Men Still Like Mystery

Over the weekend, I found myself engaged in conversation's about how young women are dressing with some of my young male relatives. In fact, this conversation has been going on for several months with different parties lending their opinion and insight.

It all started with my observation and comments about Rhianna as she appeared on Rolling Stone magazine with painted-on shorts. While the picture should have served as a shocker it was the actual interview that gave me pause. I called up my friend Didier in Paris who is a starch fan and voiced my concerns. In true male Parisian form he tossed my concerns to the wind and went on to predict what a huge Mega star she’s going to be. Ahhh....men.

My son is always telling me that I’m old school. How people don’t view young women dressing half- naked, swinging off of poles, and now flaunting their S&M tendencies for all the world to see like they use to. Yet, his comments of recent were that Rhianna is doing a lot of “extra with the touching and lyrics.” Then he spoke the magic words, “ Mom they just don’t know.” Well, there you have it.

This is what I know from my old school way of thinking. I remember the thrill of the chase on both sides of the equation. When a beautiful candle lit dinner out for two meant, "let’s get to know each other better.” When a sexy dress was part of the mystery of who was on the inside. When sharing my man with another woman it had better mean his mama.

Since “they don’t know” was the general consensus over the weekend and it appears as though some of us don’t know either here goes. Men still like mystery. Men love the thrill of a chase and to conquer. If it’s an easy catch they usually throw it back in the water. If you will do anything to get a man you will have to do everything and more to keep him. If you give him all of your good stuff including and not limited to tricks on the first night he’s thinking next.

Through the course of time, trial and error and many wise women speaking into my life I offer these words of wisdom. When you know who you are and whose you are then you can wait for the one who can afford you to come through the door. I’m not speaking of money but of being equally yoked, like-minded and to top it off best friends. Always saving a little of yourself for later and next time.

Listen from within- your heart knows the way

I’ve been counting down the days to Pentecost, which represents harvest. It has been an amazing forty-nine days of transition for me. I’ve dropped some physical weight, and a lot of the things I’d allowed to weigh me down. So many times we know in our heart the things we should do but because the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked we do what we should not.

I can’t even begin to describe the creative flow I’ve been in today. I awoke with a deep sense of anticipation and was flooded with gratitude. I don’t’ know about you but I’ve come such a long way in these last six-months and I’m simply grateful for the growth.

Even though I believe everything we need to be successful and walk out our destiny is already within us I get stuck. I get stuck waiting for the benefactor to show up to launch my business to the next level. I get stuck with thinking I have to pay for everything instead of using the incredible favor I have with some of the most gifted people in this world. But today, the heart spoke and I moved.

Today I felt my heart smiling back at me because it feels me moving from the inside out. My movements have been very deliberate as I’ve been doing a brain dump all day and transferring my vision to paper. IF the vision is ever to come to life it has to be written down on paper so when others see it they can help you run with it.

One of my favorite sayings is, “ Life is not measured by the breaths we take but the moments that take your breath away.” This day will mark many pivotal moments when my breath was taken away because I was caught up in destiny. Destiny is beating in tune with my heart-felt passion to change the world.

Having my own Voice

Today one of my team members told me I could not tweet about politics or religion. I totally got what she was saying about being politically correct and I can somewhat agree with her. But, do I really want to be politically correct at the expense of my own voice being heard?

Do I have to be silent at my disappointment that the country seems to be more outraged that someone got voted off of Idol than a potential government shutdown? To be politically correct I have to care that a lot of people love American Idol....actually I have been watching it this season as well. And I have to be concerned that if I say America doesn't care about her poor, people will be offended.

As I looked at the various polls today it was quite clear that most of America is not concerned with the possibility of a shutdown. What I've come to realize is that when it's not lurking at our front door we tend to not care or notice. And those who try to bring awareness to something not effecting my life can become offensive.

I believe being true to yourself is the most important part of being you. I think that having a true authentic voice is a breathe of fresh air. I like that I get it and that I care about those less fortunate than me. Because truth is at any given moment any of us could be one of those people.

Pity may represent little more than the impersonal concern which prompts the mailing of a check, but true sympathy is the personal concern which demands the giving of one's soul. - Martin Luther King Jr.

And idea is just and idea

While I was the publisher of Atlanta Woman magazine we would do events almost every month. Hundreds of women and men would come out to these events as we honored, featured and took on current topics.

