The Passing of a "QUEEN"

''You know, you have everything I ever wanted in a woman. We ought to get married someday.''

-- Martin Luther King Jr. to his future wife on their first date, 18 months before they wed.

Coretta Scott King was the epitome of a woman. She was beautiful, graceful, woman, wife, mother, leader. The world will never be the same. She was and will remain an inspiration to me as well as others I'm sure.

Your heavenly Father has called you home. And don't worry, you'll be reunited with your soulmate! The wait is finally over!

JESUS SAID LIFE: LIKE CONCHES WASHED ASHORE

Check out this blogsite!

Slavery And The Making Of America

PBS will be airing "Slavery And The Making Of America" on February 9th and the 16th (2006) from 9:00 PM to 11:00PM. It is a four part series produced by Dante James and narrated by Morgan Freeman.

Dante is an incredible filmmaker who has produced many award winning films; among them biographies on Marian Anderson and A. Philip Randolph. He worked with the late great filmmaker Henry Hampton at Blackside and was the executive producer of Hampton's last series "This Far By Faith: African American Spiritual Journeys".

"Slavery And The Making Of America" tells the story of slavery from the point of view of the enslaved. The series recognizes the strength, humanity and dignity of the enslaved. It also redefines them as pro-active freedom fighters not passive victims.

I thought it essential to share this with you and to encourage you to watch. If we can create a large audience for this important series, PBS will be more inclined to produce and air more programs that address the African-American experience.

Please do not miss this eye-opening moment in history. You can pass this information on and/or link to this site---only, please be sure to tune in.

Remember:
Slavery And the Making Of America
Feb 9th and 16th from 9PM-11PM
On PBS (check your local listings)

HistoryLinks:

PBS
Slavery In America

Let It Go For 2006!

I received an email the other day from my sister-in-law and I thought it worthy of posting. It was written by T.D. Jakes. I read through it and was astounded by the simplicity of it! It's about life and how it should be lived; especially when others do not take heed. Notice I said 'simple' not 'easy'! If we would only allow God, it would become easier to "LET IT GO".

And it reads as thus:

There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: let them walk. I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone.

When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left. The bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us.
[1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay. Let them go. And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person it just means that their part in the story is over. And you've gotto know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead. You've got to know when it's dead. You've got to know when it's over .

Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it.

Stop begging people to stay.

Let them go!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to......

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains .....

LET IT GO!!!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth.....

LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you ........

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge......

LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction......

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents ....

LET IT GO!!!

If you have a bad attitude.......

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better......

LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him......

LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship.......

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves......

LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed .......

LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are soused to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it,"then you need to......

LET IT GO!!!

Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for 2006!!!

LET IT GO!!!

Get Right or Get Left. Think about it, and then ....

LET IT GO!!!

"The Battle is the Lord's!"

Favorite Links:

T.D. Jakes
The Potter's House

What A Find!!!

I was searching through some blogs and I came across this one. It is one that you must check out! She reminds me of myself a little because of her writings and her interests and some of her experiences. But she reminds me more of my cousin almost everyway!!! I am working on reading her archives. If they are anything like the one's I've read so far, I can't wait to get started!

A New Favorite LoveLink:

Laws of Serendipity

Browsing for Poetry

Found this site checking browsing blogs! Don't know if these are originals but as a lover of poetry, I had to link this site. Take a look for yourself!

crzy_hrse musings

"TURN PURPLE CAMPAIGN" Vigilant Against Child Abuse

The TURN PURPLE CAMPAIGN is working to prevent youth homelessness by raising awareness, uniting youth organizations, increasing advocacy, and heightening prevention efforts:

National awareness is being raised by literally turning the face of the nation purple in April 2006 to bring attention to the cause of children living on the streets - child abuse;

A coalition of youth oriented organizations is being built to stand vigilant in recognizing the signs of children in distress and provide them with resources;

A petition is being circulated to collect a million signatures of American's who recognize the problem of child abuse as a precursor to youth homelessness and seek to advocate for their needs;

We are looking to impact the number of children who are running away by placing a Don't Runaway Card in the hands of 60,000+ students and provide them with our effective deterrence program.

The TURN PURPLE CAMPAIGN is a multi-tiered initiative driven to provide immediate assistance to children in need through a safe net-work of youth organizations, decrease the numbers of runaways, create a base of constituents who are looking to advocate for abused children, and heighten awareness that at-risk, homeless, and street kids are not "rebels without a cause" but survivors of abuse.

Ultimately the TURN PURPLE CAMPAIGN seeks to create a permanent systems change that reforms the way at-risk, homeless, and street youth are viewed and serviced in America.

