Questions…

Everyone knows that a new year brings about several questions. A new years resolution is really an unanswered question. When you decide to lose weight for the year, you are really asking if you will lose weight for the year. When you set goals for the year, you are really asking if you will reach them. Resolutions are questions and the answers you can find on the inside.

Resolutions can open doors of determination and opportunity, but they have to be more than just statements. I have a lot of unanswered questions for the new year. I also realize that the answers are within me. Will your business be successful in the new year? It depends on how hard you work on it. Will you find love in the new year? It depends on if its in God’s plan for you. Will you get a new job this year? Will you buy a house this year? There are many questions we can answer through are work ethic. Will you lose weight in the new year? It depends on how serious you are to lose weight.

There are some questions that are out of our hands, and there are others we can answer. In life, we must answer the questions we can, and wait for the answers to the ones we can’t. Build on what you can, work towards what you can, and complete the things that are in your control. Be patient and wait for the answers to the questions you cannot control.

Decisions…

Often times we struggle in life with decisions. We battle with our choices, fight against change and somewhere in the middle look at people that have no investment in our future for validation and support. We are exclusively responsible for our decisions in life however, and we must decide if we are willing to stand behind them. It is also our responsibility to be comfortable enough with our tough decisions to hold our heads up high with pride. There are four questions I believe everyone should ask when dealing with tough decisions.

1. Is it in my best interest?

2. Will it alter my life in a positive or negative way?

3. What are going to be the long term effects of the decision?

4. Is it in line with my purpose in life?

For every decision we make, we must understand if it is in our best interest. Will the decision make you happy and add fulfillment to your life? Is the decision going to move your life forward in a positive direction? A lot of decisions that will seemingly make you “happy” will not necessarily progress your life in the right direction. Every decision we make also has a direct effect later in our lives. Sometimes we have to spend our lives recovering from negative decisions, or spend our lives benefiting from a good decision. Our final, most important evaluation must be based on the connection of a particular decision to our purpose in life. If these four questions can be answered and you are comfortable with the answers, you will stand behind every decision. The choice is literally yours to make and yours to stand behind. People are not in charge of our decisions, they are merely critics.

Happy New Year…

I want to wish every one a Happy New Year. I wish you the best, peace and blessings in 2007! You can take this year and use it as a stepping stone to your destiny. Here is a poem that I wrote during one of my toughest moments in 2006. I want to share it with my readers because I feel it can serve as a motivator to achieve everything that you are destined to achieve this year. No matter how hard it gets, don’t quit, no matter how far the dream seems from you, keep walking towards it, no matter what you see in the physical, work towards what you envision for your self in this new year. Anytime it seems like you are being knocked down this year, get back up and keep moving forward!

The Weeble Wobble

Can you have visions without sight?
Can you plan for your success if you don’t write
what is in your mind and find yourself left
behind and stuck in the daily grind of mediocrity?

Can you dream if you don’t believe?
–work hard when your lazy and fight hard
when others think your crazy?

Can you stand up when your knees are sore,
Get back up when life throws you on the floor.

Fight against Hell to prevail,
Run through the fire with disire,
Over the coals to reach that goal,

Will you quit when others don’t see it?
Will you run when it seems it won’t get done,
Give up just before you were about to come up,
act like a lion that thinks he’s a turkey,
And becomes his own worst enemy trying to
devour all the great things that could be…

Can you have visions without sight,
Can you fight in the dark when there seems to be no light,
Reach for the great things that you know can be…
what do you see?
Death or Opportunity?

Do musicians have a bigger responsibility?

