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Little Soldier…

December 25, 2008

I wrote this two years ago in the old blogging days (I have changed the dates to match up with this year)… one of my better post…

9:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 24, 2008

While waiting at the bus stop, she saw him lying underneath a newspaper on the cold hard pavement. She couldn’t help but stop and stare. He was dressed in green and was covered in dirt.

As she stood looking down at him she thought to herself, “He looks like he needs a good home.”

She leaned over and pulled the newspaper off of him and asked, “Would you like to go home with me?”

He did not respond, but the look in his hard brown eyes told her that he did.

On the bus ride home they didn’t speak a word.  She held on to his soiled hand. The thoughts of her little boy kept running through her head. A tear came to her eye.

The bus stopped in front of a dingy apartment complex on the out skirts of town.

She and he made their way to apartment 3B.

While thumbing her keys around to try to find the right key, she never let go of his hand.

10:30 pm Wednesday, December 24, 2008

She ran water in the rust stained sink.

“I suppose a good scrubbing will get you clean,” she assured him.

She took off his green tattered clothes and laid them on top of the toilet seat and proceeded to scrub him clean, the best she could.

“I am sorry I have no clothes for you to wear. But I know that a soldier is always comfortable in his uniform.” She whispered with a smile.

She placed the tattered green clothes back on him.

6 AM Thursday, December 25, 2008

“Mommy, mommy!” her son yelled while swinging open her bedroom door.

“Look what Santa brought me.”

He held up the tattered green clothed “GI Joe” his mom brought home the night before.

“See, I told you Santa would come this year.” He giggled with excitement.

 …it’s just another ordinary miracle today!

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Do I Respond?

December 14, 2008

As I mentioned in my post Moving at the Speed of Life I wrote in to my local home town paper “To The Editor” because I was disturbed by some letters that were written.

I have had nothing but great response from that letter (which was published the first of October). I had phone calls from people I did not know thanking me for writing it, I had emails and even people stopping me in local stores to tell me thank you for writing it.

Well, I had an Evangalist write in to the paper responding 2 months later regarding my letter. Read her letter below.

Revelation Is Truth

To the Editor:

I’m writing in response to Shayna’s (she used my first and last name) letter that was written several weeks ago titled, “Moving at the Speed of Life — We Are Proud to Collide With Each Other (okay she didn’t even get my title right) — Crash a 2005 Movie.”

I do not live my life based on a movie nor do I base the word of God on a movie. This will be the last time I will respond to any letter. I write to the editor because God does not need me to defend His word but to deliver His word to people who want to be saved and seeking the Lord Jesus their Savior. In Romans 12:2 Jesus said: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Maybe, Shayna, this is what’s wrong with you and that’s why you’re crashing and colliding. Believe me, I’ve been there.

I’m an African-American woman who has been called by God as an evangelist. I do not compromise God’s word for myself, my family, my friends, my associates or my children. God’s word is just what it is — God’s word. And, Shayna, it does cut. For the Bible says: “For the word of God is living and active sharper than any double-edged sword. It penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12.

Every time you go to church and hear the gospel preached, you should come out bleeding (in the spiritual realm) because none of us are perfect, but we should strive every day of our livse to be perfect. Matthew 5:48 says: “Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.”

I’m not bias, prejudice or racist. I try to love everybody, but sometimes people just won’t let you love them.

Shayna, as far as our world becoming filled with hatred, well that’s always been from the beginning of time. Things will even get worse before Jesus returns. II Timothy 3:1 says: “But know this, that in the last days perilous (danger, risk, jeopardy and hazard) times will come.”

II Timothy 3:2-5 says: “For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, naughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.”

And from such people turn away!