Fact: A CASE OF CHILD ABUSE IS REPORTED EVERY 10 SECONDS!

Fact: 1 CHILD RUNS AWAY EVERY MINUTE OF EVERYDAY!Fact: 13 CHILDREN DIE ON THE STREETS EVERYDAY!

Homelessness among youth is on the rise. Children make up 27 percent -- the fastest growing segment -- of the U.S. homeless population. Despite the obvious chance of danger children would rather run to the streets for safety than deal with the certainty of what awaits them at home, in foster care, or shelters. Independent studies report that once on the street.

42% become involved in prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home to survive

62% of youth on the streets attempt suicide at least once

13 runaway youth will die on the streets every day from assaults, illness or suicide - totaling 5,000+ runaway deaths each year

36% of the runaways have been on the streets more than three years

Due to age runaways are left with four basic ways of survival: begging, stealing, selling drugs, and survival sex (prostitution). Survival sex/ promiscuity frequently leads to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

Many runaways suffer from severe anxiety, depression, and hypervigalanceKids who live on the streets do not have a safe place to sleep, don't eat often and are sick most of the time.

Due to poor self-esteem, confidence issues, and no coping mechanisms drug/alcohol use and abuse becomes a means to cope and survive. Homeless youth face difficulties attending school because of legal guardianship requirements and proper records, and lack of transportation.

Only a small percentage of homeless children and street youth will ever enroll in a shelter or social service agency for help because of fear of identification, legal entanglement, victimization, or being taken advantage of by self-serving organizations.

Get Involved!!! Become a regional TURN PURPLE CAMPAIGN coordinator or volunteer.Help coordinate the turning purple of your community, purple events, and the circulation of the million American petition against child abuse and youth homelessness. In case you missed the link at the beginning of this story, here is the "Turn Purple" petition: http://www.turnpurple.org/petitionapplication.asp

Please, Please, Please sign and remember to turn our nation "PURPLE" for the entire month of APRIL, 2006!!!

Start with your community! You can also donate by purchasing purple Rubber Awareness Bracelts, keychains and/or mousepads. The price of each is only $6.00!

LifeLinks:
Turn Purple Campaign
Don't Run Away
Stand Up For Kids

STAND UP FOR KIDS

STANDUP FOR KIDS is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1990 to help rescue homeless and at-risk youth. With national headquarters in San Diego, California, STANDUP FOR KIDS is run almost entirely by volunteers, and has established more than thirty outreach programs in fifteen states. The mission of STANDUP FOR KIDS is to help homeless and street kids. This mission shall be carried out by a national volunteer force whose on-the-streets outreach efforts will find, stabilize and assist homeless and street kids in their efforts to improve their lives. The organization's mission shall also be furthered through deterrence and resource programs provided in schools and via the Internet. All facets of this mission shall be guided by the mandate that our volunteers shall tell kids they care about them and then, at every turn, prove it. Retired U.S. Navy officer Richard L. Koca founded STANDUP FOR KIDS in 1990. For him, it was a natural extension of his ongoing outreach efforts. Koca was inspired to begin outreach in 1987 when he saw a CBS broadcast of 48 Hours that documented street kids in San Diego, California. He was so disturbed by the news report that, when the Navy sent him to San Diego the following year, he immediately became involved in walking the streets to identify homeless teens and get them into shelters. STANDUP FOR KIDS targets homeless and at-risk youths age 21 and younger. Based on current estimates, there are more than one and a half million children, teenagers and young adults trying to survive on U.S. streets today. Children now make up 27 percent -- the fastest growing segment -- of the U.S. homeless population. STANDUP FOR KIDS is an independent, nonprofit organization that has no religious or political affiliation. STANDUP FOR KIDS helps kids without regard to race, religion, sexual orientation, nationalities, cultures, and backgrounds. STANDUP FOR KIDS is entirely run by volunteers. Volunteers fill a variety of positions -- such as executive director, public relations manager, community resource director, outreach and apartment support directors, and kid and adult training directors. Since 1990, STANDUP FOR KIDS volunteers have performed more than a million hours of community service and conducted more than 100,000 counseling sessions. STANDUP FOR KIDS’ volunteers provide more than 20,000 meals each quarter to homeless and street kids, and at-risk youth! In addition to helping homeless and at-risk youth with immediate necessities such as food, clothing, shelter and personal hygiene, STANDUP FOR KIDS offers a wide array of services, including: assistance in finding housing; education assistance; vocational development; counseling; health services; transportation to self-help meetings; and legal assistance. Volunteers also conduct life-skills training, covering such areas as budgeting, banking, apartment cleanliness and safety, shopping and cooking, nutrition, and hygiene. Laundry services and lunch and snack facilities are made available, as well as mail and message services. Volunteers go through an extensive STANDUP FOR KIDS training program, consisting of eight 2-hour classes. Some have likened the intense training to “drinking out of a fire hose.” The training program prepares volunteers for working with homeless and street kids. Those who want to work directly with kids usually become Street Outreach Counselors or Apartment Support Counselors and receive additional training by walking the streets with experienced volunteers and performing role-plays with street kids. Though the number of kids a local program will help fluctuates, volunteers often work with 25-50 kids. Volunteers can expect to provide a variety of services, such as street counseling, providing nourishing food, transporting kids to and from church meetings or AA/NA meetings, helping kids locate furniture, teaching kids basic living skills, helping with baby clothing, and providing the local STANDUP FOR KIDS office with clerical assistance. Basically, volunteers can expect to be the first line of defense for crisis counseling on the streets and in kids' apartments. Since 1990, STANDUP FOR KIDS has established programs in: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington and Washington, D.C. In 2003, STANDUP FOR KIDS established programs in Houston, Portland, Seattle, Anaheim/Orange County, Long Beach, and Tampa. Operating revenues come mainly from charitable donors committed to the aims of the organization. Each year STANDUP FOR KIDS organizes a giving campaign known as "Friends of Kids." In addition to gifts, the organization seeks national and local sponsors, grants, endowments and gifts-in-kind. For example, a grant from the Lawson Valentine Foundation helped establish the program in Las Vegas, Nevada. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service classifies STANDUP FOR KIDS as a 501(c) (3) charitable organization. Yearly financial statements prepared by a San Diego CPA firm and audited by a separate firm. STANDUP FOR KIDS is grateful to have been recognized by both the George Bush and Bill Clinton administrations, the U.S. Justice Department, the Colorado Secretary of State and the Arizona Governor’s Office for Children. In addition, the organization has received the JCPenney "Golden Rule Award" and various Corporate and Community Service Awards.