“My music is the spiritual expression of what I am — my faith, my knowledge, my being … When you begin to see the possibilities of music, you desire to do something really good for people, to help humanity free itself from its hangups … I want to speak to their souls. “
- John Coltrane

Music has a way of calming anxiety, reminiscent of the beautiful spaces and places in life that we wish we could entertain all the time. Every note and every beat in the music is significant to the message the musician is trying to portray. Every tone is important, every sound is unique and the very expression of the music gives you incite into the mood and the mind of the artist. Music is a language that when spoken correctly can heal the hurting, bring joy to the sad, uplift the downtrodden, reinforce dreams, and connect true love. Music is God’s unspoken language of change. As a musician, I believe that the language must be articulated in such a way that people’s lives are positively affected. What is the responsibility of a musician and/or an artist? Is it important for them to put out positive content?

This is just something I was thinking about today. What do you think? I was changing channels on my television and passed through MTV. Videos were on the screen and they were disappointing. I am very disappointed by the music I am hearing and the videos I am seeing on TV. The lyrical content is focused on sex, drugs and behavior that does not uplift people as a whole. One of the things I loved about the music of the seventies was the ability they had to talk about the problems of the world and address social issues through the art-form. Who can forget “That’s the way of the world” by Earth, Wind, and Fire or “Someday we’ll all be free” by Donny Hathaway? Who can forget the songs and the music that made us think like “Sentimental Mood”?

There is nothing wrong with addressing love through the medium of music, but it becomes less significant when the song only expresses the physical relationship between man and woman. Songs like “If its Magic” and”Overjoyed” by Stevie Wonder became classics because they talk about the emotional connection of love. Jazz artists, soul singers from the seventies, many hip hop artists, gospel artists, and neo-soul artists have used music to address the human spirit, social issues and to invoke change. On the other hand, many artists of today are socially irresponsible in their music.

Is it OK to say that you call women and people out of their name, use sexually explicit lyrics and constant vulgarity in the name of entertainment? Is this just an excuse to ignore the responsibility and the spiritual effects music has on people? In my opinion, music is more than just something to make people “feel good,” music is a universal language of sorts. When spoken correctly, this language reminds people of the good times, inspires people to make it, connects people to their Creator, and reminds people of the beauty of love. Shouldn’t modern musicians and artists be more conscious of the music they are making? When music is written, performed and articulated correctly, it truly becomes “A Love Supreme”…

Why should you be thankful?

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, and often in the middle of the propaganda and anticipation of “black Friday,” we have a tendency to forget about the simple things that we should and need to be thankful for. Turkey and pies spread on the table, family and friends around you, traveling “home” and bringing the newest girlfriend or boyfriend home for the holidays is tradition in America. We eat until our stomachs are about to burst, laugh until we are about to cry and go out as if we are children again with no obligations. Are we really thankful as a country though?

Based on US Census Bureau data, 35.9 million people live below the poverty line in America including 12.9 million children. Americans waste almost 100 billion pounds of food each year. In 2004 the number of requests for emergency food assistance increased by an average of 14 percent based on a 27 city study conducted by the United States Conference of Mayors. The study also noted that 20 percent of requests for emergency food assistance were unmet in the same year. According to the Bread for the World Institute, 3.5 percent of U.S. households experience hunger. Some of these individuals skip meals or eat too little, sometimes going without food for a whole day. In addition, 9.6 million people, including 3 million children, live in these homes. I can go on and on with statistics about poverty and hunger in America in contrast to the amount of food that we waste on a daily basis. Are we thankful?

I raise this question because I want all Americans to think, while they are eating with their families tomorrow, about the numerous people in this country of abundance that will go without at the same moment. I want Americans to think about how blessed they are to be able to have meals, and I want Americans to think about reaching a hand out to help another person that normally would not be able to have a meal on Thanksgiving to eat good for a day. If you are thankful, show how much by taking the abundance the Creator has given you and sharing it. Reach out a hand to someone in need. In my opinion, thankfulness is not about just what you have…it is about what you have to share!

I would like to wish you and your family a very happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

 

Who is your assasin?

