Forgiveness

Forgiveness is giving up the possibility of a better past...

The future is way too exciting.

Yours Truly,

The Thinker

Bloom Where You Are Planted

As human beings we are always trying to find the perfect job, perfect marriage, perfect family, perfect house, etc… but what if God planted you in the situation you are in to mold and shape you more into his image and to infact help another person get closer to Him? This is a great prayer that reminded me that we are not here because of us, we are here because of Him and His needs…

Master Gardener, help me be

Content with where You’ve planted me;

You carefully place each seed you sow,

And choose the soil to make it grow,

A shady nook or sunlit plot,

A wooded glen or garden spot;

And when you send the storm and shower,

You give me strength and inner power;

All things come that You might be

Glorified, my God, in me;

And so I’ll lift my flowers high,

To cheer and bless each passerby;

And may they see within my face

The beauty of Your love and grace;

So help me, Lord, to ever be

Blooming where You planted me.

—Wm. Claire Greiner

Yours Truly,

The Student

Purpose

Purpose is the point where your joy meets the world's needs. If it doesn't make you happy, don't make it a priority.

Yours Truly,
The Thinker

What Do You Have To Offer?

Recently, over dinner, my aunt, uncle, sister and I were having a conversation. We were having a conversation about life... life and relationships. At some point in this conversation, my uncle asked me,

"WHAT DOES HE HAVE TO OFFER YOU?"

and after contemplating this question for what was obviously too long, he hit me with a follow up question,

"WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER?"

After some hesitation on my part, my sister chimed in stating this, that and the other (thanks sis) ...

Anyways, those questions stuck with me, and I'm thinking that they may well be two of the most important questions that you need to ask and be able to answer before you can consider being in a relationship and building a life with someone.

Yours Truly,
The Mirror

Don't Tell God

"Don't tell God about your problems. Instead, tell your problems about God."

Yours Truly,
The Believer

My Favorite Prodigy

She's something like a phenomenon.

At only four years old, it is apparent that this little beauty is something special. What started with sketches and seemingly outlandish explanations of what she was drawing, quickly evolved to this...

photography by N.C.M.S.

A creation formulated while playing in dirt and other random things found outside.

When asked how much her art work would cost, she replied "I don't know." (True artists know that you can't put a price on something like this)

To say that she is gifted is the epitome of an understatement.

She is...beyond exceptional.

Amazing

Yours Truly,

Hot Faucet Water

For some uncertain reason, I'm a bottled water kind of girl. Somewhere along my journey, I was brainwashed into believing that tap water was not clean enough, pure enough nor good enough. I fell into the trap of paying for what mother nature gives us freely.

On the contrary, I am an ice eater, meaning I like to eat ice, most of which is made from tap water. I'm pretty sure it's a genetic condition. Anywho... Today, by mistake, I swallowed a large piece of ice. OUCH! ... And at that point of unthinkable strange feeling in my chest, all I could think about was, HOT FAUCET WATER.


Hot FAUCET Water saved my life.

Thank God for it.

Yours Truly,

Quote of the Week

"I know God doesn't put more on me than I can handle, but sometimes, I wish he
didn't trust me so much!"

Thanks Morris

Yours Truly,
The Student

Where's Daddy?

Today, I had to teach my nephew how to tie a tie...

And for some reason, it's still on my mind.

Yours Truly,
The Substitute

Thunderstorms

When I was a child, living in Detroit, I remember thunderstorms. I remember days of heavy rain, night skies with sudden streaks of day and thunder. I'm talking earth shaking, car alarms blaring, almost jumped out of my skin scared of thunder thunder. I remember standing on the porch, right in the doorway, loving the smell of rain. Running down the street, basketball in her hands, water up to our knees, nothing on our feet, just rain underneath. I kind of miss those days.

Pictorial Proof

Yours Truly,

Granted

The things we take for granted are the things we lose sooner than expected.