My event manager at the time was a fierce young woman name Deanna Lewis. I will never forget one day she walked into my office and said," okay, I need you to close your eyes and visualize how you see your event. I know you know, but its in your head and we can't execute until the vision is on paper." I think about this encounter whenever I find myself stuck and not able to move forward.

As you know, I don't watch much television but this Sunday I found myself watching the OWN network for the first time. I watched the "Behind the Scenes of Oprah's 25th Anniversary" and was astounded by the sheer largeness of it all. But it really was the Master Class featuring Oprah herself that moved me in ways I can't explain. I thought I knew her story but as it turns out I only knew it in parts.

Like most people I look at her and see her as she is right now and what a powerful woman she is in the world. Yet, for the first time I got chance to see what she had to go through to get where she is today. It's a road traveled by so many people out there but most have not been able to push through to make it.

When I heard her say," an idea is just an idea until there is a reaction and then an action", I sat up straight. I thought about all the ideas that have been lurking in my head for years without any reaction. Simply put...when we react to those ideas it pushes us to action. Simply put...what have you been dreaming about for years and still haven't moved on it. When will it be a good time? What can you be doing until the money or investor comes?

What would happen if you actually took those plans you've written down and started to work them? It takes guts to move an idea to action, otherwise its just an idea.

Time to step up my program and be heard.....

How to reconigize when you're the problem

It was not very long ago when if I thought something you would know it. I never minced my words and thought being straight forward and sometimes even blunt was just me telling the truth. I was caught up in my "truth is truth" and not aware of the hurt feelings and often misunderstandings my behavior created along the way.

Lately I've been listening to folks making excuse after excuse over their circumstances and giving God credit for stuff He did not bring to their life. How people rationalize mess ups, failures and the like has become nothing more than not taking responsibility for where they find themselves in this moment.

I was on a call recently and one of the parties was complaining about her manager and her insensitivity to others. She even shared how unqualified her manager was and how she knew more than her. The clincher for me came when she said. "I know God is allowing me to go through this so my manager can see the Christ in me." Wow...really!

It took all I had in me to hold my tongue because setting this lady straight was not my assignment for the day. However, it did cause me to ponder how people of faith look so hard at others' faults then miss their own.

How can a person who had authority over you...the manager, see Christ in you when you are putting her in her place. Out of order! God is a God of order and you have to be submitted (acknowledge, acquiesce) to the head, which is those in authority over you. You must respect the position they are in and submit to leadership as long as you are working in that department or team. If you don't respect those over you I can guarantee you if you're ever promoted you will meet with the same kind of resistance. It's call reaping what you sow.

When I entered into a place of brokenness I was able to see the ugly truth about being straight forward and telling it like it is. I was able to look in the mirror and see me, all of me, good, bad and the ugly. You can look in the mirror everyday and never ever see what is really staring back at you. When you are willing to surrender all of you and make a change in you, only then will you then see the change in others.

Be the change you want to see....

Being Released to Love Again

I so love the movie "Eat, Pray Love" with Julia Roberts and decided to watch it this evening with my daughter. Who by the way had other plans but I was pleasantly happy to be home alone with my movie. When it was over I was left with the same feelings as the first time I watched it. Feelings of how I would love to take a year off and travel to find myself and have it end with finding my soul mate...remember it's based on a true story.

Yet, didn't I proclaim from my own lips that 2010 was the year to fall in love with myself? I do believe the process started the moment I began my 365 day blog. And momentum has elevated as I've joined Weight Watchers because of my "Aha Moment" discovery while watching the Jennifer Hudson family interview. So in essence, I'm finding myself without actually having to travel around the world to do it...even if the adventurous side of me would love to give it a whirl.

As I walked down the hall wrapped up in my comforter ready to get under the covers and fall asleep dreaming about this kind of adventure I was overcome with emotions. The real deeper meaning of what this movie opened up for me was a mighty rush of release from someplace in my core.

Suddenly I was reminded of my son and I talking for hours on end today. I could hear and see the growth of the spoiled out of control young man coming full circle in the man before me. As we talked about world events, family, loves past and present I could see the spark in his eyes as we contemplated the future. This vision overtook me walking down the hall and I knew I could release myself from the bondage of any perceived mistakes I'd made as a mother.