“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.” –Carl Jung

I love to watch thriller movies where there is a hero that is propelled to greatness while avoiding the clutches of an evil conspirator. Often in their pursuit of their mission, they tend to not focus on those that are conspiring against them, because they know that the mission must be accomplished. They also understand that if the mission is accomplished, the one who is conspiring against them can not prevail. There are two important issues that are raised in thriller movies such as this. Every person that is on a mission must understand these two principles or they will never accomplish what is purposed:

1. You have to know your mission and focus on it

2. You have to know your assassin

We often times wonder through life in pursuit of purpose instead of taking action to make purpose happen. We dream about the life we want, instead of taking the choice to pursue the life we want. We envision where we want to be, instead of take action to make it happen. Often times, everything we want to be is in our minds and everything we want to change is in our reality. How do we switch it around? You have to take action on the things that you envision in your mind. I talk about the “one day” principle in my book, which is the human expectation that everything a person wants they will pursue “one day.” The problem with this flawed logic is one day will never come because this day is always going to be right in front of you! If you take the things that you want to do one day and begin to take action on them this day, your dream becomes your reality and your reality becomes your past.

In your pursuit you must equally know who your assassin is. How do you determine the assassin. Look for the person that discourages your dream. Look for the one that tries to put road blocks in your way. Keep in mind too that assassins like to stay close to their target, so it may actually be someone you felt was close to you. If you know your assassin, you can use them to your advantage. Sometimes in their pursuit of you, they push you further to your dream. In the movie “Man on Fire” Denzel Washington’s character used his assassins to guide him to his goal. If you know your assassin, they can never compromise your mission because you are cognisant of who they are.

There are people in life that are certified dream killers and there sole purpose is to destroy your dreams by assassinating the dreamer. How do they do this? If a person can stop you from pursuing what you know is in you, they have killed you. They have put you into the unfortunate category of the “walking dead.” True death is a psychological state of complacency that diminishes the life you could have because of your inability and fear of leaving the life you are in. Awaken! The funny thing about the hero in the movie is the assassin can never catch him because he is diligently pursuing his mission and in the pursuit always moving forward. Pursue the mission and you automatically take away the effectiveness of the assassin! Sometimes your assassin is the person you would least expect…look in the mirror.

“I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” –Henry David Thoreau

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.” –Langston Hughes

 

If you are not guilty…The Evangelical Scandal

Pastor Ted Haggard, New Life Evangelical Church

During this election period, one group of “potential voters” has been quieter than normal. They boasted that they were responsible for the President being in office. They’ve accused Independents and Democrats of being “heathens” in so many words, and they claim that they have an understanding with God that assures their candidates are the “moral leaders” of America. They are extremely judgemental, opinionated and biased. They are also clearly an extension of the Republican party. Who are “they?” They are the “evangelical Christians,” or as I like to call them, the self righteous Republicans. I’ve talked about how the “evangelical christian” movement, in my opinion, is more about political agendas than spreading the good news and the love of Jesus Christ and now their dirty laundry is beginning to be aired out like a clothesline in a summer breeze.

Tom Delay led the scandal with accusations about money laundering and connections to Abromoff. Even though Delay denies any involvement with Abromoff, it is interesting that two of his top aids have gone down with the “Abromoff ship” with indictments. Mark Foley’s congressional page scandal followed suit. He was secretly chasing after underage high school boys. More Republicans, that use strong language against gays and gay marriage, are coming out of the closet like a woman’s shoes before a first date. Why is this important? Delay, Abromoff, and many other Republican “leaders” all have direct ties to “evangelical christian” groups and claim to be themselves. Now, one of the top “evangelical” figure heads, Ted Haggard, is immersed in a scandal that is sure to rock the election next week and the “evangelical” movement for months to come. Here is a video of Haggard ridiculing and condemning gay relationships. I am not in favor of gay marriage either, but I disagree with his methods of “bashing”…

If you have not heard of Ted Haggard, you will be soon. Ted Haggard is the outspoken “evangelical christian” pastor of New Life Evangelical Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado and the head of the 30 million member National Association of Evangelicals, the largest “evangelical christian” group in the country. He has been accused of allegedly having a sexual relationship with another man for the past 3 years. Mike Jones, a 49-year-old male prostitute, raised the scandal when he told a radio station he had been engaged in a three-year sexual relationship with the minister. Due to the allegations and the impending investigations that have followed, Haggard has resigned from both of his leadership positions. If you are not guilty, why would you give up your post instead of fight to defend your honor?

