God Made Moms To Teach Their Children...Greater Is He That Is In Me
Greater is HE that is in me, than he who lives in the world. The words of this scripture offers food to a any challenged soul. No matter what the task or the temptation that lays before us, we should always remember that we are equipped for victory because of the greatness that resides in us. HE is greater than any obstacle in this world or any stronghold we may battle. Let's spark a fire by teaching our children to start taping into that inner strength by exercising their faith in God. If we truly believed and acted on our belief that greater is He that lives in me, than he who lives in this world, imagine how much better it would be for the generations to come.
Be blessed and encouraged today, it's your choice. ~Delphine
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. (KJV)
Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us. (KJV)
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
The Economy's Effect On Me
For the past four months, I've been parking my car and hopping on a bus to take my 13mile one way trip to work. Riding the bus, takes some planning but I'm loving the extras. Hopping on the bus five days a week has saved me a total of $580 dollars over the past four months. I have saved $120 dollars in gas per month and saved another $25 dollars per month on parking fees. Get this my employer supplies me a monthly bus card so that saves me as well, the monthly bus card is like $42 dollars a month. Thank God my employer is dedicated to the "Going Green Initiative". I'm going green and enjoying the greens. Me not driving as much saves on my car and it's overall maintenance as well, less driving means longer life for my tires, my brakes, my engine, and it saves me on the scheduled oil changes. This small change frees up my time and my money. I can attribute the growth in my reading to the daily bus rides. I read while I'm on the bus. Now since the economy is affecting or will affect all of us, we all need to start making changes some place(s). Another thing I've done is joined three other women in a what we call a "dinner swap". So I'm only cooking a few days a week, to be specific I only cook on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Dinner is delivered to us on the other days.(smile) I have not seen much of a savings in grocery since the price of food is on the rise but I am truly enjoying my free time during the evenings. Ladies, I'm only sharing the benefits of my small life changes to encourage you to make some small changes as well. Small changes that could produce bigger results. The current economy as effected me in a good way and all it took was me trying something different.
Be blessed and encouraged today, it's your choice ~Delphine
Be blessed and encouraged today, it's your choice ~Delphine
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Invisible Mother
I received this from a dear friend and it warranted being shared with you. It's encouragment for all the mothers who may sometimes feel like they are not appreciated. Enjoy!
Invisible Mother......
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.
Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously, not.
No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.
I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated suma cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going; she's going; she is gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England .
Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.
I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.
I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:
'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.
It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life.
It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're going to love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. One day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Great Job, MOM!
Invisible Mother......
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store.
Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'
Obviously, not.
No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.
I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.'
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated suma cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going; she's going; she is gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England .
Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.
I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself.
I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .
I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription:
'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place.
It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.'
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life.
It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on.
The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'you're going to love it there.'
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. One day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Great Job, MOM!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Good Read of the Month
It only seems appropriate to have this book as the selection of the month since we're in the final days of the Presidential Campaign. I read this book a couple years ago at the beckoning of a friend. It turned out to be a pretty good read. At the time I knew nothing about Barack Obama but after reading it I knew at least where he had come from and where he was headed. Like most memoirs, it started out kind of slow but it's a book well worth reading. I purchased a copy for my son Destin but he never gave me any feedback, so I figure he didn't read it or he didn't enjoy it. Which brings me to this, I'm not getting much feedback from you brown moms regarding the books I've suggested we read so if you've read any of the books I've selected and posted. Let's make a date to discuss them over coffee or dinner. I know we all have our busy schedules but I have gone from reading one book a month to about three books a month and you can to. Reading is relaxing and informative no matter what your reading.
Tuesday Tidbit
God Made Moms To Teach Their Children...We Are the Company we Keep
A scripture in 1 Corinthians says, "Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character." What does that mean? I figure it means we are the company we keep - the byproduct of whatever our company is.(smile) If we stay in the company of thieves we will probably become known as a thief. If we hang with liars, we tend to tell lies ourselves. If we keep company with persons who cheat, we are prone to become cheaters as well. Now I am NOT saying that every single person will become the obvious product of their environment/company but it's a good chance they will. Most habits and characteristics in people are usually nurtured. Like the ole saying goes " If you lie down with fleas, please expect to come up with fleas". This goes both ways. If you want to be a winner, stay in the company of winners or those who strive to be winners. Birds of a feather flock together. So let's teach our children, that the company they keep is usually what they will become. Encourage them to seek good company.
Be blessed and encouraged today, it's your choice. ~Delphine
1 Corinthians 15:33 - Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." (KJV)
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (KJV)
A scripture in 1 Corinthians says, "Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character." What does that mean? I figure it means we are the company we keep - the byproduct of whatever our company is.(smile) If we stay in the company of thieves we will probably become known as a thief. If we hang with liars, we tend to tell lies ourselves. If we keep company with persons who cheat, we are prone to become cheaters as well. Now I am NOT saying that every single person will become the obvious product of their environment/company but it's a good chance they will. Most habits and characteristics in people are usually nurtured. Like the ole saying goes " If you lie down with fleas, please expect to come up with fleas". This goes both ways. If you want to be a winner, stay in the company of winners or those who strive to be winners. Birds of a feather flock together. So let's teach our children, that the company they keep is usually what they will become. Encourage them to seek good company.
Be blessed and encouraged today, it's your choice. ~Delphine
1 Corinthians 15:33 - Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." (KJV)
Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (KJV)
Brown Moms Who Bleach Their Brown Kids - Foolishness
Ladies, I came across this video of Tyra's Show on bleaching. The women on the panel, I have no words beyond SELF-DESTRUCTION for them. They don't know their true beauty, they don't know that their black is beautiful. These women/mothers have deeply rooted issues. There is nothing natural or beauty enhancing about what they are doing to their appearance. They are truly in the dark! Nothing compelling came out of their mouths regarding why they choose to bleach themselves or their kids. They are full of foolishness. They are ready to undergo medical procedures to lighten their skin even when their told it could be life threatening. Thank God the procedures are FAKE, well that's what Tyra said. Who knows it may be offered in other countries like Brazil or Asia. One woman said she would forgo paying her monthly bills so she could afford the procedure. What am I missing here? Why not move to Alaska or Russia, were the climate can help in lightening your skin?(lol) It's cheaper. I feel sorry for all the women but I feel much more sorry for the ones with kids. The mindset of these disillusioned people/parents. If this isn't parental abuse or dysfunction - I don't know what is. People embrace the skin you were born in. Love your brownness/blackness. Embrace YOU and not who/what the next man is. Everyone is beautiful in their own way especially brown or black skin people.
As someone of the other persuasion may say "black is black" no matter what shade of black you are.
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