BLACK HISTORY MONTH LITTLE KNOWN FACTS

Fact #78
As a child Muhammad Ali was refused an autograph by his idol, boxer Sugar Ray Robinson. When Ali became a prize-fighter, he vowed never to deny an autograph request, which he has honored to this day.

Fact #79
Muhammad Ali the self-proclaimed "greatest [boxer] of all time" was originally named after his father, who was named after the 19th century abolitionist and politician Cassius Marcellus Clay.

Fact #80
Allensworth is the only California community to be founded, financed and governed by African-Americans. Created by Allen Allensworth in 1908, the town was built with the intention of establishing a self-sufficient, all-black city where African-Americans could live their lives free of racial discrimination.

Fact #81
Jazz, an African–American musical form born out of the Blues, Ragtime, and marching bands originated in Louisiana during the turn of the 19th century. The word Jazz is a slang term that at one point referred to a sexual act.

Fact #82
Artist Charles Alston founded the "306 Group", a club that provided support and apprenticeship for African-American artists during the 1940s. It served as a studio space for prominent African-American artists such as poet Langston Hughes; sculptor Augusta Savage; and mixed-media artist Romare Bearden.

Fact #83
Before Wally Amos became famous for his "Famous Amos" chocolate chip cookies, he was a talent agent at the William Morris Agency, where he worked with the likes of The Supremes and Simon & Garfunkel.

Fact #84
Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on friend Maya Angelou's birthday on April 4th, 1968. Angelou stopped celebrating her birthday for many years afterward, and sent flowers to King's widow every year until Mrs. King's death in 2006.

Fact #85
Louis Armstrong bought his first coronet at the age of 7 with money he borrowed from his employers. He taught himself to play while in a home for juvenile delinquents.

Fact #86
Musician Louis Armstrong earned the nickname "Satchmo" from his peers. The name was short for "satchelmouth", a reference to the way he puffed his cheeks when he played his trumpet.

Fact #87
After a long career as an actress and singer, Pearl Bailey earned a bachelor's in theology from Georgetown University in 1985.

Fact #88
After African-American performer Josephine Baker expatriated to France, she famously smuggled military intelligence to French allies during World War II. She did this by pinning secrets inside her dress, as well as writing them in invisible ink on her sheet music.

Fact #89
Scientist and mathematician Benjamin Banneker is credited with helping to design the blueprints for Washington, D.C.

Fact #90
Before he was a renowned artist, Romare Bearden was also a talented baseball player. He was recruited by the Philadelphia Athletics on the pretext that he would agree to pass as white. He turned down the offer, instead choosing to work on his art.

Fact #91
Due to his acclaimed "Banana Boat" song, most people assume Harry Belafonte was born in the Caribbean; in fact, the internationally renowned entertainment icon and human rights activist was born in Harlem, New York.

Fact #92
Musician and activist Harry Belafonte originally devised the idea for "We Are the World," a single that he hoped would help raise money for famine relief in Africa. The single became the fastest selling in history, making more than $20 million worldwide.

Fact #93
Before becoming a professional musician, Chuck Berry studied to be a hairdresser.

Fact #94
Chuck Berry's famous "duck walk" dance originated in 1956, when Berry attempted to hide wrinkles in his rayon suit by shaking them out with his now-signature body movements.

Fact #95
The parents of actress Halle Berry chose their daughter's name from Halle's Department Store, a local landmark in her birthplace of Cleveland, Ohio.

Fact #96
In 1938, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt challenged the segregation rules at the Southern Conference on Human Welfare in Birmingham, Alabama, so she could sit next to African-American educator Mary McLeod Bethune, whom she referred to as "her closest friend in her age group."

Fact #97
Legendary singer James Brown performed in front of a televised audience in Boston the day after Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Brown is often given credit for preventing riots with the performance.

Fact #98
Chester Arthur "Howlin' Wolf" Burnett was one of the most important blues singers, songwriters and musicians, influencing popular rock groups like The Beatles. Unlike many blues artists, Howlin' Wolf maintained financial success throughout his life, held a stable marriage, and avoided drugs and alcohol.

Fact #99
Female science fiction author Octavia Butler was dyslexic. Despite her disorder, she went on to win two Hugo awards and two Nebulas for her writing.

Fact #100
When neurosurgeon Ben Carson was a child, his mother required him to read two library books a week and give her written reports, even though she was barely literate. She would then take the papers and pretend to carefully review them, placing a checkmark at the top of the page showing her approval. The assignments gave Carson his eventual love of reading and learning.

