THINK, FACT CHECK, USE YOUR BRAIN!

On Tuesday, April 23rd @AP sent a tweet that said bombs or something of the extent went off at the White House, immediately....hear me as I type this IMMEDIATELY the stock market went down.

Shortly thereafter, @AP sent out another tweet saying their account had been hacked and the tweet was untrue.

How? Why? What? would possess people to sell their stocks based on a tweet?  Most people that trade stocks have some sort of intelligence and ability for independent thought, as they are choosing stocks and trading on the market.  Better yet, they are alive and well daily making decisions that require the use of their brains.

Now the tweet could have very well been true or it may be false BUT did anyone take the time to think for themselves? Fact check, check other sources? Simply use their brain to be logical and not emotional? 

Are we that obsessed with social media and information that someone could send a tweet that could alter life as we know it?  This is mind boggling to us but what are your thoughts?

Namaste! Peace! Love! Joy! Abundance! Prosperity! Wealth! Knowledge! Wisdom! Understanding! 

EDUCATION VS. IMPRISONMENT

As of late I've read different posts and opinions, on Twitter and FaceBook, on the fact that our government spends more money to imprison than educate.  Now that we are aware of this injustice, what do we do now?

 

Prisoner = slave, slave = free labor.  Prisons are for profit institutions, they guarantee investors 80% occupancy....GUARANTEE!  Now we must ask ourselves how is this possible?  One of the greatest determining factors for the prison population is 3rd grade reading scores.  There is a strong chance if your child is not a great reader by the 3rd grade they may end up in jail.  Now, a large percentage of the prison population are from single parent households, over 70%.  There are many who believe the single mother is the cause of the prison population.  The thing is 70% of the prison population are from single parents.  Now if you told me 70% of children born to single parents were imprisoned then I could agree.

 

Many people in prison have children, this leaves their children to be raised by a single parent, guardian, extended family member or they could be in a foster home or orphanage.  This automatically puts many of those children at a disadvantage and the cycle unfortunately continues.

 

However, back to the question, how does a prison guarantee its investors 80% occupancy???  If anyone has the answer to this question I would love to know.

All problems should be attacked and addressed at the root.  Before we jump to injustice with college education let's start at the root of the issue with primary education.  Let's discuss reduced funding for head start programs, let's discuss some school districts charging for pre-K, let's discuss the fact that kindergarten is not mandatory, let's discuss the fact that you've never taken the time to read to your children, let's discuss the fact that they watch countless hours of senseless television programming that brainwashes and influences them negatively!

 

 Let's be real, if your child received a sub par primary education their chances of success in college are slim.  So, again we have to start from day 1 at birth, you can read to your child while they are in the womb.  You can also explore your options as a parent, your child doesn't have to attend the school in their neighborhood.  At least not in Chicago.  Visit your child's school, volunteer, if you can.  Develop a relationship with their teacher and have open dialogue.  

 

Realistically, I understand that all parents are not involved or have to work to provide that they cannot be involved as they would like to be.  That is where the old adage 'it takes a village to raise a child'.  How can we as a community collectively help each other out with our children etc.?  

 

Be concerned with injustice but understand true revolutionaries die, are falsely imprisoned, they're defamed, their names are dragged through the mud.  If you are about that life and ready for the fate that Malcolm, Martin, Tupac, Assata, Mumia, Mutulu, Pratt, Hampton, Newton, etc. had to face then rise up, revolt, do something!   A petition isn't going to change anything, a march isn't going to change anything, mobilization will change things.

 

It starts with ECONOMIC empowerment.  It starts with knowing what you start, you might not be able to finish just hope that someone else picks up where you left off and keeps it going until change truly comes.  It starts with being ready to die and/or go to jail.

Namaste! Peace! Love! Joy! Favor! Abundance! Prosperity! Light! Awareness!

TEMPTATION: CAN YOU SPOT A HARLEY?

If you plan on seeing Tyler Perry's new film 'Temptation' DO NOT READ THIS POST until AFTER seeing the movie!

 

While watching Temptation, the 1st conversation between Harley and Judith had my danger signals blaring, they were saying he's dangerous, don't trust him, he will lay hands on you!  Did yours?  There was one point where Judith asked Harley a question and part of his answer was the fact he could get crazy.  Few people say they get crazy, and those that do say such things usually mean CRAZY for real, real, CRAZY all capital CRAZY CRAY CRAY!!!!!

 

While Judith was obviously intrigued from her and Harley's 1st meeting and conversation, the private jet scene where Harley begins kissing Judith and she is saying stop but he doesn't, while a turn-on for Judith, it COMPLETELY turned me off.  Once again my danger signals began going off.  However, I could totally see a woman like Judith and many other falling for the Harley type.  Especially since her life seems mundane and predictable.  When she tried to spice it up a bit, her husband was taken a back and unprepared to just go with the flow.  This increased her curiosity for something "new and exciting".  At any point in time Judith could have spoken with her husband about her need for some spontaneity and excitement BUT like most people she harbored her feelings and allowed them to lead her to a path of self sabotage and destruction with defeated thoughts.