Yours Truly,
The Truth

Of The Heart

It is written, that God will give us the desires of our hearts. A truth, that I believe. However, I wonder... Why is it that we believe that God will give us the desires of our heart when we do not give him the desires of His.

Remember what is written just before this promise.
His graces have prerequisites.

Just a Thought

Yours Truly,
The Thinker

God Walks

God walked through my house today. He took all my troubles away. He is on His way to your house next.

Yours truly,
Wishen Euell

The Greatest Love

Yours Truly,
Wishen Euell

The Blanks

We fill in the blanks of what we don't know
with the worst that we can imagine.
Instead of finding out the truth,
we make up what we think happened.
Then, we dwell on those thoughts as though they are facts.

What she didn't tell you,
What he didn't say,
making up an answer, hoping the questions go away.

We fill the blanks of a parent's love with insufficient hugs.
We fill the blanks of personality with artificial coverings.
We fill the blanks of ambition with contentment.
We fill the blanks of success with excuses.
We fill the blanks of love with lust.

never realizing that they are merely figments of our creative imaginations.

Yours Truly,
The Truth

Can Do

That which YOU CAN do, DO.
That which YOU CAN not do, put on your list of things to DO.

Can't is not a definitive word.
It is, however, open to interpretation.

Do what you can, while you can.
Don't miss your Chance.

Yours Truly,
Wishen Euell

Truth

Sometimes we deny it. Sometimes we rely on it. Sometimes we pretend it doesn't exist. Like it or not, it is what it is.

Reality is that which refuses to go away even if you don't believe it.

I encourage you to welcome the truth. Embrace the truth. But brace yourself, it may be more than you bargained for.

With truth comes knowledge. With knowledge comes power. And with power comes freedom... And change.

Loosing an illusion makes you wiser than finding the truth. And once you remove the veil of deceit, your future will thank you.

Yours Truly,
The Truth

If You're Out There

Love this song. Please take heed to the message.



If you're out there, it's time.

Yours Truly,
The Believer

A Part of Life

We are each a branch, a bud, a leaf, a limb, a fruit, a fragment. An important piece of the body that makes up this thing we call life. We all have a part to play, our very own, unique contribution that we are here to make. And no one can do your part but you.


Unfortunately, most of us, are not doing what it is that we are meant to do. We do what we want to do, or more often, what we have to do and totally forget about what we are called to do. Motivated by money, fame, or superficial "success", we get lost in the world, lose sight of our purpose, then wonder why our lives are a mess.

Everyone is not meant to be a rock star, pop star, sports star or movie star. Some of us are meant to be teachers, or preachers, or poets. But instead we sacrifice our own distinctive features trying to fit into a life that's not meant for us, and it doesn't fit, and we know it.

Play your part. If not for you, then do it for me. The puzzle will forever be incomplete without your inimitable piece.

Your life is calling. Answer it!

Yours Truly,
The Mirror

God Fearing?

The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear?

The Lord is my shepherd and I shall not want.

The Lord is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

I've been young and now I'm old, but I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging for bread.

The Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations.

He is my protector and my redeemer.
My shelter and my comforter.
My provider and my friend...

WHY SHOULD I FEAR HIM?

Yours Truly,
The Thinker

IGNORANCE IS NOT AN OPTION

Now I'm not usually one to deal with racial stereotypes and all that jazz about white man, black man, but this was something I found noteworthy and worth sharing. While browsing through blogs I posted on myspace, I came across this post. The fact that the essence of it is still true is truly disappointing. But then again, The Truth Hurts... that is unless you are able and willing to change it.

Please Note: This is a heavy piece and a Caucasian wrote it.

THEY ARE STILL OUR SLAVES We can continue to reap profits from theBlacks without the effort of physical slavery. Look at the current methods of containment that they use on themselves: IGNORANCE, GREED, and SELFISHNESS.

