So I have signed up with some of the young adults to take part in something called a "Caterpillar Challenge." It is an eight week (well now seven-ish) journey in getting back in touch with our faith, and fellowship with other young adults. Kind of like a bible study, except this series completely focuses on the Bible's book of Job. We have a book and a workbook that depicts modern day stories based off the chapters in Job. I think this is going to be interesting, especially since I could use a little more faith in my life, and with Lent around the corner, I am going to rely on a lot of faith after finalizing my "give up" list. I am in good company with the Young Adults here at Church (as well as the choir members). Besides the people that I work with as well as the people who work for the same employer as I but not 'with me,' they have shown me the only true kindness that I have ever known since my arrival months ago. That says a lot and means a lot especially since I started all over on the social and friendship fronts. It is not easy being the new person, but I will not use that as an excuse. So wish me luck as I add the caterpillar challenge onto my list of Lenten activities 2009!
Now about this Madea movie... I will try not to spoil it, but overall, I think it was an okay movie. I would rank "Why Did I Get Married" and "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" over "Madea Goes To Jail." The movie had good parts in it, but (SPOILER ALERT), Madea does not go to jail until, in my opinion, some point past the halftime point of the movie. I honestly thought it was going to be Madea giving prison women way more advice and insight on their situations and how to become better women, but there was only one instance of that... Would I go see it again, MOST DEFINITELY!!! It is still hilarious as I dunno what, so yea, I would see it again. Plus there are messages that should be shared by all audiences, regardless of ethnicity.
Staying in-house tonight. Was thinking about salsa, but I have new priorities. My nephew and niece would like to attend church with me tomorrow, but I would have to get my nephew from Greensboro early in the morning, so I need to be fully dressed and out the apartment around 7. So no partying tonight. But I think it is worth it, plus its been awhile since my niece and nephew saw each other.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Madea Goes To Jail
So today I went to go see Madea Goes to Jail. I liked it, but things took a while to progress. I'm sleepy. I'll talk more about it tomorrow
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Exhausting Day!
Yes, we all have them. And today was no different. Got up early, got to work early, left work late! Choir practice, and then back to the containment area.
I guess one of the funnier parts of my day happened at lunch. I met a lady who was taking salsa classes with the same instructors that taught me. We sat down together with her friends, and we were all getting to know one another. I told them where I live, we call it "pop." And they gave me the traditional "look" when someone calls soft drinks "pop."
One of them even asked me if I knew what "Sun Tea" was, and my eyes opened wide!
It has been SOOOOOOO long since the last time my mom and dad made Sun Tea. I was just telling them all about it, and they just kept looking at me, prolly saying to themselves "he is soooo kountry!" but I do not care! Okay, they actually did say Ohioans are country, which I resent wholeheartedly, but oh well. I told them how we used glass containers and the suns heat to create the tea, etc.. etc... I told them about the traditional midwest terminology, like what "knee high by the 4th of July" meant.
Overall, it was a fun lunch. That was about the only real highlight of my day. That and choir!
I guess one of the funnier parts of my day happened at lunch. I met a lady who was taking salsa classes with the same instructors that taught me. We sat down together with her friends, and we were all getting to know one another. I told them where I live, we call it "pop." And they gave me the traditional "look" when someone calls soft drinks "pop."
One of them even asked me if I knew what "Sun Tea" was, and my eyes opened wide!
It has been SOOOOOOO long since the last time my mom and dad made Sun Tea. I was just telling them all about it, and they just kept looking at me, prolly saying to themselves "he is soooo kountry!" but I do not care! Okay, they actually did say Ohioans are country, which I resent wholeheartedly, but oh well. I told them how we used glass containers and the suns heat to create the tea, etc.. etc... I told them about the traditional midwest terminology, like what "knee high by the 4th of July" meant.
Overall, it was a fun lunch. That was about the only real highlight of my day. That and choir!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Treachery, Faith, and the Lenten Journey Ahead
So today, while I was taking a break after successfully running one of my tests (el YAY!!!) I came across a link to a website that had a very interesting cartoon.
The link is: http://www.nypost.com/delonas/delonas
The cartoon depicts two cops and a dead monkey, shot by one of the officers. Then, one of the cops says "They'll have to find someone else to write the new stimulus bill."
Lets just pause for a second and use the context clues that you should have learned back in elementary school. We have
#1. An African American (Black) President who pushed for a 'stimulus' bill.