 

Before I go any further, there are great men out there, I love black men, I am the daughter of, mother to, and woman of a black man.....

 

Harley was 100% positively the too good to be true type.  When I was younger my mom said something that I completely understand now and is so fitting for the movie.  If a man has so many positive attributes and things going on for himself and he is single, no woman is trying to claim him, stalking him etc.  There is something wrong with him.  Harley was a man that possessed everything he could possibly imagine yet he had no love in his life.

 

I couldn't understand why Judith didn't pick up on the warning signs.  Especially since she knew his love profile, topped with the fact she was a marriage counselor yet, her emotions and thoughts that she was missing out on something led her to make bad choices.  She was open, vulnerable, and gullible leaving the door wide open for Harley to come in.  In their conversations about his love life, Harley always took on the victim role and made his ex out to be the "bad guy".  My thought was what woman in her right mind wouldn't want to ride around in Rolls Royce's, live lavishly, fly on private jets etc.  Not putting a price on love BUT something made his wife decide to marry him and something also drove her to leave all of that fabulousness behind.  Not putting 100% responsibility on the husband as it takes 2 to make a thing go right or wrong BUT his over emphasis on his wife being unappreciative was just a bit much.

 

I won't give the whole movie away but I can say when it ended the 1st thing that came to mind was "Don't go chasing waterfalls please stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used to!" 

 

The grass will always look greener on the other side BUT that lawn has to be maintained like any other one.  Just because its green now doesn't mean it will stay that way.  Relationships take work and should be built on a foundation of love, trust, respect, commitment, friendship, and communication. 

 

How many women would have fallen for Harley, married or single? 

 

Namaste! Peace! Love! Joy! Favor! Abundance! Prosperity!

UBUNTU: COLLECTIVISM VS. COMPETITION

'UBUNTU' in the Xhosa culture means: "I am because we are"

An anthropologist proposed a game to the kids in an African tribe. He put a basket full of fruit near a tree and told the kids that who ever got there first won the sweet fruits. When he told them to run they all took each others hands and ran together, then sat together enjoying their treats. When he asked them why they had run like that as one could have had all the fruits for himself they said: ''UBUNTU, how can one of us be happy if all the other ones are sad?''

'UBUNTU' in the Xhosa culture means: "I am because we are"(VIA Ramomart.com FaceBook)

This moved me so and also made me think.  Now I agree that the Most High blesses those that have their own BUT we are blessed to be a blessing.  

I must say had this happened in America, the end result would have not been the same.  Are we teaching our children the importance of all for one and one for all?  Are we embodying this ideal ourselves?  After all we live in a society where the wealthiest 1% employ 99% of the people.  We live in a society where competition is encouraged.  We live in a society where the haves look down on the "have" nots BUT...what if the haves shared with the have nots?  What if people realized when enough was enough and it was time to give and share?  

This message speaks to me as well as I have clothing in my closet that still has the tags on it yet I want more, sometimes I feel that I don't have enough because I'm comparing myself to others and what society says success and wealth should be.  

I'm sure I would have been a kid racing to get the fruit first and had I not been first I would have been upset. Then my thoughts go to the winner. How comfortable could the winner be?

Would they feel comfortable sitting and eating their fruit while the others went hungry?  Would they share their fruit with the others or feel its theirs only because they won fair and square?  Would those without fruit try to take/steal the fruit from the winner? Would the others be jealous and envious of the winner?  After eating the fruit would the others still be friends with the winner?

These are questions that are true for our society.  There are many have nots that have to steal or feel they have to steal in order to feed their families.  While there are families that throw away left overs regularly if not daily.  Many of us think, I'm not a hundred thousandnaire let alone a millionaire I have nothing to give.  This is so far from the truth.  Many of those that are blessed must first recognize their blessings.

If you woke up this morning, in a home, with running water, gas, heat, electricity, food in the pantry and refrigerator, YOU ARE BLESSED.  Not only are you blessed, you can be a blessing to someone else.

UBUNTU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be a blessing and be blessed! Namaste! Peace! Love! Joy! Health! Ubuntu!