Well, today in an interview Haggard admitted to receiving a massage from Jones, but denies a sexual relationship. Why would a straight man want a massage from another man that is not a masseuse? Why would a straight man want a massage from another man that is a masseuse? Why would a straight man want a message from a man period? Haggard also admits he bought methamphetamine from Jones because he was “curious,” but he says that he did not use them. So where are the drugs now then? Jones also has taped conversations with Haggard on his voice-mail. Why would he save those messages? Haggard has been known to boast that he has a direct line to President Bush with a weekly conference call. Bush’s advisers are falling quicker than Julius Caesar’s empire did!

Due to Haggard’s resignation, Ross Parsley has assumed the role of acting senior pastor at New Life Church. In an e-mail to congregants, he informed them that the church’s four-member board of overseers had met with Haggard on Thursday. He also informed them of the following information:

“It is important for you to know that he confessed to the overseers that some of the accusations against him are true. He has willingly and humbly submitted to the authority of the board of overseers, and will remain on administrative leave during the course of the investigation.”

Why would you resign if the information were not true?Media sources have reported that many members of his 14,000 member church were stunned. The “evangelical christian” political party is falling as fast as its counter part…the Republican Party. Why lie when you know allegations are true? Delay did it, Foley did it, and Haggard has done it. Haggard’s accuser did fail a polygraph test given by a radio station, but that does not negate the things Haggard has admitted to. This story is one that is sure to continue to unfold over the upcoming weeks. I believe the truth is probably in the middle, meaning Haggard purchased drugs from him, received massages and anticipated a sexual relationship, but not for three years. The credibility of Jones, to me, is a little shaky because he saved the messages for a period of time like a set up. Most people that are in this type of lifestyle seek anonymity.

Self proclaimed evangelicals are forgetting the most important tenant of Christianity…it is not what you say, it is all about how you live your life with integrity.

 

Jesus Camp: Good for children or disturbing?

I am a part of a fraternity of sorts known as the “PK” or the preacher’s kid. For these reasons, my parents exposed us to Biblical teachings at a young age. I remember when I was growing up as a kid, one of the programs we had was vacation Bible school in the summers. It was a time when we were educated on fundamental Biblical principals in a relaxed setting with the information presented in a fun and exciting way. We would have lunch and it was also a time to connect with our friends at the church. We looked forward to it often times because it was not forced upon us. It would last for about a week and was typically half a day. Programs like that were good for children, whether their families were religious or not, because it reinforced character, integrity, and accountability for actions in life and the messages related to all people regardless of their religious affiliations.

Fast forward to 2006. There is a new “evangelical” Christian movement in America that, in some ways, seeks to “push” Christianity through television, film and politics. This would be fine if they were simply focusing on the teachings of Christianity, but the self proclaimed “evangelicals” take it a step further. They engage in right wing political endeavors under the name of Christianity. They use the name of Christianity as a tool instead of as a lifestyle. There is a new camp that is a result of this agenda. It is simply referred to as “Jesus Camp.” There is a new documentary on “Jesus Camp” coming out that shows first hand how this agenda is being either shared or forced upon children. I am curious to see what people from all walks of life feel about this camp program. Here is the trailer:

How does this trailer make you feel? I don’t hide the fact in any of my writing that I am a christian, however, I do not associate myself with the self proclaimed “evangelical” movement in America. I think that it is agenda based rhetoric instead of Biblical based teaching. If it were simply a camp for children about Jesus and Biblical teachings in America, I would support the program, but I feel that something else is driving this program. What do you think? The Republican party won the white house on the basis of “evangelical christian” voters in 2004. “Evangelicals” are taking on political issues from their pulpits, trying to sway the electoral process. They are also trying to push their political rhetoric on children. Once again, I feel that they are and continue to exploit the name of Christianity to push forth their political agendas. This film has caused a tremendous controversy because of this story featured on ABC news:

ABC news raises the question of whether or not this is indoctrination or christian education. Does this camp go over the top? Is it fair to put young impressionable children in this camp? Should the children be forced to pray at a cut out of President Bush? Is this a move to share Christianity, or is it something else? Although I feel that they tried to slant the story using a “secular liberal feminist” as a source, I believe that the general question is valid from ABC news. Is “Jesus Camp” simply a christian camp or a representation of the evangelical political agenda in America. I do not think that Becky Fisher has a tainted philosophy about children being passionate about Christianity, they should be. I am concerned with where she is trying to focus that passion. I do not believe that praying to a cut out of President Bush is warranted and her rhetoric can be dangerous. Her intent is good, but her means is where I have an issue with this camp. It is treated, in my opinion, more as a stamp for “war” and intolerance than as a banner of God’s true love. Here is an interview clip of Becky Fisher…watch the language she uses.

Is this message being portrayed right under the umbrella of Fisher’s rhetoric? I believe that Christians should stand firm on their beliefs, but I do not think that in pursuit of those beliefs Christianity should be used as a weapon instead of a message. What is the “evangelical” weapon form of Christianity? Two words…President Bush! We must separate the message of Christianity from the rhetoric of “evangelicals” or our true mission will be sacrificed.

 

 

Should Christians celebrate Halloween?

A couple of Sunday’s ago during the youth service at my church, an interesting discussion took place about Halloween. The discussion centered around what role, if any, Christians should have in the celebration. I am not going to give the answer the youth minister gave, because I want to see what other people think on the subject. Halloween has become, in America, one of the big four holidays next to Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. It is commercially lucrative, educationally encouraged and socially accepted by many Americans, including individuals that identify themselves as Christian. Parents let kids go “trick or treating” and dress up as devils and witches…and any other character that the child chooses. Schools have costume days, employers have competitions centered around it and many churches do not preach against it. Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Is it just fun, or does it go against the fundamental teachings of Christianity?

To truly asses an answer, you must understand the origins of Halloween. I wanted to get information from a non-biased source, meaning that I did not want to use sources from those in favor of or against Halloween. For these reasons, I gathered my historical background information from History.com, the on-line extension of the History Channel. The holiday’s origin is routed in the Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). Samhain was celebrated in the Celtic areas now known as Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France. They celebrated their new year on November 1 and the day marked the end of summer and the harvest. They had a belief that the night before this new year, October 31, the boundaries between the world of the living and the dead was not existent. Samhain, or October 31, was basically considered a day when they believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. The Celts felt the “otherworldly spirits” made it easier for the Celtic priests, or Druids to make predictions about the future.

To commemorate the event, the Druids built huge bonfires where people would gather to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic pagan deities. During this celebration, they wore costumes which typically included animal heads and skins. In addition, they attempted to tell each other’s fortunes during this time. In the 800s, Christianity had spread to this territory. In efforts to change the Celtic holiday related to the dead with a church sanctioned event, according to some sources, it is believed that Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 as “All Saints’ Day.” It was designed to honor saints and martyrs. This celebration was also called All-hallows or All hallowmas (this word originated from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day). Samhain began to be known as “All Hallows Eve”, basically the night before All Saints’ Day. All-hallows Eve eventually morphed into Halloween.

Now with its origins routed in Pagan worship, occult rituals, sacrifices, and fortune telling; is Halloween simply a “fun” holiday or a representation of something bigger? An estimated 36.1 million 5 to 13 year-olds across the United States engage in “trick or treating.” This means that their parents are either allowing or condoning them participating in the holiday. Why is this important? According to the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, 76.5 million Americans identify themselves as Christians (approximately 52% protestant and 24.5% catholic). The majority of Americans identify themselves as Christian, yet a holiday routed in pagan tradition is widely celebrated in this country.

