Maya Angelou, Oprah Winfrey, Iyanla Vanzant, and most importantly Sweet Jesus (one day). *********************************************************** *********************************************************** Don't worry about tomorrow. JESUS is already there!"MOST people don't let THE WORD OF GOD get in the way of what THEY believe!"We say God loves us the way we are. God wants us to love HIM THE WAY HE IS!"If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and if you don't believe what you don't like in the Gospel, then IT'S NOT THE GOSPEL THAT YOU BELIEVE, BUT YOURSELF!!" St Augustine *********************************************************** *********************************************************** *********************************************************** *********************************************************** 'Never allow someone to be your Priority while allowing yourself to be their Option'***************************************************** ****** *********************************************************** *********************************************************** *********************************************************** F A M I L Y......................I ran into a stranger as he passed by, "Oh excuse me please" was my reply.He said, "Please excuse me too; I wasn't watching for you."We were very polite, this stranger and I. We went on our way and we said goodbye.But at home a different story is told, How we treat our loved ones, young and old.Later that day, cooking the evening meal, My daughter stood beside me very still.When I turned, I nearly knocked her down. "Move out of the way," I said with a frown.She walked away, her little heart broken. I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.While I lay awake in bed, God's small voice came to me and said,"While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use, but the family you love, you seem to abuse.Go and look on the kitchen floor, You'll find some flowers there by the door.Those are the flowers she brought for you. She picked them himself: pink, yellow and blue.She stood very quietly not to spoil the surprise, you never saw the tears that filled her little eyes."By this time, I felt very small, And now my tears began to fall.I quietly went and knelt by her bed; "Wake up, little one, wake up," I said."Are these the flowers you picked for me?" She smiled, "I found 'em, out by the tree.I picked 'em because they're pretty like you. I knew you'd like 'em, especially the blue."I said, "Daughter, I'm very sorry for the way I acted today; I shouldn't have yelled at you that way." She said, "Oh, Mom, that's okay. I love you anyway."I said, "Daughter, I love you too, and I do like the flowers, especially the blue."FAMILY Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than into our own family, an unwise investment indeed, don't you think? So what is behind the story?Do you know what the word FAMILY means? FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU ********************************************************** ********************************************************** ********************************************************** Why Did You Make Me Black Lord ?.……… Lord .... Why did you make me black? Why did you make someone the world would hold back? Black is the color of dirty clothes, of grimy hands and feet... Black is the color of darkness, of tired beaten streets... Why did you give me thick lips, a broad nose and kinky hair? Why did you create someone who receives the hated stare?Black is the color of the bruised eye when someone gets hurt... Black is the color of darkness, black is the color of dirt.Why is my bone structure so thick, my hips and cheeks so high? Why are my eyes brown, and not the color of the sky?Why do people think I'm useless? How come I feel so used? Why do people see my skin and think I should be abused?Lord, I just don't understand... What is it about my skin? Why is it some people want to hate me and not know the person within?Black is what people are "Labeled" when others want to keep them away... Black is the color of shadows cast... Black is the end of the day.Lord you know my own people mistreat me, and you know this just ain't right... They don't like my hair, they don't like my skin, as they say I'm too dark or too light!Lord, don't you think it's time to make a change? Why don't you redo creation and make everyone the same?GOD's Reply: Why did I make you black? Why did I make you black?I made you in the color of coal from which beautiful diamonds are formed... I made you in the color of oil, the black gold which keeps people warm.Your color is the same as the rich dark soil that grows the food you need... Your color is the same as the black stallion and panther, Oh what majestic creatures indeed!All colors of the heavenly rainbow can be found throughout every nation... When all these colors are blended, you become my greatest creation!Your hair is the texture of lamb's wool, such a beautiful creature is he... I am the shepherd who watches them, I will ALWAYS watch over thee!You are the color of the midnight sky, I put star glitter in your eyes... There's a beautiful smile hidden behind your pain... That's why your cheeks are so high!You are the color of dark clouds from the hurricanes I create in September... I made your lips so full and thick, so when you kiss...they will remember!Your stature is strong, your bone structure thick to withstand the burden of time... The reflection you see in the mirror, that image that looks back,..that is MINE!So get off your knees, look in the mirror and tell me what you see? I didn't make you in the image of darkness... I made you in the image of ME!