Give him An Inch

Thought i would share a parable told by a Haitian pastor found in the book "Finishing Strong" by Steve Farrar.

"A certain man wanted to sell his house for two thousand dollars.  Another man wanted to buy it very badly, but he was a poor man and didn't have the full price.  After much bargaining, the owner agreed to sell the house to the man for one thousand dollars.  But the reduced price came with a stipulation.  The owner would sell the house, but he would keep ownership of a large nail protruding from over the front door.
   Several years later, the original owner decided he wanted to buy the house back.  Understandably, the new owner was unwilling to sell.  As a result, the original owner went out, found the carcass of a dead dog in the street, and hung it from the nail he still owned.  Soon the house became unlivable, and the family was forced to sell to the owner of the nail.
   The Haitian pastor concluded the story: 'if we leave the devil with even one small peg in our life, he will return to hang his rotting garbage on it.'
   You may own the entire home, but if you give the enemy access to just one nail in your life, it definitely puts you in high risk."

Some powerful thoughts about what happens when you... [title]

No Milk... No Sweat

Two months of marriage has taught me what 25 years of life failed to teach me. For much of my life I have looked back on my past. Many of the mistakes I made and those others made that affected my life. I looked back and questioned, I looked back and regretted, I looked back wishing for a redo. A do-over regarding school tests, life threats, and plain old mess! I used to constantly play the reel over and over hoping it would change, analyzing my mistakes, but last night after another one of marriages lessons I realized "the milk is spilled". Whether I woulda left it on the table, on the floor, in the carton, in the bedroom, in a bowl, on the couch, in the sink, in a drawer, in the fridge, on the porch, or in any other of a million places I could have put it, and things I could have done to prevent it from spilling, IT REMAINS SPILLED! And, there is nothing I can do now to keep it from soaking into the carpet of my life. So what do I do? I do what any man who has learned to be content no matter the circumstance... "By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning (me) onward- to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back." (Phillipians 3:13-14 message). In life, things happen. A lot of things. But us analyzing them and questioning them and replying them over in our minds will not help us move forward. The whos, whats, & whys are irrelevant at this point. I know the situation is "complicated", but I also know that you crying about spilled milk or trying to figure it out ISN'T GOING TO CLEAN THE CARPET. So what do you do? You move forward. You focus on your goals and u press ahead without turning back. I will also say that a relationship w Jesus makes it SO MUCH EASIER! Let Him teach you the HOW. Having said all this I will conclude w my marriage lesson. Two months of marriage taught me what 25 years of life had failed to teach me... [ TITLE ]

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All In A Momment

Can u remember the last time something changed ur state of mind in an instant? It may have been a kiss, a love one missed, or a break with a twix. I just had one of those momments in the studio. I have a brutha who grew up banging and ran w a few bruthas who were RUTHLESS, consequently he can sometimes resemble. But there are times where in a momment there is a rarer softer side that comes thru, when he's connecting w his love. So he's reminding the musicians that they've got some work to do on their craft and steps behind the keys. Let me explain. Some people call her by her full name, the piano. Some call her the keyboard. But this brutha knows her nickname, and has developed a sort of symbiotic relationship w her. They've learned to cope with life together and make the most of it. So what prompted his stepping behind her you may ask? The lil brutha wasn't treating her right. This is a momment where a big brutha takes some time to teach the younger brutha a lil more about his girl. So he walks behind his partner and reminds me how much they've done together since they met. All this communicated with a confident eyebrow raise. Just then in the midst of all the music and conversation in the room something happens. I feel goosebumps on my arms and I hear her sing. Really sing. All conversations stop all other musicians dare not interrupt her. She's begins encouraging me, letting me know "its gunna be a brighter day". Reminding me that I have much to be thankful for! The hustle and bustle of a busy day n the frustration of tight finances are all washed away by the soothing serenade of her voice...[title]

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For the Hell of it

I looked him in his eyes and asked him why. He looked confused. I repeated my words with an intense glare that sent chills into his spine and mine. He had no response. I began to remind him of how good he has it, w work going so well, and a woman who has held him down longer than I can actually calculate, but his stare remained aimless and his response refused to change. Speechless. U would jeopardize ur living situation, for this. This won't last long, before u know it this breath of fresh air will be the very thing coroding ur lungs and exhausting ur life. His response, the same stare. I tried to explain to him that every momment was fleeting and that only what was meaningful would last, he seemed unfased. As if he had entered a new perception or reality (synonymous) that did not allow him to c what I saw. While he is smelling the roses, I'm plugging my nose to avoid the stink of "boo-boo". He's enamoured by the familiar newness of the situation, the excitement of the catchless chase. I got furious. Inside I just couldn't understand, why? My brain began to punch the overtime clock to compute the complexities of the situation. It's wrong, can't he see its not beneficial for him. It will nt get him anywhere. He seems so aimless messing with this foolishness. Good, bad, right, wrong, left, black, white, and the shades between all flash thru my mind pleading the case as judge and jury deliberating the verdict... then he speaks. He lifts his eyes the way Aubrey Graham does when he's "Over" a conversation. Something has sparked inside. His first words remind me that djs refuse to stop playing drake's year old single "I'm doin me... I'm livin life right now maing...". (im perplexed, how does u doing u have anything to do with the questions dancing on the table) he continues, "I'm flying the plane" (who said anything about ur aviator shades)... "its my life.... now or never... I'm not gunna live forever" (not with that attitude ur not)... then, just then he stops. The face on his face changes. It seems as if the color in his face returns. A childlike innocence returns. He's no longer husain bolting around the bush. His gaze into my eyes is like a gaze into his own. He has found solace, refuge. He is no longer explaining but simply telling..."he came to himself"(luke 15:17) and humbly stated "I guess really, its just... [title]"