#2. A Dead Monkey after being shot by some cops
#3. Two officers (that look Caucasian): one with a gun in his hand, the other saying "They'll have to find someone else to write the new stimulus bill."
If anyone knows their history, especially about the plight of African Americans, then you should also know of the deep racial hatred that this cartoon represents. To add further insult to injury, this is what the cartoonist said on CNN while I was at the Gym starting my weight training:
"It's absolutely friggin ridiculous. Do you really think I'm saying Obama should be shot? I didn't see that in the cartoon. The chimpanzee was a major story in the Post. Every paper in New York, except The New York Times, covered the chimpanzee story. It's just ridiculous. It's about the economic stimulus bill. If you're going to make that about anybody, it would be Pelosi, which it's not."
Just to let you know, the chimpanzee story and the economic stimulus bill are two mutually exclusive events... Or, put in another way, have nothing to do with each other. So to portray a dead monkey, and talk about the stimulus bill, is to talk about our nations President. To deny that monkeys represent Black people is to deny America's racist past.
This is treacherous, and is a reminder of how far we still have to go as a nation. If I am to follow what is said in the great book, then as I say my prayers for the evening, I will throw in a special one for the cartoonist. I do not know what to say, but I will let it flow before I go to sleep tonight. Obama talked a lot about hope and faith. Basically the two are intertwined. We can not, we must not allow stuff like this to divide us further. If you are angry about this cartoon, you are not alone. I was angry about it, not anymore. Get your anger out, pray about it, if you are into prayer, forgive, if you have the courage to. Forgive them for their ignorance. Forgive them for their lack of judgment. Forgive them because that is what the Lord has taught us.
On another note, Ash Wednesday is one week away, and I am preparing for a Lenten Journey that will really test my faith and rock me to my core! I am talking about taking things to a whole new level in terms of what to give up! And I will be giving up a lot! I have not finalized my list, but it is going to be extreme! I will explain more about it when Ash Wednesday comes!
The link is: http://www.nypost.com/delonas/delonas
The cartoon depicts two cops and a dead monkey, shot by one of the officers. Then, one of the cops says "They'll have to find someone else to write the new stimulus bill."
Lets just pause for a second and use the context clues that you should have learned back in elementary school. We have
#1. An African American (Black) President who pushed for a 'stimulus' bill.
#2. A Dead Monkey after being shot by some cops
#3. Two officers (that look Caucasian): one with a gun in his hand, the other saying "They'll have to find someone else to write the new stimulus bill."
If anyone knows their history, especially about the plight of African Americans, then you should also know of the deep racial hatred that this cartoon represents. To add further insult to injury, this is what the cartoonist said on CNN while I was at the Gym starting my weight training:
"It's absolutely friggin ridiculous. Do you really think I'm saying Obama should be shot? I didn't see that in the cartoon. The chimpanzee was a major story in the Post. Every paper in New York, except The New York Times, covered the chimpanzee story. It's just ridiculous. It's about the economic stimulus bill. If you're going to make that about anybody, it would be Pelosi, which it's not."
Just to let you know, the chimpanzee story and the economic stimulus bill are two mutually exclusive events... Or, put in another way, have nothing to do with each other. So to portray a dead monkey, and talk about the stimulus bill, is to talk about our nations President. To deny that monkeys represent Black people is to deny America's racist past.
This is treacherous, and is a reminder of how far we still have to go as a nation. If I am to follow what is said in the great book, then as I say my prayers for the evening, I will throw in a special one for the cartoonist. I do not know what to say, but I will let it flow before I go to sleep tonight. Obama talked a lot about hope and faith. Basically the two are intertwined. We can not, we must not allow stuff like this to divide us further. If you are angry about this cartoon, you are not alone. I was angry about it, not anymore. Get your anger out, pray about it, if you are into prayer, forgive, if you have the courage to. Forgive them for their ignorance. Forgive them for their lack of judgment. Forgive them because that is what the Lord has taught us.
