NEWS FLASH!!!!

IN THE WORDS OF RODNEY KING..."CAN WE ALL JUST GET ALONG?"

A SIMPLE PRAYER

DEAR GOD,

I NEED HELP!!!
THIS WORLD IS A DANGEROUS PLACE
FOR AN EARTHEN VESSEL
SO MANY TIMES I HAVE COME CLOSE TO
BEING SHATTERED
CRUSHED OR
THROWN AWAY AND RIGHT NOW I AM
ASKING FOR YOU TO REFILL ME
AS YOU HAVE SO MANY TIMES BEFORE
I ASK THAT YOU APPLY A NEW COAT OF
SEALANT ON MY DELICATE SURFACE
TO PROTECT ME FROM
THE STORMS
PUT ME IN A WELL LIT AREA TO DETER
THE ONES WHO WANT TO STEEL MY
JOY
RESTORATION IS MUCH NEEDED
I KNOW THAT I CAN ONLY SEEK YOU
IN ORDER TO FULLY RECOVER
SO I THANK YOU IN ADVANCE AND ASK THAT
YOU SHOWER DOWN YOUR ESSENCE AND YOUR
SPIRIT ON ME AS WELL AS OTHERS
IN FULL FAITH
SO BE IT

RANDOM THOUGHT

ALLOW ME TO BE YOUR BUFFER/ LET ME BE THE ONE YOU LEAN ON/ KNOW THAT GOD HAS PUT ME HERE JUST FOR THAT PURPOSE/AN EMPTY VESSEL THAT HE USES TO TOUCH YOUR LIFE/U DON'T HAVE TO BE STRONG BECAUSE GOD HAS YOUR BACK/HE SENT ME AS HIS REPRESENTATIVE/I AM LIKE A LIVING MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE/ AND THE MESSAGE READS: YOU ARE NOT ALONE/YOU ARE HEALED/ YOU ARE WHOLE

In Their Shoes

HE STOOD THERE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD
HOLDING A SIGN THAT READ:

HOMELESS....WILL WORK FOR FOOD

NOW SKEPTICISM KICKED IN AND
IN MY MIND, FOR JUST A MOMENT,
I THOUGHT......

IF HE IS HOMELESS, WITH NO FOOD OR SHELTER,
WHERE DID HE GET A MARKER TO MAKE A SIGN?

THIS THOUGHT PROCESS QUICKLY DISAPPEARED
AS I THOUGHT TO MYSELF
I COULD BE STANDING THERE....
IN HIS SHOES

I WATCHED HIM AS HE STOOD IN POSITION
LOOKING AT ME WITH HIS TIRED EYES
REALIZING THAT THIS SYSTEM HAS...

MANGLED HIS MANHOOD
LEFT HIM FOR DEAD
STRIPPED HIM OF HIS DIGNITY

AND HE STILL HAD ENOUGH GUTS TO ASK ME...
SISTAH, CAN YOU SPARE A DOLLAR?

AS I STAND HERE REACHING AND DIGGING
TO THE DEPTHS OF MY BAG....

GIVE AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO YOU
IS WHAT I REHEARSED

PAY IT FORWARD
LOVE FIRST
I AM MY BROTHERS KEEPER
WHAT YOU SOW YOU SHALL REAP
SO I DECIDED THAT I WANTED TO BE
THE REAPER OF A GOOD HARVEST
I WILL PLANT GOOD SEEDS

HE THANKED ME KINDLY
AFTER I PUT 4 QUARTERS AND SOME LOOSE CHANGE
IN HIS HAND
I SAID, "YOU ARE WELCOME MY BROTHA BECAUSE
I TRULY UNDERSTAND".
AND THE REALITY IS....SOME DAYS I AM
4 QUARTERS AND SOME LOOSE CHANGE FROM
STANDING WHERE HE IS

WE CALLED HER MS. SASSI
WHEN SHE WAS 18 YEARS OLD
SHE HAD SO MUCH PROMISE
"I AM GOING TO BE AN ACCOUNTANT SOME DAY".
IS WHAT SHE USED TO SAY
UNTIL...LIFE HAPPENED

SHE STARTED MOVING TOO FAST
AND GOT WITH THE WRONG CROWD
AND YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING IN
HER LIFE NOW
SHE IS 35 YEARS OLD
AND THE ONLY THING SHE IS COUNTING
IS THE NUMBER OF BABIES SHE IS PRODUCING
SHE HAS FIVE.....SO FAR
AND SHE MARRIED A MAN WHO PIMPS
HER OUT TO PAY THE BILLS