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT TO DO, RIGHT WRONG!

On Sunday I watched TD Jakes. He was preaching from a lesson The Right and Wrong of It All. The program I watched was 30 minutes and if you include the commercials, I received about a 15 minute preview of the message. Nevertheless it was enough to make me think and also make me want to share.

We can be right wrong. I must admit as I type that saying is funny to me. As initially I wondered as you may be right now, how can I be right wrong? Before I answer that let me say that as Jakes said and as we all know our actions create an after effect. We must be prepared for the ramifications of our actions at all times.

Back to this right wrong, how can you be right wrong. If you are an adult reading this or over the age of 18 as that is when this phrase usually starts while in your parents home "I am grown I can do what I want to do." Many adults who are working, living alone and supporting themselves say this as well. I'm grown!

Yes you are grown however, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. So here are some examples Jakes used of being right wrong:

• I do not have to put up with this I will just quit my job
• I can date who I want to date I didn't find out he was married until after the fact and frankly I don't care at this point
• I can go to the club every weekend my kids will be alright
• They upset me so I am going to get even, not talk to them or simply hold a grudge

In every example above you are completely right in the fact that you can do what you want to do. After all God gave us free will, Eve exercised her free will to eat the apple and convinced Adam to do the same thing and here we are today!

Yes you can quit your job however, will you then be sitting at home worrying about your bills, worrying about your next meal?

Yes you can date whom you want to date. Are you prepared for the mental, emotional, and physical toll that the situation will create? Are you considering the fact that you desire marriage and desire a faithful mate? Do not be deceived, God cannot be mocked you reap what you sow. (Galatians 6:7)

Sure you can party every weekend like its 1999 however, consider the effects that it will have on your children and their future?

The last point of people doing something to you and you seeking revenge, becoming angry or holding a grudge. Jakes explained it like this, if you believe what the bible says that everything works for your good, you must take the good with the bad and realize that God has a plan for your future. There is no use in blaming people that were simply tools to get you where God wants you to be. The bible tells us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against the principalities, rulers of darkness and evil forces. Jakes even mentioned some of the worst things that could happen like a child or family member being murdered. In that situation of course you will be hurt, you may even initially be angry however, God says that vengeance belongs to Him (Romans 12:19).

So take some time to consider areas of your life where you have been right wrong meaning, you had the right to do what you did but you were wrong in doing it. You could have very well been right yet you went about something the wrong way. Remember the road to hell was paved with good intentions.

Question to Ponder: Why is wrong only wrong when you are the victim?

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY

I Corinthians 10:23

New International Version (©1984)
"Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive.

New Living Translation (©2007)
You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is beneficial.

English Standard Version (©2001)
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.

International Standard Version (©2008)
Everything is permissible, but not everything is helpful. Everything is permissible, but not everything builds up.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
Someone may say, "I'm allowed to do anything," but not everything is helpful. I'm allowed to do anything, but not everything encourages growth.

King James Bible
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"Everything in your life is a reflection of a choice u have made.

If you want a different result, make different choices." (@thedailylove)

Be a blessing and be blessed,

Epiphany Essentials

BLACK HISTORY MONTH LITTLE KNOWN FACTS

Fact #50
In 1974, collegiate track star Denis Fikes ran the mile in a time of 3:55.0, the fastest time by an African-American, the second fastest in the U.S. that year, and the 15th-fastest in the world. The record stood for more than a decade.

Fact #51
Music legend Aretha Franklin is one of the most honored artists in Grammy Award history, with 20 wins to date.

Fact #52
Athlete Edward Gourdin was the first man in history to break the long jump record, with a jump of 25-feet 3-inches. He later became the first African-American Superior Court judge in New England.

Fact #53
Florence "Flo Jo" Griffith-Joyner a runner known for her stylish flair on the track, set the world record for the 100 and 200 meter dash at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea.

Fact #54
At age 23, Great Britain's Lewis Hamilton became both the youngest Formula One World Champion in history, as well as the first black one.

Fact #55
In 2006 Whitney Houston, a celebrated singer, songwriter and actress, was named the most awarded female artist of all time by the Guinness World Records.

Fact #56
In 1980, singer and performer Michael Jackson secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry—37 percent of the album's profit.

Fact #57
Pop icon Michael Jackson has earned several Guiness World Records, including Most Successful Entertainer of All Time for his 13 Grammy Awards, 13 No.1 singles, and the sale of over 750 million albums worldwide.

