Underlying Reason

I don't think things catch me by surprise. I'm just disappointed when people do certain things, because I expect better. I want people to be better. I want people to do better. I asked God a long time ago to help me with this journey because for several seasons I had to walk alone. I experienced loss of relationships.

People I trusted, people I confided in turned their backs on me....because they were supposed to..they served their purpose. They were supposed to leave. They were supposed to hurt me. They were supposed to disappoint me. I would have never grown. I would have never left. I would have never taken the first step. I would have never moved. I would have never started this journey.

We all play our parts. Every good story has a villain. To be honest, I'm sure I have been a villain in someone else's story. I hurt people. I disappointed them. I did not live up to their expectations. Being both a victim and victor gives you divine perspective. You are but a prayer away from being on either side of the spectrum. It's the grace of God that keeps you.

There has been a new trend of telling stories from the villain's perspective. In most of these stories, the villains are humanized. Their actions are justifiable. We are able to empathize with them. So, if by chance you feel attacked or maybe you're the one doing the attacking recognize the motive. Sometimes, we act out of character when our motives shift. Motives are the underlying reason for our behavior...good or bad.

Juneteenth

Growing up in New Orleans, in many ways was like being raised in a time capsule. Field trips to plantations were apart of the Louisiana History curriculum. Reminders of slavery and the antebellum South were ever-present on St.Charles Avenue. Drums rang out from Congo Square on Sundays, and Juneteenth was celebrated right before Essence.

I don't think I truly understood the significance of Juneteenth until I was older because I was taught that the slaves were freed by the Emancipation Proclamation. I later found out that slavery simply got re-branded to sharecropping and indentured servitude. It was re-branded again through Jim Crow and redlining. More recently, it was re-branded through constitutional amendments and capitalism. Larger financial institutions rose up in the place of slavery to create the generational wealth gap. Consumer debt is one of the current faces of slavery's re-brand.

Today, as we celebrate and acknowledge the liberation of the Texas slaves, please understand that we are still struggling to be free. Just like those Texan slaves, we are waiting for news of freedom. Delay is not denial. There's still hope. Happy Juneteenth!

A Mother's Heart

Everyone has a different journey to motherhood. Some become mothers through marriage, like myself. Some become mothers through adoption or surrogacy. Some become mothers through pregnancy. No matter how you found yourself with the title of mother, your children are your heart. Their words can inspire you and cut you. They show you your best and worse version of yourself. They teach you lessons everyday. They make you smile. They make you cry and its all worth it. A mother’s heart is filled with endless love for her children.

A Mother's Psalm

psalm- noun a sacred song or hymn, in particular any of those contained in the biblical Book of Psalms and used in Christian and Jewish worship.

If you've ever read the Book of Psalms, you know that the content ranges from joy to desperation. There are high notes and solemn ones. There are moments of encouragement and moments of despair and hopelessness. Motherhood has moments of pure bliss and confusion. There are days when it all seems like too much. There are days when we we feel like giving up, and there are days when we feel like its all worth it. A mother's psalm isn't always a  top ten hit. Sometimes, its another sad love song. And sometimes, its a reminder that you're every woman. A mother's psalm is whatever song you choose to sing. It's remembering that motherhood is not a singular journey. Its reminding yourself that you were blessed with a divine gift. A mother's psalm is your personal praise.

The Plan

The Plan was always redemption. The Plan was to be born to a virgin. The Plan was to live a blameless life. The Plan was to reconcile man back to God. The Plan was to make disciples to spread the gospel. The Plan was perform miracles so that people would believe. The Plan was to be accused. The Plan was to be condemned. The Plan was to be beaten. The Plan was to be crucified. The Plan was to be resurrected. The Plan was executed thousands of years ago. The Plan was that you would come to know Christ as your Lord and Savior. The Plan was that you would be forgiven. The Plan was for you to believe. You were a part of The Plan all along. Happy Good Friday! What’s your plan?

Be Content

Philippians 4:11-13(NIV) I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Verse 13 is a very popular scripture. It is often one that is recited and committed to memory. However, the verses that preceded it give context. The key to contentment is through God. Only God can give peace in hunger and need. Only God can give peace in plenty. Only God can give contentment. If you find yourself struggling in any of these areas, I challenge you to be content. Just maybe the more you're seeking is going to cost you more than you can afford to pay. More may cost you time, money, and peace. Be content. 

Collective

A collective is a group of entities that share or are motivated by at least one common interest. People with like minds. Ants are a collective that work toward the mutual benefit of each other. There is a lot we can learn from ants; Their sense of teamwork, and their work ethic as well as their ability to plan ahead. Ants prepare for famine. They understand the "we" mentality. We must learn to form collectives with each other. We must find common ground. We must find what benefits our community as a whole. Forming collectives have the ability to help fortify our community both socially and economically.