On another note, Ash Wednesday is one week away, and I am preparing for a Lenten Journey that will really test my faith and rock me to my core! I am talking about taking things to a whole new level in terms of what to give up! And I will be giving up a lot! I have not finalized my list, but it is going to be extreme! I will explain more about it when Ash Wednesday comes!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Southern Inhospitality
Today I went to the credit union at an off site location. I have my reasons, but anyways, once I arrived, and went through the first set of doors (before getting into the lobby), there was an elderly (Black) man on crutches, trying to open the inner door. He seemed like he was having a lot of difficulty. After all, he was barely moving the crutches, let alone himself. On the other side of the door, was a receptionist who was not on the phone, who could have easily went to the door, and opened it for the man, but she did not. There was another man, who had a direct view of the elderly man struggling with the crutches trying to get to the door, and he walked away. All of this I immediately noted before I approached the elderly man and told him to stop:
“Sir, allow me to open the door.” I said.
“Thank you young man,” the elder said in reply.
As I opened the door, the receptionist just sat there, looking at the two of us. As for the other man, he just stood there too, looking away. The elderly man crutched his way through the door, and I was walking alongside him.
“Go ahead of me,” says the elder. So I went.
Now, my transaction took way longer than the elderly man. Anyways, he finished before I did and started crutching his way back to the entrance. The entire time I kept looking back, and when he finally made it to the door, this is what I saw.
I saw this elderly man use the crutch as a lever to push the door open. He would push, and then he would take a couple of steps. He would then push some more, and then take more steps. All of this was in sight of several people (including myself).
There were three people closer to him than I was: the receptionist and another man and a woman, all employees. The receptionist was still at her desk in full sight of the man. She was not on the phone, and not on the computer. The man was handling a part of some money machine that he took apart (the part he had-had all the coins in it), being overlooked by the woman. All three saw this man struggling to open the door. He was a forth of the way through, when I was finished with my transaction. I walked up to him again, and told him to stop so that I can open the door for him.
Please keep in mind that this was in front of three other people who could have done the same thing.
So we (the elderly man and I) go through the first door together. Then I opened the second door for him that takes us to the parking lot.
Me: “Sir, would you like me to walk you to your car and help you with the door?”
Elder: “No, that’s okay.”
Me: “Are you sure? I can help you.”
Elder: “I’m sure. You’ve done way more than most people. God bless you. God bless you young man.”
That stuck with me throughout the day, and even now, as I am writing this.
Is this God working in mysterious ways? Somehow, I was at the right place at the right time. Yesterday, in my entry, I mentioned the fact that I went to the credit union only to be stopped by Presidents Day (yea the union was closed). I was basically doing Homer’s “DOH” for the rest of that day! Why did I need to see what I saw? What was the purpose? Was this a test of my character? I do not know. I feel like people are always testing me on that subject every day! Maybe God wanted me to come to a realization.
But then I remember asking God some time ago what the opposite of Love was, I mean the REAL opposite of Love. I thought it was Hate/Hatred but I was starting to question that. Hate seems too easy an answer. Like, that is the answer I would have said if I was a child. But I am not a child anymore. Now that I am an adult, is Hate STILL the opposite of Love?
So how did this experience provide an insight to that answer? I saw, a man, frail, elderly, on the brink of collapsing trying to open the door. I saw two people at first (and later on three), just look at him. None of them were holding anything important, none of them were busy. They just stood there. They saw him long before I entered the building, and they just ignored him. The did not stop what they were doing (the receptionist was busy doing nothing, the man had the big container of coin money in his hands, on the floor, and the lady was looking over his shoulder, all with their heads in sight of the man), and all three of them saw him struggle on the way out. But at the end, I ended up helping the man out of the credit union, through two doors, and as I looked back when the elderly man got through the second door, the receptionist and I locked eyes.
On this day, I learned that the true opposite of Love… is Indifference.
But this was a lesson I never expected to learn… In the South.
“Sir, allow me to open the door.” I said.
“Thank you young man,” the elder said in reply.
As I opened the door, the receptionist just sat there, looking at the two of us. As for the other man, he just stood there too, looking away. The elderly man crutched his way through the door, and I was walking alongside him.
“Go ahead of me,” says the elder. So I went.
Now, my transaction took way longer than the elderly man. Anyways, he finished before I did and started crutching his way back to the entrance. The entire time I kept looking back, and when he finally made it to the door, this is what I saw.
I saw this elderly man use the crutch as a lever to push the door open. He would push, and then he would take a couple of steps. He would then push some more, and then take more steps. All of this was in sight of several people (including myself).
There were three people closer to him than I was: the receptionist and another man and a woman, all employees. The receptionist was still at her desk in full sight of the man. She was not on the phone, and not on the computer. The man was handling a part of some money machine that he took apart (the part he had-had all the coins in it), being overlooked by the woman. All three saw this man struggling to open the door. He was a forth of the way through, when I was finished with my transaction. I walked up to him again, and told him to stop so that I can open the door for him.