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Shalom

"when I wake up, before I put a beater on... I thank Him for love, joy, peace, or u could say Shalom." Well put Lecrae. How often do u take a look back at your personal victories? I know I for one am "on to the next, on on to the next one", the next challenge that is. I am so focused on growth and moving forward, but today is different. Last night we produced a major community event, lots of families were touched. I guess I could the consider the event a personal victory. Before the event was over I was emailing a colleague about "the next one". LOL, "this is how we do..." But today after my morning rituals, I fell back asleep and when I woke up the lyrics to lecrae's single "Shalom" were in my head. Shalom is a state of being at rest and at ease. It's actually Hebrew word that captures the essence of peace and wholeness. After diddy bopping in my bed to the sound of the song in my head (that rhymes lookout Lupe, I'm coming for ya lol) "I reminisce, I reminisce(d)" about ALL the times in my life when I wasn't at rest and peace. The times when I woke up worried if my family would find out what I did last night, worrying if the people I had hurt would make it their business to hurt me and my family, worrying if my life was in jeopardy because of foolish choices, worrying about my bills being paid, worrying about if my vehicle would start or not, worrying if my romance interest actually was feeling me too, worrying about the paper that was due in my 2 o'clock class, worrying if I was gunna see the dude I despised on campus, worrying if I would get an ugly gut feeling when I looked in the mirror, worrying about my appearance and how my physique was coming along, worrying about my younger siblings and if they would be alright.... WORRYING WORRYING WORRYING (i sure hope that's I word cuz I wore that bad boy OUT lol). But today, there is Shalom. There is peace, joy, love, wholeness, soundness of mind, confidence, happiness, romance (love u boo), excitement (lets go GIANTS)... a whole host of pleasant emotions. I can't help but think of "the reason for (this) season... "You will keep in perfect peace (those of us) who keep our mind stayed on You and trust in You." (Isaiah 26:3). I'm so thankful! "I woke up and before I put a beater on, I thanked the Lord for love, joy, peace or u could say"...[TITLE]

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Yard work

Have you ever been driving down the street and taken notice to someone's exquisite landscaping? Or can u remember that neighbor that you secretly despised cause they were always in their lawn and garden, maintaining its number one spot on the block? I know I have, LOL.  Yesterday/this morning I conversed with some brothers of mine about the age old topic "greener grass", searching for someone better than ones current partner.  I began to think of countless friends who I had seen chase after the greener grass.  You've seen it too.  Your friend comes to you and begins to talk about the new person. You see the familiar smile that signifies the mystery of the new and the intrigue of the chase.  You've seen or heard about a friend while either still in a relationship or breaking up with the partner to go after the "greener grass".  Well back to our convo.  We discussed countless stories of people chasing after what seemed greener, only to be left yearning for what they let turn to weeds.  Our relationships and love must be maintained.  Leaving is rarely about our hearts being unfulfilled or our partner not having the potential to "light (our) fire", it is much more often the illusion of something better. The case of our hearts always wanting more [will touch this topic more in its own blog].  We cannot leave one partner for the illusion or fantasy of the next person being the better option.  Our leaving should be a personal decision based on our partner not having the potential to support us w love through all our current and foreseen goals, dreams, purposes.  Maintaining a relationship and not being sucked into the deceiving "greener grass" syndrome, we must maintain our relationships, cultivate our own landscape, & take our eyes off of the other "options" (in the end were not giving ourselves the opportunity to experience the relationship @ its full potential.  The grass may seen greener on the other side of the fence, but the only thing between you and the relationship of your dreams may b...[title]

Getting Started

So... Im at disneyland with my beautiful (as in full of beauty inside and out) fiance and we meet three awesome girls.  We talk and have an awesome time enjoying "world of colors".  Before we do one asks me about some dating advice.  I blabed on for a while sharing my heart with and for her and her situation and she suggests.  You should start a blog.  "I think to myself... what a wonderful [thought]" lol.  time passes.  I am having a conversation with a good brother of mine about dating and life and "I think to myself..."  I have so much to say about this and i feel like i could share it with more than just him.  So here we are, i will begin my blog and this is ... [title]