HAS THE INDEPENDENT WOMAN KILLED "TRADITIONAL" MARRIAGE

For all intents and purposes I guess it would be wise to define traditional marriage.  In the true sense of "tradition", a traditional marriage is one where the husband works outside the home and the wife works inside the home and tends to the children.  The husband is the bread winner, bringing home the bacon and the wife is the one frying it up in a pan.  Think the Cleavers on Leave it to Beaver, The Evans family on Good Times, The Jeffersons ( well Weezy did have a maid...go ahead Weezy!!!!), The Winslows on Family Matters, even The Huxtables had what I would consider a traditional marriage.  More importantly, as well in this definition, is a home where the husband is the head, the leader, the key/final decision maker.  He takes into consideration the thoughts, feelings, and ideals of his wife but the husband has the final say, the right to put his foot down and that be that.  All done in respect, love, decency and order.

Has the independent woman killed the "traditional" marriage?  This question arises from an episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta (RHOA), yes, reality TV!!!!!  Porsha is married to ex NFL baller Kordell.  Kordell is well off and Porsha is a stay at home wife.  The women went on vacation to Vegas which included going to a strip club.  Porsha expressed that she didn't want to go to a strip club because her husband would not approve, she also stated that she was happy her husband LET her attend the trip.  These comments appeared to rub all the other women on the show the wrong way.  They began discussing the fact that Kordell was controlling and he that holds the purse strings usually controls or dictates the flow of the relationship.

Being a young woman who grew up in a 2 parent HH, both sets of my grandparents were married I completely disagreed.  I understand the respect factor in all relationships.  There are things that a husband shouldn't do if he knows his wife won't approve and the same goes for the wife.  It doesn't matter who controls the purse strings.  I do also understand that there are controlling men out there, however, I still don't believe its the case with Porsha and Kordell.  

Nene, Phaedra, Cynthia, Kenya, and Kandi are all independent self-made women.  I applaud them and admire them for that.  I'm less traditional in the sense that I believe its acceptable for a woman to work outside of the home.  However, if a man told me I could stay at home and he would take care of everything, I would absolutely jump at the chance and be happy.  There are instances in their, Nene, Phaedra, Cynthia, Kenya, and Kandi, relationships however where I feel that most of these women don't let the man be a man.  Not judging their relationships because to each its own.

With that said, what works for one relationship and one person doesn't necessarily work for another.  That is why it is important to shy away from giving relationship advice to others.  Its a sticky situation that can lead to many problems.  I rarely give relationship advice or impose my own opinion.  I am all for general advice, sharing stories from my personal life or the life of others to help give someone extra insight.  Unless there is extreme physical abuse NEVER would I tell a woman or man to leave their marriage or relationship.

But back to the topic at hand, the other ladies told Porsha her husband was controlling, that this was no longer the olden days.  I remember Porsha saying Kordell was the King of his home. Nene personally thought that was a crock.  Why isn't the man the King?  My daddy was the King of our home and I was the princess.  Do you believe that type of thinking should be left in the olden days?  Is your man the King of his castle?  Are you the queen? Are you traditional?

My man is my king and I am his queen.  Whether rich or poor I believe that a man should feel like a man.  Cook for him, fix his plate, take his plate away, motivate him, support him, help him with his dreams. Respect and honor him  Now with that said he should be doing many of the same things for you.  RECIPROCITY!!!!!

He may not be able to cook but maybe one night he decides to do the dishes, or tell you, you don't have to cook he's taking you out to dinner. For me the man should take out the garbage, mow the lawn, trim the hedges, change tires, etc. manly things but again that's me and my relationship.  Each and every relationship is different and the only opinions that matter are those that are in the relationship.

Somewhere during the women's movement, women forgot in their quest to be equals that they are not men.  Yes we can go out and make money, we can even bring home the entire pig BUT the man should feel like the man at all times.  The man should feel his opinion matters, that he is the head, and his thoughts and feelings are taken into consideration.  I believe that's where the independent woman goes wrong.  More than likely the man knows that you are independent.  That is what attracted him to you but still be a lady, the woman and let him be the man.  It's great to have an opinion just don't beat the man over the head with it.  As the old saying goes, you catch more flies with honey. Use your femininity to your advantage.

There is a huge population of women that say, I have a good job, my own home, a car, money in the bank, good credit, BUT I don't have a man.  It may be because you are too busy behaving like a man, trying to prove your "manhood" when men do come along and they want a lady, a woman! Again, your independence attracted him to you BUT BE A LADY AT ALL TIMES.  Men, real men, like fixing things, they want you to need them to carry that heavy box, change your tire, look under your car hood, open that jar, paint that room....I think you get my drift.  Even if they complain, they enjoy doing it, men like to feel needed and wanted.  As a man told me, men take care of what they love (financially, physically etc.) whatever it may be if it is in their power to do so men take care of what they love.  So while you are well able to take care of yourself, LET THAT MAN BE A MAN!

Has the Independent Woman Killed "Traditional" Marriage?  Did you see the episode of RHOA I'm referring to?  Do you agree with Porsha or the other ladies?