Please keep in mind that this was in front of three other people who could have done the same thing.
So we (the elderly man and I) go through the first door together. Then I opened the second door for him that takes us to the parking lot.
Me: “Sir, would you like me to walk you to your car and help you with the door?”
Elder: “No, that’s okay.”
Me: “Are you sure? I can help you.”
Elder: “I’m sure. You’ve done way more than most people. God bless you. God bless you young man.”
That stuck with me throughout the day, and even now, as I am writing this.
Is this God working in mysterious ways? Somehow, I was at the right place at the right time. Yesterday, in my entry, I mentioned the fact that I went to the credit union only to be stopped by Presidents Day (yea the union was closed). I was basically doing Homer’s “DOH” for the rest of that day! Why did I need to see what I saw? What was the purpose? Was this a test of my character? I do not know. I feel like people are always testing me on that subject every day! Maybe God wanted me to come to a realization.
But then I remember asking God some time ago what the opposite of Love was, I mean the REAL opposite of Love. I thought it was Hate/Hatred but I was starting to question that. Hate seems too easy an answer. Like, that is the answer I would have said if I was a child. But I am not a child anymore. Now that I am an adult, is Hate STILL the opposite of Love?
So how did this experience provide an insight to that answer? I saw, a man, frail, elderly, on the brink of collapsing trying to open the door. I saw two people at first (and later on three), just look at him. None of them were holding anything important, none of them were busy. They just stood there. They saw him long before I entered the building, and they just ignored him. The did not stop what they were doing (the receptionist was busy doing nothing, the man had the big container of coin money in his hands, on the floor, and the lady was looking over his shoulder, all with their heads in sight of the man), and all three of them saw him struggle on the way out. But at the end, I ended up helping the man out of the credit union, through two doors, and as I looked back when the elderly man got through the second door, the receptionist and I locked eyes.
On this day, I learned that the true opposite of Love… is Indifference.
But this was a lesson I never expected to learn… In the South.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Working Day Monday
Today was another long day at work, followed by two tutoring sessions, a prayer group meeting, exercise, and few meals in between. It did not help that I made my day longer by trying to go to the Credit Union... ON PRESIDENTS DAY! This is my way of saying, I left work to run an errand, and the place was CLOSED! I obviously missed that memo! Anyways, MY I have a busy life. I need to slow down, but not slow too much down! Hehe. This is very good and healthy activity. At least I am out of the house most of the day, and only here when I need to shower and sleep! Now if I can somehow make it on 5 hrs of sleep, I will be straight!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Sunday Thoughts: Lord, if you will it!!!
So today's readings in church revolved around the lepers and how they were cast out because they were unclean. Basically they were treated unfairly. There is a story in the old testament as well as one in the new (it is the one where Jesus heals the leper and he tells him NOT to let anyone know he cured him..... like the leper was REALLY going to keep that information secret!)
Have you ever felt like an outcast because of something as trivial as, a strange mark on your body? the color of your skin? your hair (or lack thereof)? What about what you believe? If you believe one thing and you are surrounded by people who believe another, and they make you feel bad for believing what you believe? This happens everywhere!
I remember being told by a professor I once respected that the chance "schools like USC" will accept me into their graduate program are "slim to none" and that the only reason why I would get accepted "anywhere" was because "I was a minority." and even if I do get in, "the chances of me getting out with my masters was nonexistent."
But the leper said to the Lord that "if you wish, you can make me clean." and the Lord did that. Our pastor then went on to challenge us to say to Jesus, "If you will it you can (fill in the blank)." It was interesting because during the grad school application process, I actually did say those words:
"Lord, if you will it, I can graduate from USC with a Masters in Electrical Engineering."
2 Years Later, I got my diploma! I am really learning a lot from my church pastor. He has a very unique way of tying in all the readings, the songs the choir sings, with the message that we need to to carry us through the week.
I also went up to Greensboro to spend a little time with my nephew. He is a rising student at North Carolina A&T State University. I treated him and his girlfriend out to dinner for his birthday and gave him some uncle-nephew advice. I like spending time with my nieces and nephews. I wish I could do it more often. He also asked me about attending church next weekend. How could I say no to that? So it looks like the church community will get to know another member of my family!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