Evangelist Tootsie Gilbert

I did reference her letter, never her name, in my letter because I was disturbed by some things she had written. She writes in to the paper quoting the Bible, her beliefs and condeming people almost every week. Her letter that really disturbed me was the letter regarding divorce. Granted, nobody wants to get a divorce. I didn’t. I have been married before. You can read her letter in my previous post. To condemn people because they divorce is being bias and/or prejudice to me. No matter how much you quote the Bible and twist it into your own interpretations.  I thought her letter was dangerous. I couldn’t help but think of a wife or husband that was contemplating divorce from their spouse due to spousal abuse or abuse of a child. If they happen to read her letter, would they second guess leaving their abusive relationship because “God hates divorce”? I know from first hand how hard it was to leavean abusive relatioship. I left my ex three times and went back to him twice. I was concerned about my relationship with God, what He would think of me if I left my ex. I finally realized because of my faith and the relationship that I had with my God that He would forgiveme and that He did not want me to go through the abuse I was going through. I remember how weak I was the two times I went back to my ex. When I finally came to the revelation that my God would forgiveme and how He just wanted me to be safe, happy, strong and didn’t want me to live a miserable life for the rest of my life. Yet, how many women or men are that strong to actually leave an abusive relationship. Anyone discouraging that… is dangerous for the victim of an abusive relationship.

I believe that a lot of people that preach to others about God and the Bible are the ones who are the real sinners. Do as I say not as I do. It’s really hard for me to read in to peoples twisted interpertations of the Bible and what God was meaning in a specific Bible quote. It also bothers me that if one does not believe in what others believe then “They are going to Hell!”

Anyway, I think it is funny what she wrote back to me over 2 months later. I suppose I made her think or she had to look up Bible quotes to try to insult me or put me in my place. A part of me wants to respond and then another part of me says turn the other cheek. Her letter just proves of what I was saying in my letter.

So, what do you think… should I respond or just leave it be!

…it’s just another ordinary miracle today!

P.S. Please excuse the incorrect grammar… it’s late and I know I have made some errors! ;)

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Moving at the Speed of Life

October 29, 2008

For many weeks now I have read several “Letter’s to the Editor” in my home town paper.  I was very irritated by the ignorance and hate I was reading. 

Just a few that really bothered me…

This one is called “Pray for our Country”

The upcoming election is the most critical election in the history of our nation. The very future of our nation’s foundation is at stake. Every person will be affected. If the liberals win, then our foundation will no longer be based on the traditional Judeo-Christian morality. It will gradually, but assuredly, be based on an ever shifting, ever moving foundation. If the liberals win, the damage can’t be stopped with elections two, four or 40 years from now. America will forever be changed. We will keep seeing a gradual and growing hostility toward people of faith, especially Christians. The morals of our nation will continue to decline. Our children and grandchildren will pay the price.

I cannot overstate the damage a liberal victory will do to our country.

Yes, if the liberals win you will lose some of your religious freedoms and free speech rights. Churches and pastors will not be exempt. You will not be allowed to say certain things about particular sins and depravities. Every item of the homosexual agenda will be approved. All laws protecting the unborn will be wiped away.

While our country faces many issues, the issues of foundational morality far exceed any issues of foreign relations, economics, or health care. As a dear friend of mine has always said, “I can have money problems, but I can’t have God problems”.

If Christian voters abandon their Christian foundation and allow a liberal victory, America will certainly have problems far beyond anything we’ve ever seen before. Pray for our country!

This one is called “Revelation is Truth”

My last letter to the editor I talked about marriage and divorce. We, as Christians, cannot see for looking — meaning we’re always looking at the world’s way of doing things. Only a friend will tell you the truth.

Jesus stopped calling his disciples servants and called them friends because a master will let his friends know more of the deep secrets of the kindgom than he will his servants.

Jesus said, “Do not give dogs what is sacred, do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet and then turn and tear you to pieces.” Matt. 7:6.

Teaching should be given in accordance with the spiritual capacity of the learners. Some Christians are not ready to accept God’s words concerning marriage and divorce, and some are just dogs because they have not truly been converted and cleaned by the washing of God’s Word. They are still operating by the world’s system. I know you can count on one hand the times you’ve heard your pastor preach on marriage and divorce or even set aside a time for a deeper teaching and learning course because one sermon will not get to the deep roots of God’s divine establishment for marriage and divorce.

God hates divorce — Luke 16:18.

Jesus said, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who married a divorced woman commits adultery.”

This applies also to the woman as well. I Cor. 7:39: “A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes but he must belong to the Lord.” This also applies to the husband.

II Cor. 6:14: “Do not be yoked (married) together with unbelievers for what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?”

Jesus’ words are true, and we will have to give account for the wrong we’re doing if no change is made before He comes. A lot of us got married for flesh reasons, security reasons, spite reasons and just maybe some for love. But those who are married against God’s commands is catching hell and living a life of sin.

