On Tuesday’s show I reported on the NY Times article revealing the disproportionate amount of funds that the fundraising powerhouse, Congressional Black Caucus, allocates to its service programs in comparison to its social functions AND the influence that their contributors have.
more…
Archive for the Category »Consciousness (Political, Social, & Spiritual) «
Had to wait for Caryn to get her book and for the behind the scenes discussion to take place. I decided to write this today because I’m not content. I’ve been thinking a lot about enjoying the glory that I’m in. I really have. Does anyone else find that difficult to do? It’s truly a challenge. Let me say this sisters….it’s not that I think there is a lot that needs improving. I just think that the few things are BIG things. Don’t you? But who the hell wants to have a constant pity party all the time. Well today I read Chele’s post and she said that contentment can’t come over night because discontent didn’t happen over night.
I’m bout tired of all this be patient propaganda. sigh
First Joyce…..now Chele.
As I mentioned, I’m reading Joyce Meyer’s book Woman to Woman: Candid Conversations from Me to You. I’m reading and discussing it with my sisters TJ and Caryn. I’m not going to call them out for not starting yet. LOL Anyway….I’ve started and read chapters 1-4 and planned on sending them an email with my thoughts….I’ll share.
I dropped by the bookstore today to pick up my next project book. I wrote in my journal yesterday (3 pages worth) and through the writing I decided that I’m not settled spiritually and want to find a way to balance my spirituality. I’m exploring, reading, listening, taking notes. So beginning on Monday TJ are going to be reading and discussing Joyce Meyer’s Woman to Woman: A Candid Conversation from Me to You.
Although I had reserved the book in advance, it wasn’t ready for me and I had to wait at the counter for them to find it. While I was there (about 15 minutes) I started looking at the book featured at the counter and it really caught my interest! The title is A Reliable Wife and it is by Robert Goolrick.
Description: He placed a notice in a Chicago paper, an advertisement for “a reliable wife.” She responded, saying that she was “a simple, honest woman.” She was, of course, anything but honest, and the only simple thing about her was her single-minded determination to marry this man and then kill him, slowly and carefully, leaving her a wealthy widow, able to take care of the one she truly loved. What Catherine Land did not realize was that the enigmatic and lonely Ralph Truitt had a plan of his own. And what neither anticipated was that they would fall so completely in love. Filled with unforgettable characters, and shimmering with color and atmosphere, A Reliable Wife is an enthralling tale of love and madness, of longing and murder.
Sounds interesting doesn’t it!
AND THEN….on the way out (I was so focused coming in because I was in a hurry that I didn’t look at the new fiction display) what is right in front of my eyes!
You remember how much I love Elizabeth Gilbert’s last book right? I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE FOREVER!
At the end of her bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert fell in love with Felipe, a Brazilian-born man of Australian citizenship who’d been living in Indonesia when they met. Resettling in America, the couple swore eternal fidelity to each other, but also swore to never, ever, under any circumstances get legally married. (Both were survivors of previous horrific divorces. Enough said.) But providence intervened one day in the form of the United States government, which—after unexpectedly detaining Felipe at an American border crossing—gave the couple a choice: they could either get married, or Felipe would never be allowed to enter the country again. Having been effectively sentenced to wed, Gilbert tackled her fears of marriage by delving into this topic completely, trying with all her might to discover through historical research, interviews, and much personal reflection what this stubbornly enduring old institution actually is. Told with Gilbert’s trademark wit, intelligence and compassion, Committed attempts to “turn on all the lights” when it comes to matrimony, frankly examining questions of compatibility, infatuation, fidelity, family tradition, social expectations, divorce risks and humbling responsibilities. Gilbert’s memoir is ultimately a clear-eyed celebration of love with all the complexity and consequence that real love, in the real world, actually entails.
I looked at the price and the 30% off for members and thought “DAMN…..I used my last coupon on this Joyce Meyer book!” That’s okay. Instead of going to Marshall’s to look for a dress for church Sunday, I came home. I’ll wear my nice black slacks and pretty top to church and I printed out another coupon to use for my book. I’ll be back for you Elizabeth!
I needed some home in me so I set my alarm last night so I could wake up and tune in for church. I think my heart will always be with Pastor Haynes at Friendship West in Dallas. Well I slept through the alarms….that’s not true. I actually got up and turned them off! LOL The phone rang at 11am and woke me up anyway so I should be glad about it. Pastor laid down a message this morning! It felt really good to see the choir up there rocking and clapping and getting their praise on. And then came Pastor Haynes. Today’s message came from Matthew 4:1-11 (from the NIV)
The Temptation of Jesus
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”
4Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.6“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
” ‘He will command his angels concerning you,
and they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’ ”7Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9“All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ”
11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
He started out saying that he had 4 points but after the second one my husband started talking to me about dinner and I couldn’t concentrate on what Pastor was saying.
The first point was that “Your spiritual hookup gives you what you need to deal with the hell you’re going through on earth.” He was focusing on the part of the scripture about fasting….emptying yourself of distractions to focus. He likened people to cell phones. Cell phones run on batteries….batteries that will eventually run out of juice. For the phone to keep working you’ve got to recharge the battery by plugging it in to a power source. He said it’s like a glow in the dark pen. For the pen to work in the dark…..it has to spend some time in the light.
The second point was “Don’t allow your appetite to get in the way of your values.” After fasting for 40 days and 40 nights, Satan appeared and told him to turn the stones to bread. Everybody can imagine being hungry enough after 40 days and 40 nights to want some bread…..but satisfying your appetite sometimes goes against your values. Pastor said that success will seduce you! We get distracted to the point where we spend all of our waking time going after the good instead of the best…..like a job. We work ourselves to the bone on a job because we’re seduced by the “good money” and stop focusing on what our values are. Instead of thinking about being hungry, focus on the fact that the text says man can not live on bread alone. A text taken out of context will con you.
Watching service online this morning felt like a little piece of home. People will say “but you lived in Oklahoma as long as you lived in Texas.” Let me tell y’all something. I loved my church so much that I would get up and drive to Texas just for church service! Get there Saturday night, go to church, fellowship and eat, and drive back home.
I visited a church a while ago that I really liked. There are 2 more that I want to visit in the upcoming weeks. I saw the service on tv and was so interested that I need to go in person so that I don’t miss out when they cut it off on tv.
They said...