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember that no matter what obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change. (We want change.)
We have been told we cannot do this by a chorus of cynics…they will only grow louder and more dissonant ……….. We’ve been asked to pause for a reality check. We’ve been warned against offering the people of this nation false hope.
But in the unlikely story that is America, there has never been anything false about hope.
Now the hopes of the little girl who goes to a crumbling school in Dillon are the same as the dreams of the boy who learns on the streets of LA; we will remember that there is something happening in America; that we are not as divided as our politics suggests; that we are one people; we are one nation; and together, we will begin the next great chapter in the American story with three words that will ring from coast to coast; from sea to shining sea: Yes We Can.
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
― Maya Angelou ―
INVICTUS
Out of the night that covers me, Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll. I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
― William Ernest Henley ―
Many pray for God to enlarge their territory, yet they are not ready to occupy the territory!
It's not enough to possess the land. You must know what you are going to do with the land! It's not enough to be at a place in your life. You must occupy that place.
It is not enough to give God your heart. You must allow him to occupy it!
Reflecting. Sitting in Starbucks drinking a venti caramel macchiato, listening to “v103″ praise music on ihearts radio; the host is Effie Rolfe. Reflecting on my health, my life, my family (those passed and alive) and my friends (those passed and alive). There is so much trouble in the news these days. I am concerned for my Eagles in New York City; this “occupation” in Wall Street area seems to be escalating. Praying for your safety! Feeling well, blah!