Just read the word and pray to God or ask your pastor. God does open blinded eyes. I Cor. 6:9-10: “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexual offenders, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

This one is called “Election Process Should Be Civil”

There are many different opinions on this year’s presidential election, but one opinion has been accepted by almost everyone: this election has gotten ugly!

You’ve probably seen on television by now a number of citizens who have spoken words of hate, mostly against Barack Obama, but against John McCain, as well. It seems that an evil has risen inside us that gives us the idea that if people don’t agree with us, then they’re wrong and should be stamped out. However, this has not been the case in previous elections, and shouldn’t be in this one, as well.

I volunteer at the Democratic Headquarters on the square. I’m not really an Obama supporter, but I am committed to keeping John McCain out of the White House. That is my right. I do not pressure people with my beliefs, and I expect the same with McCain supporters. This has not been the case.

Recently, a man put up McCain/Palin yard signs in front and around our headquarters, purely out of spite. I immediately put up more Obama signs to defend the headquarters, only for the man to come in an hour later and yell at everyone inside, including two guests and three volunteers. I actually had to threaten him to get him to leave. I thought that would be the end of it, but it wasn’t.

The next morning, the courthouse was covered with McCain/Palin signs, and more were in front of our headquarters, in addition to our signs being taken up and thrown over a fence. After first acting as I had before, I found out that they were there illegally, and took my signs down, in addition to the McCain/Palin signs and returned those to the Watkins’ Pawn Shop, which, for me, is pretty kind. I could have easily thrown them over the fence like they had done to me, and would have.

Just as a disclaimer, Tommy and Dianne Watkins have had nothing to do with this malicious behavior. They are good people and have no connection to the individual other than selling the signs to him. They are not to blame, and I want to emphasize that they have been kind and level-headed in this entire election. A lesson can be learned from them, even if they are Republicans.

I am writing this because I hope that people will learn to control their tempers and impulses, no matter how hard it may be to some. This is not only directed towards McCain supporters, but to Obama supporters, as well. Please keep this election clean. Leave people’s yard signs alone. Do not put signs where you know it will start trouble. Do not hit cars and drive off because they have a bumper sticker for the other candidate. Do not walk into any headquarters and start cussing people out. Promote your candidate in a clean and enjoyable manner, because the way you come off through your words and actions also reflects on your candidate. Why would you vote for someone who’s largest supporter in the area is throwing rocks through windows?

I hope that we as Americans can agree to disagree and be civil in this election. It’s only three more weeks. Save it for the “I-Told-You-Sos.”

So- below was my response.  If you all recall from my other blog I had… I took some my “Moving at the Speed of Life” post and dropped it into my letter.  The paper printed it last week.  To my surprise I have had a lot of calls thanking me for writing the letter.  I have yet to have someone threaten me… LOL!  We will see if anyone responds in the next paper.

Moving at the Speed of Life — We are Bound to Collide With Each Other

To The Editor:

“I will understand you. I will judge you. I will berate you. I will help you. I will need you. I will comfort you. I will abandon you. I will love you. I will kill you.” — “Crash” (2005 Movie)

Racism, bias, prejudice. We are all victims. We are all guilty of it. As a human race, our assumptions often prevent us from seeing the actual person(s) standing before us. We judge one by skin color, gender, sexual preference, occupation, social status, class, beauty, education, religion — and the list goes on.

Do we not all share the same world? Do we not share similar fears and hopes? If you prick yourself will you bleed as if I prick myself and bleed?

Until several hundred years ago, most people everywhere in this world never saw anybody who didn’t look like them. They were not racist, bias and/or prejudice because, as far as they knew, there was only one race — the human race. Most people are genuinely good people, but it’s their behavior and attitude that determines whether or not they are actually good or bad people.

Every day is a new day for each of us to become who we really want to be. To use the excuse of our past experiences, the way we were brought up or anything “outside” to explain our behavior, is bull. The simple truth is each of us have absolute control of ourselves and make every single decision in our life every day we take a breath.

The fact of the matter is racism, bias and prejudice exist! All three are an unquestionable forces within our world, the acceptance is so widespread that it can be discovered within the most broad-minded people and enlightened organizations, subtly taking its toll in spite of the best of intentions.