LifeLink:
Stand Up For Kids

HOME SCHOOLING VS. TRADITIONAL SCHOOLING

There are credible sides to both but I lean towards Traditional Schooling. My reason is for social skills since my child is entering high school next year. You get to meet new people, extracurricular activities (ie. sports, clubs), interact with peers and adults, graduation ceremony, and prom. This is where Home Schooling does not measure up to Traditional Schooling (my opinion).

But in defense of Home Schooling, you get a more structured setting. There's more one on one time, more areas to delve into (like learning foreign languages other than the basics offered in Traditional Schooling), you get to choose who your child learns from and if you don't like the methods you can fire and hire someone else, you can also hire someone to teach what you are not able to.

Ebony magazine did an article on this subject in December, 2005 issue (www.ebony.com). I am finding that more and more African Americans are considering and/or taking the Home Schooling route. I would consider Home Schooling if I had another child.

There is a book called Morning by Morning-How we Home-Schooled Our African-American Sons To The Ivy League by Penn Nabrit. Would love to hear your take on this subject. I am also including some links to check out.

LoveLinks:

National Black Home Ed. Resource
National African American Home Schoolers Alliance
Ebony Magazine

Home School Zone

Supervised Underage Drinking Parties???

I was watching The View this morning and in the hot topics, they were discussing a mother throwing her son a beer party to make friends!!! He is 14 years old!!!! I am so appalled by this mother and others like her. Not only did she serve her son beer but she served other CHILDREN at $5 each. Also, the CHILDREN had to wear a wristband determining that they PAID for their beer. I was talking to my cousin about this earlier this morning and she made a comment that is so true of many parents. She's probably living vicariously through her son. She didn't make friends easily so she doesn't want her son to feel the way she did. I totally agree! Maybe he wants to be a loner or maybe he's choosy about who he hangs out with. I know one thing for sure...who needs peer pressure when you have Parent pressure???

LoveLinks:

MADD
The View

Underage Drinking Enforcement Training Center

Light Skin vs. Dark Skin & Blonde vs. Brunette-Is there a subconscious competition?

Not only is there a subconscious competition, it's out in the open. Being a light skinned person, I've heard it all my life--good and bad (mainly from the Black community). One example: light skin = beauty. So if I were a dark skinned person, where does that leave me? I know and I have met dark skinned individuals who are gorgeous!!! I don't let the color of a person's skin determine their beauty--especially since I've gone through it.

It's not the color of my skin that makes be proud. It's the fact that I'm proud of who I am as an individual.