Their IGNORANCE is the primary weapon of containment. A great man once said, "The best way to hide something from Black people is to put it in a book." We now live in the Information Age. They have gained the opportunity to read any book on any subject through the efforts of their fight for freedom, yet they refuse to read. There are numerous books readily available at Borders, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.com, not to mention their own Black Bookstores that provide solid blueprints to reach economic equality (which should have been their fight all along), but few read consistently, if at all.

GREED is another powerful weapon of containment. Blacks, since the abolition of slavery, have had large amounts of money at their disposal. Last year they spent 10 billion dollars during Christmas, out of their 450 billion dollars in total yearly income (2.22%). Any of us can use them as our target market, for any business venture we care to dream up, no matter how outlandish, they will buy into it. Being primarily a consumer people, they function totally by greed. They continually want more, with little thought for saving or investing.They would rather buy some new sneaker than invest in starting a business. Some even neglect their children to have the latest Tommy or FUBU, and they still think
that having a Mercedes, and a big house gives them "Status" or that they have achieved their Dream.They are fools! The vast majority of their people are still in poverty because their greed holds them back from collectively making better communities.

With the help of BET, and the rest of their black media that often broadcasts destructive images into their own homes, we will continue
to see huge profits like those of Tommy and Nike. (Tommy Hilfiger has even jeered them, saying he doesn't want their money, and look at how the fools spend more with him than ever before!). They'll continue to show off to each other while we build solid communities with the profits from our businesses that we market to them.

SELFISHNESS, ingrained in their minds through slavery, is one of the major ways we can continue to contain them. One of their own,
Dubois said that there was an innate division in their culture. A "Talented Tenth" he called it. He was correct in his deduction that there are segments of their culture that has achieved some "form" of success. However, that segment missed the fullness of his work. They didn't read that the "Talented Tenth" was then responsible to aid The Non-Talented Ninety Percent in achieving a better life. Instead, that segment has created another class, a Buppie class that looks down on their people or aids them in a condescending manner.

They will never achieve what we have. Their selfishness does not
allow them to be able to work together on any project or endeavor of substance. When they do get together, their selfishness lets their egos get in the way of their goal. Their so-called help organizations seem to only want to promote their name without making any real change in their community. They are content to sit in conferences and conventions in our hotels, and talk about what they will do, while they award plaques to the best speakers, not to the best doers. Is there no end to their selfishness?

They steadfastly refuse to see that TOGETHER EACH ACHIEVES MORE (TEAM).

They do not understand that they are no better than each other
because of what they own, as a matter of fact, most of those Buppies are but one or two pay checks away from poverty. All of which is under the control of our pens in our offices and our rooms.Yes, we will continue to contain them as long as they refuse to read, continue to buy anything they want, and keep thinking they are "helping" their communities by paying dues to organizations which do little other than hold lavish conventions in our hotels.

By the way, don't worry about any of them reading this letter, remember, THEY DON'T READ!!!!

Wow, I don't have many words to follow that. Just, PROVE THEM WRONG.

Yours Truly,

The Reader

Carpe Diem!

While loitering in G.R. this past summer, looking for a reason to make use of my camera, I came across this.


Scribbled onto a door of an abandoned mystery, somehow it spoke to me.

Yours Truly,
The Photographer

Dead Silence

As our children drown in blood baths of murder,
witnesses keep silent.
Pride is found in not being a snitch
and criminals rely on it.
For every mother left without a son,
for every brother left standing alone,
for every child left without a father,
your voice could be their closure.

Copyright (c) 2008 Ms. A.T.L.S.
...

It disturbs me the way people are murdered everyday and we just accept it as a way of life. Kids killing kids, teenagers killing their friends and more often than not, no one ever pays for the crimes they commit. Another one bites the dust. Another news story, just like the one I saw last week, last night. Is there no remorse? No fear of consequence or retribution?

Where is the hope? Where is the direction and correction? What will you do to make a difference?