I am a Caucasian. I am a woman. I am a Methodist. I am a Democrat. I am a wife. I am a mother.  I am a heterosexual. I wear skirts. I dye my hair. I have homosexual friends. I have Caucasian, African American, Japanese, Latino, Christian, Jewish and Buddhist friends. Who I am and associate with, is this a reason to be racist, bias and/or prejudice towards me? If so, you obviously have nothing better to do with your time — shame on you! And shame on me if I lower myself to your level!

I decided to send this letter when I read some of the letters that have been written to the editor such as “Pray for Our Country” and “Revelation Is Truth.” These letters trouble me. I am just expressing a concern and opinion, which we are all entitled to. I think we need to stop and think long and hard. Ask yourself, “Am I racist, bias and/or prejudice?” Listen to your answer. Are you proud of it? My answer is, I have been a victim of all three and have been guilty of all three. I am not proud of it, but I am willing to grow from my experiences and mistakes. If we would all concentrate on our own lives instead of sticking our noses in everyone else’s, this world would be a better place. I am terrified for the future of my children if our world doesn’t open up its eyes very soon. Our world is becoming filled with hatred, and my children are growing up in it. All I can do to make sure my children do not grow up with a racist, bias and/or prejudice heart is raise them to rise above, be better people and hope when they become adults, they choose to continue to rise above.

…it’s just another ordinary miracle today!

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Dreamed A Little Dream

January 8, 2008

Dreamed A Little Dream


I lay here watching you sleep…
Watching your little lips twitch…
I lay here asking how I could be so lucky…
Be so lucky to have you…

“Life is only what you make it”…
This is what my Grandpa said…
I lay here pondering my life…
My life has made it because of you…
If the ‘Promise Land’ calls tomorrow…
Will I be ready to go…
I lay here questioning what good…
What good I have done…

The good I have done in the life…
The life of calling…
Calling of a mother…
A mother to her child…

I lay here wondering what you…
What you will become…
What you will do with Your Mind…
Your Body… Your Soul…

I just hope you become the man…
The man you want to be…
I lay here contemplating have I done…
Have I done all that is right for you…
I never want you to hurt…
Go through the pain I have…
I lay here thinking of my…
Of my little man… my life…

My Life I’ve Dreamed So Many Dreams…
But Never Dreamed a Little Dream Like You…
I lay here…
Asking…
Pondering…
Questioning…
Wondering…
Contemplating…
Thinking…
What did I do…
What did I do to deserve you…

My little dream….

~Shayna~

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Christmas Morning…

December 31, 2007

We awoke at 6 a.m. …

We heard sweet Carter baby talking in his crib. We both went into his room. His little head peeking up from his covers. As soon as he saw us he started smiling.

We could hear Little Willy knocking on his door in hopes that we would open it and set him free from his nightly slumber. We opened his door and there he stood wiping his eyes and yawning. “Santa Claus is here!” he exclaimed as he pushed through his daddy and myself.

Instead of running to the Christmas tree to see what Santa had brought him the night before, Little Willy headed straight for the bathroom.

We placed sweet Carter by the tree and pulled out his presents. He kindly smiled and yanked off a bow. He was so excited about the blue bow.

Little Willy finished up his potty time and came running into the living room with his arms wide open. He made his way over to the presents and hugged each one of them. He started unwrapping them one by one screaming, “A piewit ship! Tank you, Tank you! A shark car! Tank you, Tank you! A tiger car, Tank you, Tank you! A dinosaur book, Tank you, Tank you! Coloring Books! Tank you, Tank you!” He was so excited that he could hardly contain himself.

As I sat curled up next to my husband, watching my children have the time of their lives, I looked into my husband’s beautiful blue eyes and smiled. I whispered, “Thank You… thank you for giving me this wonderful life.” He put both arms around me and replied, “We made this wonderful life.”

I’m one lucky woman. I have a husband that I know will always be here for me and loves me unconditionally, even though I may not be perfect. :) I have 2 beautiful boys that are my world.

I look forward to 2008… I can’t wait to spend this year and years to come watching my our boys grow.

Todd, Will and Carter… I love you more than you will ever know!

..…it’s just another Ordinary miracle today!