When are we going to stop degrading ourselves? There's no reason for others to do it since we've taken the job over. We have brought back the "Brown Paper Bag Test"--or has it ever left? Think about it.
On the Blonde Vs Brunette issue, this is touchy; since most people are born brunette not blonde. It's more of an attitude not who they truly are. I know that most of it is just an act. You can see it. Actresses, for example, when they are brunette they tend to act more serious, more intellectual. The minute they dye their hair, the roles call for "dumb". Act silly, act goofy, play helpless. So to me, this stigma is made-up. The color of your hair shouldn't determine who you are.

Stars and Their Perks: Do they really need all of that?

First, I consider this question to be an oxymoron. They are called perks because it's what they WANT not wht they NEED! Second, If you can get what you want, would you? Truth be told, I would but not in EXCESS. Third, this is the real question: Why do stars buy what they want in excess. Not all stars do this but a lot of them do. Some like to boast or show boat,some are just greedy, some never had things while growing up and some have to keep up with the "Jones'".

You can see it on the cable televions show "How Ya Livin". Does a person really need 10 cars? Do they need to be 'hooked' up like you live in it? Do you relly need that millionairre home that you know you will hardly use? Do you need 100's of furs? Do you need 1000's of shoes (would have to think about that one..lol)? The answer is no, but do they deserve it, can they afford it, do they want it? The answer may be no but most likely yes.

LoveLink:

Black Entertainment Television

Think Before You Speak: Men vs. Women

Unless it's dealing with cars, sports or business, you very rarely find a man that will think before he speaks. Usually this topic is about relatiionships. If asked a question, they answer instantly--no thought goes into it.

Women say they want honesty but they really don't. We want to be told what we THINK the answers should be. Women also tend to over think things at times. Sometimes the answers are simple.
Men lose interst when answers are more than 3 words! Maybe not that short--but then again, you never know!

How Well Do Women Really Know Men?

I don't pretend to even know the answer nor do I want to. The male pysche is interesting to me. I like the fact that they keep me guessing. Men always say there's nothing to know: What you see, is what you get. This is soooo not true! Men are as complex as women. They just cover it up well. They don't want us to know the real person. They are sensitive, they are emotional, they gossip MORE THAN WOMEN!!!

LoveLink:
Ask Men

Ultimate Betrayal: Sleeping with a Relative's Spouse or Finding Your Spouse in Bed With Your Best Friend

Cheating is bad enough but this TABOO! For my loved ones to even think to disrespect me in this manner is a mortal sin. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “you can’t always get want you want” and you probably heard it from your momma. In life, there will ALWAYS be something that is unattainable. Make this one that unreachable goal! Everyone has temptations but you must learn how to fight them.

I have never thought of dating or kissing any of my relative’s husbands let alone sleeping with them. They are FAMILY!!! It would be like sleeping with my father, brother, or cousin. Sorry, I’m not into incest. The same goes for my friends because if I consider you a friend, then you ARE family.

Resolutions!

There are many definitions for the word resolution. The one I want to discuss is in terms of New Year's Resolution -- (a decision to do something or to behave in a certain manner).

Most of the time when we make resolutions, we are living in the moment. A lot of the times we set unattainable goals and are looking for for miracles. We set high expectations for ourselves. Subconsciously, we know we are setting ourselves up for failure and that's why we don't feel guilty when we break them.

We want magic, overnight successes to happen instead of putting in the hard work of obtaining our goals. We also wish for outlandish and superficial things like: weight issues, more money, finding a mate, etc.

Instead of making yearly resolutions, why not try "Daily" resolutions? Before you know it they will become yearly. Here are a few suggestions and please remember to start small (and not nececessarily in this order): (1) Pray (2) Be grateful (3) Smile more (4) Love Yourself! You can't love anyone if you don't love yourself (5) Tell yourself good things about YOU (6) Work on leading a healthily life. And I don't mean pounds!!! Unless your weight affects your health (considered overweight or underweight), you can be healthy no matter your size (7) Do what works for YOU!!! Everyone's body is not the same so it will respond to things differently (8) Do something for someone-remember think small; not necessarily buying anything (9) Commit to learning something everyday. It could be a new word, cooking different dishes or a new language (10) Self-educate: pick up a book about something you know nothing about. If you don't like to read books, browse the web, attend a seminar (11) Be spontaneous! You'd be surprised how much fun this could be (12) Lastly-LAUGH, LAUGH, LAUGH! We all know that laughter is the best medicine and it keeps you young. We ALL want that, right? Let's start laughing together right now-LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL!!!!!