Be a blessing and be blessed! Namaste! Peace! Love! Joy! Abundance! Health! Wisdom! Knowledge! Understanding!


 

TRUST YOURSELF!!!!!!

This blog was inspired by my big sister...Trust Yourself!

About 4 years ago my sister made a major decision to move to another state.  Away from her support system, mother, grandmother, aunts/uncles, cousins, sisters and friends.  A state at least a 10 hour drive away BUT she did it.  One of our cousins offered her a job, agreed to pay her moving fees, and security deposit.  My sister had spoken of moving to a warmer climate due to the health concerns of her youngest son so she jumped at the opportunity. What she didn't know was her decision was all apart of the Most High's plan for her and her children.

When first considering the idea of moving she discussed her plans with myself, her mom and others in the family.  They completely discouraged her decision about moving, told her not to do it, and that it wasn't a good idea...... Trust Yourself.

Nevertheless, my sister made the move.  A couple of months after moving she quit her job working for our cousin and found herself unemployed.  Her middle son was in a school he absolutely hated and he was far more advanced than his peers.  At the time he was in 8th grade and had to attend the school by there home BUT my sister learned that they could chose the high school he attended.  Since he was 5 years old, he said that he wanted to be a doctor.  Low and behold, his high school of choice, a school for students that desire to be doctors and Engineers, he applied, was accepted, and is on his way to fulfilling his dream.....Trust Yourself.

See, my sister could've decided her new home state wasn't working out because the job she left Chicago for was no more, my nephews school was less than ideal, and her oldest son didn't make the move, choosing to stay in Chicago....she could've looked at the situation as if she'd made the wrong decision and run back home BUT she stayed....Trust Yourself!

Fast forward over 3 years later, this summer my nephew has been invited to attend John Hopkins University program for high school students, he will be entering his senior year in the fall.  His college choices Duke or Johns Hopkins.  Her youngest son now wants to follow in his big brothers foot steps and her oldest son is a student at a University in Illinois....Trust Yourself!

I wonder, what if my sister didn't move? What if she listened to her mom and others and didn't take the leap?  I think about the saying that your blessing is on the other side of your fear. Fear was telling my sister to stay, faith said move.  Not to mention she can be a little head strong and stubborn, once making a decision she sticks with it BUT life has been pretty good to her thus far....Trust Yourself!

It's great to consider the counsel of friends, family, religious leaders BUT it is best to Trust Yourself...You have intuition for a reason, you get that gut feeling for a reason.  As the saying goes, always go with your first mind.  Think about the times you didn't go with your first mind, you didn't trust yourself....things didn't turn out right did they?

Most times when we seek the advice of others they impose their fears and beliefs on our lives BUT the good book says be it on to you according to your FAITH.  We cannot get by on anyone's faith but our own....Trust Yourself!

I'm glad my sister trusted her self and I enjoy watching the destiny of her and her children unfold. 

Let my sisters story be an inspiration to you.  Yes you can move to another city, state, country with little to no support from others and make it, survive, and thrive.  As long as you take your faith and the Most High with you all things are possible for you....Trust Yourself!

Don't accept and feed into others fears, concerns or doubts...Trust Yourself, Trust Your Gut, Trust Your Intuition, Trust that the Most High is guiding you to your destiny, to your greatness!!

Be a blessing and be blessed! Namaste! Peace! Love! Joy! Faith! Abundance! Greatness! Health! Trust! Intuition! Believe!

WANT VS. HAVE

The other day, we had an Epiphany! In keeping with The Secret and speaking, thinking, and visualizing the life we want.  We wondered, what if we stopped wanting and started having?  What do we mean by this?

Think about it, how often do you walk around speaking of the things you want?  How often do you get the things that you want?  How long does it take to get them?

What if you changed your thoughts and your words and starting speaking that you had what it is you want already.

Example....

• I want a successful marriage vs. I have a successful marriage
• I want to be married vs. I'm a happily married woman
• I want to save money vs. I'm a great saver and my bank account overflows
• I want a home of my own vs. Thank you for my home it is blessed, filled with love etc.
• I want a new job vs. Thank you for my business/job that I love
• I want my child to do well in school vs. My child is a great student, leader, gets great grades, applies themselves etc.

Are you starting to see where we are going with this? I hope so.  The Secret is simply speaking only that which you want.  Not what you don't want but what you want to see manifest in your life and then speaking as if you already have it, you already are it!  Yes, its that simple.  

So what is that you want? Act as if you have it already.  Print out pictures, create a vision board meditate on it day and night as if it is so!

Try it, we challenge you, we challenge ourselves.   We want to live life on purpose and create our future in the NOW, that is what FAITH is right? :-)

Be blessed and be a blessing! Namaste! Peace! Love! Joy! Health! Prosperity! Abundance!