Yours Truly,
The Hopeful One

Lost In Time

The clock on the wall strikes twelve
The wrist watch reads one
The phone only rings when extra digits are dialed
Melodic voice tones are entrancing.

Intensified love with no visual association
Separation is the motivation
Fighting hard to hold on
through verbal communication

The sun begins to rise before it completely sets
Divided by different destinations
Scattered in search of success.

The degree of separation between two points;
Distance
In mathematics, the process of discovering
How many times one quantity is contained in another;
Division.

In dreams, thoughts and pictures alike
Memories provoke tomorrow's future
Loneliness is crying a river of tears.

The winds mix in heaven,
the rivers in the ocean
One love on two sides
makes empty of a full notion.

Come home soon.

Copyright (c) 2000 Ms. A.T.L.S.

Yours Truly,
The Writer

Give It a Try

You have a 100% chance of losing if you never play the game.

Yours Truly,
Wishen Euell

I Hope You Dance

I must admit, I have not always been one who enjoys reading a lot. Often I would loose focus and put down a book before I could really get started and blame it on lack of creativity in the writing or something or another. And then I found this book. Being a dancer, I was automatically attracted to the title and being a human I was furthermore attracted to the content.

I Hope You Dance is my all time favorite book. Written by Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers and made popular by Lee Ann Womack, I Hope You Dance is the most uplifting and inspiring book I have read in a long time. A short read, it is sure to become everyone's favorite. Read it now. Read it often. Keep it forever. Then buy another one to give to someone else to read (you wont want to give them yours).

I know you will be inspired.

Yours Truly,
The Reader

Versiz

I am a huge fan of poetry and the spoken word. One of my all time favorite spoken word artist is Jamaal Versiz May. I would go on and on about why I love this man so much, but I figure you should see for yourself. Appreciate the craft.




I knew you would like it.

Yours Truly,
The Student

A Day for Change

Today is the day. Change has come.

Throughout the past year, as a nation we proclaimed "YES WE CAN". Trust and Believe, WE can. But more important than the words CHANGE and CAN is the word WE. This change will only be effective if WE change. Please, do not get caught up in the magnitude of this moment and believe that things change overnight. Today is the day for a national change of power. However, Change will only happen for you if you change. Let this be the reason you do something noteworthy. Do not sit back and wait for change to come. Get up, get out and help change happen.

YES WE CAN!

Yours Truly,
The Hopeful One

Just a Thought

My Internet has been out of order for a minute and I'm not a big fan of doing this on my phone but I know someone has been waiting for more...


Thought for today:

If tomorrow never comes, will you be satisfied with what you have done up to this point?

Think on it, but try not to sleep on it.

Yours Truly,
The Mirror

Give and Take

I give, you take.
I work, I make, I pay.
You take, you take, you take.
I give, you take.
You take advantage, you take your time, you take your responsibilities and make them mine.
I give, you take
Then you think all is forgiven because at church you tithe and pray.
I give, you take.
I give, and seldom do I complain.
You take...
Just like your father.


Tours Truly,
The Giver

Where Do You Wear Your Wealth?

When I realized that some of the wealthiest people I know drive hoopties and dress in slightly tattered clothing, I reconsidered my next shopping binge. There is no use getting all dressed up on the outside if on the inside you are as naked as a newborn. When all the designer labels don't matter anymore, when the only label that makes a difference to you is the one you put on your heart and soul, then you will have acquired great wealth.
In my career as a wardrobe consultant, I would always say, "When people look good, they feel good, and I like to make people feel good." True, in it's purest essence, afterall, I had to make some sense of why I was working in retail instead of the human service field as my degree would recommend. But deep down, I knew that feeling good was more about what's on the inside than what's on the outside. What good is a million dollar wardrobe if you have a two dollar spirit?
True wealth has nothing to do with financial gain, bank accounts nor flashy clothes. True wealth is worn on the inside. It is woven in the fabric of our soul. Are you wealthy because of what you have or because of who you are? Where do you wear your wealth?