Fact #58
The video for Michael and Janet Jackson's duet, "Scream", cost $7 million to produce, making it the most expensive music video ever made.

Fact #59
Michael Jackson, singer, songwriter, and entertainer extraordinaire, was nominated for 12 Grammy awards and won a record-breaking eight in 1984. He has received 13 Grammy awards in his career, and is a double inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (as part of the Jackson 5 and as a solo artist). He holds the title of Most Top 10 Singles from an album for Thriller (1982) and the Most No. 1 Singles from an album for Bad (1987).

Fact #60
Michael Johnson, a sprinter often billed as "the fastest man in the world", has won five Olympic gold medals; broken numerous world records including his own; and placed first in both the 200-meter and 400-meter races within the same Olympic game in 1996.

Fact #61
During the 2008 Olympic trials, Cullen Jones became the first African-American swimmer to hold a world record when he completed the 50-meter freestyle in 21.59 seconds.

Fact #62
Music composer and producer, Quincy Jones is the most Grammy-nominated artist in the history of the awards with 76 nominations and 26 awards.

Fact #63
The Buffalo Soldiers served in the Spanish American war, various Indian wars and helped to settle the west by installing telegraph lines, protecting wagon trains and defending new settlements. More than 20 Buffalo Soldiers have received the highest military award, the Medal of Honor—the most any military unit has ever received.

Fact #64
At the 2010 Grammy Awards, singer Beyonce Knowles walked away from the ceremony with six awards—the most wins in a single night by a female artist in the history of the event.

Fact #65
Singer Beyonce Knowles became the second best-selling female artist of the 21st century with record sales of over $37 million.

Fact #66
Beyonce Knowles, an award-winning singer, songwriter and actress, holds the record for the longest run on the Billboard Hot 100's No. 1 spot in 2003 with the songs "Crazy in Love" (8 weeks) and "Baby Boy" (9 weeks).

Fact #67
African-American entrepreneur Reginald Lewis' 1992 gift to Harvard Law School was the largest single donation the school ever received from an individual at that time.

Fact #68
Track and Field star, Jesse Owens (1913 - 1980) broke many records at the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin, including becoming the first athlete to win four gold medals in one Olympiad.

Fact #69
Baseball star Satchel Paige was more than 40 years old the entire time he pitched for the major leagues, making him the oldest rookie in baseball history.

Fact #70
Deval Patrick is the first African-American to be governor of Massachusetts and the second man in U.S. history to be elected African-American governor.

Fact #71
Susan Rice is America's third woman ambassador to the UN, and the first black woman to hold the position.

Fact #72
In 1960, Olympian Irvin Roberson broke Jesse Owens' 25-year-old world indoor record in the broad jump with a 25-foot 9-inch leap. After breaking the record, Roberson began a six-year professional football career in which he landed an MVP title. After retiring from the game, Roberson earned a Ph.D. in psychology.

Fact #73
Frank Robinson is the only baseball player to win MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues.

Fact #74
Wilma Rudolph (1940 -1994) a record breaking track star was born the 20th of 22 children, and stricken with polio as a child. She not only overcame polio but broke world records in three Olympic track events and was the first American woman to win three gold medals at the Olympics (1960).

Fact #75
African-American business pioneer Madame C.J. Walker, supplied the largest amount of money toward the preservation of former abolitionist Frederick Douglass' home.

Fact #76
African-American Tiger Woods is the highest-paid professional athlete, earning an estimated $122 million from winnings and endorsements.

Fact #77
Golfer, Tiger Woods (1975 - ) is the youngest person and the first African-American to win the Masters Tournament in 1997 and by a record breaking lead of 12 strokes. He was also the highest paid athlete in 2005, earning an estimated $87 million dollars.

Be blessed and be a blessing,
Epiphany Essentials

UGG Women's Classic Cardy Boot - Sponsored Post

Uggs are definitely a woman's best friend in the winter months.

SUPPLEMENT YOUR INCOME

I read an article at the end of last year on Yahoo! about there be no reason not to be able to make/generate income in 2011.

The article listed different ways to generate income from creating a blog, to starting your own business, and it also listed 3 websites with work from home opportunities:

www.elance.com
www.guru.com
www.odesk.com

If you are looking to supplement your income or for a way to generate extra income outside of your 9 to 5. I encourage you to check out those websites.

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I encourage you to check out all of these sites, read the fine print and make the best decision for you and your household.

Be a blessing and be blessed,
Epiphany Essentials