That's what the last year has mostly been about for me and it was not until this very moment that I could put words to it. It's about releasing myself to love again. Mostly to love myself and forgive myself for past failures, hurts, mess-ups and the like.

When we can forgive our own selves we take back the power we've given others waiting for them to release us. When we conquer the beast within holding on to keep us rooted to our past then we free ourselves to love. To love and embrace our gifts, our future, hopes, dreams, and the unending possibilities.

When we release ourselves to love we open up to life and give it permission to pour out on us wonderful and even miraculous Surprise and Delight.

I'm Released to Love...watch out!

God's Word and His Promises are Not Automatic

I was stirred from my sleep around 1:00 am this morning and I knew God was calling for me to get on my post. Yes, I've been called to be a "watchmen" for the Lord and it was time to get up and pray. Being stirred, is a time when He calls us to wake up and spend time in His presence.

As I was preparing to get in position my mind was flooded with thoughts of Thanksgiving. I was suddenly overcome with the remembrance of the fact just four day's ago I could not get on my knees without experiencing excruciating lower back pain. I was reminded that just four day's ago, my right shoulder ached so badly that I was crying myself to sleep at night as I applied heat for comfort. Oh, and did I mention whenever I put on heels of late that my left hip was slipping out of the joint. I was a mess and in a private hell.

During my early morning prayer time four day's ago, I told the Lord I knew I was healed by His stripes, and I knew that I was healed because His anointed had prayed for me and even laid hands on me. I went on to tell Him that I was not sure what I needed to do to bring my healing into manifestation but "I believed" I was healed. I then began to praise and give Him thanksgiving for what He had already done. I believe this was the final act to push back whatever had delayed or hindered my healing.

You see I've come to learn that the promises of God and the word of God are not automatic. Every promise from God is conditional. If you go back to the scriptures you will see that whenever God promises His children something it is by condition. Wow! When this revelation was made known to me it was life changing.

I believe the main reason the church (body of Christ) is not experiencing the miracles, signs and wonders we read about in His word is because we don't believe. We don't understand that it takes a faith that's unwavering and a trust that moves mountains to manifest His promises. By faith Abraham believed!

So, this morning I want to say thank you Father for the healing that has come to my body. A suddenly healing that is so overwhelming that my Chiropractor who is Jewish and has heard me proclaim I was healed can't believe it. So of course, He says, "Your body is designed to heal itself and so it's finally working." Yet, I've been coming to him three times a week since last May and all of a sudden nothing hurts...I give God the glory.

It was not until I totally believed even through the pain that He was a healer. As I began to praise Him through the pain I remember getting up and feeling "no pain." When was the last time you took stock of and gave thanksgiving to God for things He has brought you though and you know you did not do it yourself?

When I look at what I've been taught in the church and did not explore further for "myself, like the Berean's" I'm amazed. Most Christians belief is based on something somebody else told them. We've listened to men tell us what we wanted to hear which did not include the conditions for seeing those things we so desperately wanted or needed come to pass. Really!

The word says," that even the elect if possible could be fooled."- Mark 13:22 So, if you want to really know what you have in the gospel of Jesus Christ then I would suggest you first enter into an intimate relationship with the Father. Which will require you spending time in His presence and pursing Him like you do the things of the world. Then ask Holy Spirit, who by the way is the revealer of all truth to give you revelation as you study His word..which by the way is His brain on paper.

Do you believe you're going to be a successful entrepreneur, the next Oprah or a best selling author? Have you asked or even inquired of the One who rose with ALL power in His hands, what it's going to take for that to happen for you? I'm being taught to take things to the next level and not just for face value. We are such a instant gratification generation that when stuff is not working instantly we give up or just plain quit.

I'd like to suggest that we start pushing and exploring in greater depth how to bring our dreams to life. If what you did last season is not working anymore than think about celebrating what worked and moving on now into the new. I don't want to discount that in your last season something or somebody was good for you. But, if those doors have closed then stop trying to go back through them and look towards the new doors that are swinging back and forth waiting for you to step through.

Here's the Big question. What do I have to do for you to release all that you have promised me and that I'm believing you for? If you promised to part the Red Sea in my life, will I have to put my feet in the water?

Ask, then be patient to wait for an answer..... just know, it will require some kind of action of you!