I WATCH HER AS SHE BEATS THE PAVEMENT
LIKE A DOOR TO DOOR SALESMAN
TRYING TO FIND A WAY FOR HER
CHILDREN TO EAT
SEARCHING FOR THE FORK IN THE ROAD
WHERE THE ENDS MEET
PUTTING ON HER UNIFORM
DESIGNED BY HOOCHIE MAMA INC.
BECAUSE TONIGHT SHE HAS GOT TO HIT THE STREETS
AND SHE HAS GOT TO HIT THEM HARD
JUST SO........
THE $2 PIMP THAT SHE CALLS HER HUSBAND
AND HER CHILDREN CAN HAVE FOOD, A ROOF, AND A CAR

AS I WATCH HER SILHOUETTE VANISH
OF INTO THE NIGHT
A TEAR ROLLS DOWN MY CHEEK
I REALIZE THAT AS SHE GETS FARTHER AWAY
SHE IS SELLING HER SOUL TO THE MEAN STREETS
AND UNFORTUNATELY ON MY BEST DAYS
I AM 1 SOUL SELL FROM WHERE SHE IS

THESE GHETTO TALES KEEP ME GROUNDED
REMINDING ME THAT I DON'T HAVE TO BE
A PRODUCT OF MY SURROUNDINGS
AND JUST SO YOU KNOW
I'M NOT JUDGING
BUT I HAVE GOT TO BE THE CHANGE
I WANT TO SEE
AND MAYBE...IF I CAN KEEP MY LIGHT SHINING
I CAN HELP OTHERS TO SEE
ENCOURAGING THEM TO BE DREAMERS,
VISIONARIES, ENTREPRENEURS, AND BELIEVERS
HELPING TO CANCEL OUT THE DECEIVER
MAKING THE DETERMINATION THAT.....

WE WIN!!!

SO I HAVE GOT TO STAY TUNED IN
BECAUSE IN REALITY WITHOUT GOD
I AM 4 QUARTERS, SOME LOOSE CHANGE, AND
1 SOUL SELL AWAY FROM WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN

Dream Again

DREAM AGAIN
VISUALIZE YOUR JOURNEY
AND SHOUT....YES I CAN!
I CAN STAND
ON MY OWN TWO FEET
I HAVE MY OWN MIND
JAH-HOVAH
GAVE ME MY OWN PURPOSE
TO BE REVEALED AND EXECUTED
IN ITS' OWN APPOINTED TIME
SHINE YOUR
EVER LOVING
EVERLASTING
EVER FAITHFUL
EVER UNDERSTANDING
LOVE AND LIGHT
ON ME
SO THAT I CAN BE EVERYTHING
THAT YOU NEED ME TO BE
SO THAT I CAN SEE
EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED ME TO SEE
BECAUSE SEE
THE VISIONS IN MY THIRD EYE
LET ME SEE THE END
GIVES ME THE CONFIDENCE
TO INCREASE MY FAITH
SO I CAN DREAM AGAIN
SO WHEN YOU HEAR ME EXERCISING MY FAITH
I'M NOT LYING
I'M SIMPLY PROCLAIMING
MY DESTINY
WITH HASTE
SPEAKING THOSE THINGS THAT ARE NOT AS THOUGH THEY BE
IS ALLOWING ME TO...DREAM AGAIN

Be-Attitudes

BE COURAGEOUS...NOT FEARFUL
BE HONEST
WHEN YOU ARE GIVING...BE CHEERFUL
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS...JUST BE

BE THE LENDER....NOT THE BORROWER
BE THE SOLUTION....NOT THE SUFFERER
BE THE COMPLETION....NOT THE DISCONNECTION
JUST BE

BE JOYOUS...BE GREAT....JUST BE
BE FULL OF PATIENCE AND KINDNESS...NOT HATE
JUST BE

BE READY
BE WILLING
BE ABLE
BE STRONG
BE BRAVE
BE CONFIDENT
BE SURE
BE ALIVE

ABLE TO STRIVE AND THRIVE...JUST BE
BE GRATEFUL...BE THANKFUL
BE HUMBLE...BE MEEK
BE THE LIGHT AND THE SALT...JUST BE
BE TOO BLESSED AND HIGHLY FAVORED
TO BE TOO STRESSED AND HEAVY LADEN
AND WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED BEING
SAY YES LORD...I AM