The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble. Proverbs 4: 18-19

It’s Friday night, just got paid lalala. I can’t remember the rest of the words but I remember hearing that song when I was a little kid, I had no job and I wasn’t going anywhere but I sure could dance in front of the television. I saw something interesting and I just thought I would share it with you. The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day. What happened was I read the second line first, where it spoke about the darkness and a person stumbling but not knowing what made them stumble. It made me think about walking through the house at night and tripping over something, you know when you stump your toe. But I still continue to walk in the darkness because the light hurts my eyes. Even though I know I could slip on something, fall over something, I still walk in the dark because it’s easier to figure my way through the darkness not knowing what is ahead then to turn the light on and for a short second and let the light blind me.

I think life is like that, sometimes we feel better walking in the dark because we are afraid of what the light may expose. Think about it the night represents fun, we all like to have fun and act like we don’t have a care in the world. The night also represents sleep, sleep is so comfortable, and rewarding. In our dreams we can often escape all of life’s troubles, for a few hours a night we are free from our day. Which brings me to the day, the day is where the sun shines, waking you up disrupting your sleep, your comfort. The day is where you work, work, work and work. During the day you can bet that your boss will want something from you, that your friends want something from you, it just seems like you’re doing a lot during the day.

Well Righteousness is hard, it’s work and we can be lazy people. It’s hard to do the right thing sometimes, because most people will do the wrong thing and even when you do right you may be wronged. So what’s the point in that, might as well stay in the dark right. I wish it was that easy, no matter how dark the night is there’s a bright day after that. And during that bright day we have some things to face, like ourselves. Our fears, the triumphs and life we wish to lead. We can’t make our most important decisions in the dark so maybe it’s time we start at least trying to live in the light. Peace and Grace be unto you.

If you are on a road to nowhere, find another road.

It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands. How great are your works, O LORD, how profound your thoughts! The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed. But you, O LORD, are exalted forever. For surely your enemies, O LORD, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered. You have exalted my horn [a] like that of a wild ox; fine oils have been poured upon me. Psalm 92: 1-10

2:20 pm, this has to be a record set for the latest Pardon me. Well if I’m going to check in this late I must have some good news to share with you! You know I always have a story to tell, and the scripture represents how I feel about the Lord. How I have to praise his name because he always blesses ya boy. So this story starts somewhere during the semester, I thought i would be overseas with my homegirl Trudi enjoying Europe but God had other plans and that fell through. So needless to say I was not applying for jobs, more or less just doing my school work (sometimes less than more). But one of my other partners in crime hipped me to this fabulous program that she had attended and she thought that i would love it. It was a program teaching our youth the law and preparing them for a mock trial in front of a real Judge during the summer at St. Johns University.

Now you know Ced loves the kids, and I love anything that will allow me to talk and help teach someone something. So I sent my resume, this was the only resume I sent out this whole semester and I let the company know that I was willing to work for free. I just wanted to be apart of this movement that I saw them mobilizing. Doors were closed in my face because all the positions were filled and they could not even take me on as a volunteer. I emailed the executive director and asked him if i could shadow him, I let the man know that I would be an asset to his organization, ALL OF THIS TO NO AVAIL. Then last week I got a phone call, I thought it was the student loan people so I almost did not pick the phone up.

However, I’m glad I did, it was the same company offering me a phone interview right there on the spot. Before this I just planned to blog all summer, who knows where the wind would blow me but I was just going to fly. Today I had my second interview, where I had to do a practice lesson with adults acting as 8th graders. After the practice lesson and interview was over, the Executive Director stuck around, like he wanted to talk to me. That same home girl who first told me of him had told him of me. She let him know that I was a Christian and that I believed in the word of God. We rapped for maybe another 20 minutes just about the Lord and his Greatness and in the middle of that he said “Well, I can just tell you, you already got the job”.

God is good, and the man let me know God worked in mysterious ways on this one. Someone else had the paid position but something caused them to split ways with the gentleman. He said before they went back to the others they had interviewed he remembered that there was this persistent kid who kept emailing him. That pesky kid was me, and my buddy Maat let him know how we all know that God moves through us so he gave me a chance. So here I am, just thankful and thankful that I could share such a moment with you. Peace and Grace be unto you!

Thank you Lord for your blessings, thank the Almighty for the strength?

Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24: 12-14

I wasn’t quite done with yesterday’s message so I am picking up right where i left off. I sat in the house watching the news yesterday and it was just so depressing. If it wasn’t a fire claiming someone’s life, it was a tornado or earthquake. If someone wasn’t being stabbed to death they were being shot in a drive-by. From riots at high schools between blacks and browns to a 9 year old student threatening someone with a knife. All this death and destruction but I manage and we all manage to go on living our day and are sometimes unfazed by all of this chaos.

Am I growing cold as the bible suggests. Is there so much wickedness in the world that it is hard to see light at the end of the tunnel. I hope not, I hope I can stand tall and remain faithful during these times of chaos and retain the word of God in my heart. I guess it was all written and there’s nothing we can do to stop this turn of events but do our part. Raise our families and continue to spread the word of God. Standing tall with those who we love who may become weak because of these trying times. Right this second even though I can recall the dark and dreadful news that I see everyday there is a strong glimmer of hope. I know that we will be blessed and live righteously because he who stands firm in the Lord’s word will be saved. Peace and Grace be unto you.

Thought breaks the heart.

And I saw something else under the sun: In the place of judgment—wickedness was there, in the place of justice—wickedness was there. I thought in my heart, “God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time for every deed.” Ecclessiastes 3: 16-17

I attempted to start writing the Pardon me this morning at 5am. I was in a daze, and I felt that it was my way of speaking to God and channeling what I was feeling. Well it is now 1pm and I can’t even find that message which may be a good thing. I found this scripture below the scripture I originally intended to use. The last line spoke to me, it spoke of a blind faith to me. A blind faith that God will correct things, that he will make things right despite the negative we see before us. As I prayed for a friend of mine, I prayed with a belief that the Lord would bless this person and that although the path may be dark right now. I knew for certain in my heart that this person would be blessed beyond measure and the dark days would turn to well lit skies.

The bible talks about there being a time for everything. In the place of justice, in the face of doing right we can somehow be wronged. Immediately we will ask why would God allow this wrong but I believe despite the wrongs we call life. When we remain faithful to the Lord, he corrects the wicked and wrong that others try to impart on our lives. No scripture or words of encouragement seem to suffice when a tragedy hits. We all lose the ability to find words to comfort one. But we never lose the ability to support. We never lose the ability to be an ear, a shoulder to cry on, or just a friend when our friends are in need. God will bring judgment to the wicked and he will place justice in our lives as a blessing to us for being his faithful children. Peace and Grace be unto you.

Vengence is mine sayeth the Lord

WHY boastest thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully. Thou lovest evil more than good’ and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. Psalm 52: 1-4

This scripture reminds me of being a little boy and my mother popping me in my mouth for saying something smart; I think I sat on her clothes for work and when she complained I said “I didn’t tell you to put them there”. Such a dumb kid to utter those words out of my mouth, but I am reminded of that story as I read today’s scripture. The first line blatantly mocks the man who boasts and considers himself mighty, or one who feels that they are great beyond measure. The line following pays more attention to the fact that it is God who endures, it is God who is ever present and affords us the happiness in our lives. We should never walk with our heads down, we should be proud without being boastful, confident yet humble. Humility is an attractive characteristic because while we know we are blessed with talent, and an abundance of love, the way we wear it speaks volumes to others who look on and how we exemplify the God within.

But back to a man or a woman’s words, how mere words can cut so deep baffles me. But the scripture tells us that words cut deep; the deceitful tongue causes problems and all type of drama in our lives. So how do we escape it; for starters, watch your own mouth, watch what you say, because you may bring trouble into your own house because of the negative things that you say. Furthermore, when you are confronted by people who use their mouths against you for disdain you must remember what these people are doing. Hating, simply put, a hating tongue is a deceitful tongue. We are too good of a people to be bothered by such nonsense, I fall victim to it, and i tell myself ” I don’t care what anyone says about me”. But when people spread falsehoods that attack your character it can be hard to turn the other cheek. I think today’s word makes it easier to turn the other cheek, to turn your whole body away because its not worth your time. The bible clearly ostracizes these people and their hating ways, so you are in the right and have to act accordingly. Focus on yourself and pushing your goals forward and please do not be concerned with the negativity, because when you entertain the negativity you give it life. Remember that goodness of God is everlasting, so you have some pretty good back up and some great company that you can easily turn the cheek and allow others to wallow in their deceitful pity while you Shine in God’s glory. Peace and grace be unto you!

Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.