Proponents of Halloween say that it is “just fun for the children?” Opponents of the holiday say that it is routed in pagan traditions and children should not be identified with it. Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Should churches offer alternatives to Halloween if they do preach against celebrating it? Why aren’t more churches taking a position on Halloween? Personally, because of my Christian beliefs, I do not celebrate Halloween. I do however support programs that provide children with a positive alternative on that night so they do not feel “left out.” I also believe that adults have an ability to distinguish between events that support the tradition of Halloween and events that are simply trying to provide children with entertainment. I’ve gone to events on Halloween that I felt were good community festivals, such as the Khema Boardwalk’s “Boo on the boardwalk.”

Where is the balance for Christians? Many of the youth at our church felt that they should have a right to participate in Halloween festivities like all other youth. Although we were not allowed to celebrate Halloween as children in my family, it became a fun family night for us. My mother taught us from the beginning the origins of the holiday. As an alternative to celebrating Halloween, we made candy apples, popcorn balls, played games and enjoyed family time. Is it the responsibility of Christian families to offer an alternative if they are not going to let their children participate in the holiday? Are the youth at my church right as long as there is balance, or are they wrong because of the history of the holiday? Does a holiday routed in pagan worship, secular rituals, and ghosts and witches have a place in Christianity? Should Christians celebrate Halloween?

No greater love…

“One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life: The word is love.” -Sophocles

“There is no greater love than this, that man lay down his life for his friend.” -A Biblical Proverb

The highest level of love is the ability to sacrifice one’s life for somebody else. There have been songs about it, poems about and sermons about it on Sunday mornings. Politicians have used the concept to mobilize the human spirit, civil rights leaders have used the concept to fight through adversity, and people often use the concept to expose false love and intentions in others. Love has an ability to break down barriers, open doors, and connect people. It has a way of healing the hurting and restoring the broken. Love is the center of every great accomplishment and change in life and love must begin within.

Over the course of this past year, I was pushed beyond what I imagined I could handle. My spirit was quenched, my hope was faint, and my faith was challenged. In the middle of my struggles, I even found myself isolated and alone. Only you can identify with your true inner pain and only you can take responsibility for your recovery. There were times where I was surrounded by people, yet alone for these reasons. If you have ever faced adversity in life, you understand this type of despair. My despair was routed in a divorce that I went through. Your despair may be based on the loss of a career, a ended relationship or it may be routed in depression. Whatever your despair is, it has to be addressed for you to move forward.

When you are at the edge and you feel that you just may fall off of it, you must grab onto your life line. When the people seem distant and the situation seems hopeless, when your life seems like an abyss of stress and tragedy. How do you recover? You have got to be your own best friend. You have to look within, evaluate your pain, process your past, and plan your recovery! You have to lay down your life for a friend…you. What am I saying? To move forward to recovery, it requires action. You must make the choice to lay down your life of despair and sacrifice your pain so you can entertain new life in happiness. When I used to hear about the parable of the “greatest love,” I only related it to outer encounters. The true essence of this level of love is derived from your ability to love yourself first though.

The extent to which you love yourself directly correlates to your ability to love someone else at the highest levels. When I made a decision to lay down my pain, my past, and my despair for myself, I was able to begin the process of moving forward. You have to give up the current life of despair, so you can experience new life. There is no greater love that a person can have, than a love that begins within and resounds outwardly to others. When you begin to love yourself again, you begin to open yourself to loving and being loved by others again. When you lay down your former life, joy awaits, peace is abundant, and a new birth of you occurs. Lay down your life “for a friend,”for yourself so you can see all that life has for you. God’s gift of love is placed within us to heal, given through us to help and showed to us to save. We have, by Divine design, a love within us to help us recover! No love is greater…

 

“Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.”
-Michael Masser and Linda Creed