Yours Truly,
The Mirror

Any Given Moment

Any moment can be the moment that changes your life forever. At any time, you decide which direction to take. You decide what happens next. If you had the opportunity to change your life, to do whatever it is that you desire, would you? Could you? Any moment can be that moment. Your life is ultimately in your hands. The only thing keeping you from being the best you is you. So what are you going to do about it? Any moment can be the moment that changes your life forever. So make this moment count. Make every moment count. Make a decision today that makes a difference tomorrow.


Yours Truly,
Wishen Euell

The Shadows

I'm a closet poet and I know it
so I sit silently in the shadows of the village,
hoping my face doesn't show it.
So paralyzed with fear
I don't even try to prepare,
Instead, I just sit there, thinking...
I should be up there...
But I just don't know if I'm ready to share.

Maybe I'm stingy in part,
definitely shy at heart
I'm sure I can do it,
I just don't know where to start.

So until I build up my courage...
I'll just keep all I have in storage.

Copyright (c) 2008 Ms. A.T.L.S.


This year, I'm coming out of the shadows. Promise.


Yours Truly,
The Writer

Better In Mind

I am a lover of great quotes, the pearls of wisdom that say so much without saying much at all.
Great for motivating, inspiring, uplifting, educating, etc. I keep them in my mind and my heart always.

Here is my favorite quote this week.

God answers all prayers. Sometimes He says "YES", sometimes He says "NOT YET", and other times, He says, "I HAVE SOMETHING BETTER IN MIND".

This is to you receiving God's "BETTER IN MIND" everyday you live. Trust Him, he knows what He's doing.

Yours Truly,
Wishen Euell

The Gift of Words

As children, we have no idea that the things we like to do, the things that we are good at, are considered talents, or gifts. For me, writing was one of those things.

I'm what most people would consider an introvert. Rarely would I ever verbally express what was going on in my mind. Instead, I would just write, and write, and write. It was like my second language, or maybe my first, who knows... If my hand and pen were my mouth and tongue, then maybe I would have been a lot better at talking to people.

Regardless to how many times I've heard it before in my lifetime, it wasn't until recently that I realized that my creative writing ability may just be a gift from God. But I guess there have always been signs; like when I was in third grade and my music teacher gave me a failing grade on a creative writing assignment, insisting that it was plagiarized. Or the way I always got good grades in English and was always recognized for my writing. Maybe the poetry contests in high school could have been a dead giveaway, or my college professors telling me that my writing was unlike any others' that they have seen in a Composition class.

But I never took it seriously, I just wrote because I liked to write.

In high school, as a writing assignment, I wrote Metamorphosis. Inspired by an Oil Painting called Evocation of Butterflies created by Odilon Redon.

Metamorphosis

I was a caterpillar

Isolated, deserted, and abandoned;

A lonely soul in a world of company.

Deplored, lamented, ugly

I was hidden in the shadows of subjectivity,

A caterpillar, clinging to a chrysalis's world.

I began to be revitalized, transfigured.

I became more because I was tired of being less.

I was altered;

Diversified into a hypnotic rainbow

And carefully placed into the atmosphere.

Now, I am circuitous, amorous, tenacious;

A disembodied soul devoted to nature's devised dream,

A passionate love-colored creature with wings,

Six flanks of fuchsia feelings and

A slender body in which my former identity is lost.

I am a butterfly,

A magician with a mystical heart,

A provocative pleasure-pursuer sent from a witch's mouth.

I create contentment;

I destroy disconsolation.

I am a butterfly,

A spellbinding seductress.

Copyright (c) 1999 Ms. A.T.L.S.

Published in "Igniting the Sky" and displayed in The Detroit Institute of Arts for a short while.

...

Thanks for reading...

Yours Truly,

The Writer