Making It Plain

  ...but everybody doesn't like to clean a house or keep a house clean. Do you know anyone like that? Is it you? There are varying depths of this topic and it's not like we haven't been here before. If you need to refresh your memory, please check out these entries here , here , and here . As a Qualified Mental Health Professional, I have seen all sorts of people trying to convince the staff of what they are trying to do and failing miserably, yet they keep trying (some of them) until they get what they want. In this profession, it used to be when a patient has reached his/her bottom, they are ready for treatment in order to resume a life of being a sober yet viable portion to society. These days, one can apply for government assistance, be granted the benefits, and therefore never getting to the "bottom" which is necessary for many of those who are dependent on their drug or substance of choice. I have seen men who did not put forth nearly the effort for a job i...

The years continue to press on after a divorce. Bills still have to be paid and children have to be fed ( 1Timothy 5:8 AMP ). Time can be your friend or foe. Your priorities change from keeping yourself "tight" to making sure the lights will be on another month along with running water. I recall looking at my broken nails after washing the dishes and contemplating if I could go another week without cleaning the refrigerator. I knew at one point in my life not having a manicure every 3 weeks was unheard of yet there I was with my hair pulled back in a pony tail, wearing an over sized sweatshirt, with jenky nails. Two other things I promised myself I wouldn't do. What has happened? It's a question that is unnecessary to ask as maturity finds there are much more important things to do. Disregarding the condition of my manicure I delved head first into a career. It was as if all of the work, schooling, and sacrifice I did were for nothing. Why hadn't things happened...

 Warning: The reference to the movie, Indecent Exposure was first released in 1981. The rating now is NC-17. The rating then was PG with much of its content different than it is now. I recently tried to watch the movie again. I could not. I have an excellent memory. What I saw in the first 5 minutes, was not on the big screen back in the day. I apologize. If you choose to watch, it is at your own risk. Let's paint a picture with you in it. The person of your dreams and you are married. It is everything you thought it could be and so much more. You laugh to yourself remembering how afraid you were to take that life altering leap down the aisle. But now you have matured and know better ...only there is one little snafu that you didn't think was going to be an issue. The finances. What is happening? You were fine with your budget being single. The person you married was doing well too as a single individual. Together, it should be better, right? Instead of worrying, you know to pr...

I believe the Lord had me write this blog in 2008 because it was going to take more research to finish the book I completed some years ago. The necessity of the blog started when I was at the library designing the cover because at the time I didn't own a computer, and a woman saw the title and asked if I was going to write a chapter on co-habitating. How many times have I used the word, gob-smacked? Clearly, along with the title of it being for singles, there was the word, Christian. Did I miss something? I paused before answering her with a resounding, of course. Then into prayer I went because how does one write about something that is clearly oppositional to what we know? So there I was staring at the title and having no clue what to write in that regard. Then I remembered the 23rd Psalms where the Lord prepared a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Aside from the questions I had asked previously (Why? Why God, why?), I needed to know where did these enemies come ...

When studying the Word of God, we initially tend to gloss over matters we don't like to contend with and glean the "name it and claim it" stuff. God wishes above all things that we be in health and prosper even as our soul prospers is one of those claim it, run around the church, and know God loves me too kind of verses. We walk out of one of those sermons stating, "ooh, he sure did preach this morning!"  Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, we don't hear too often in the Sunday sermons ( Ephesians 6:4 AMP ). Husbands love your own wife, isn't one that gets too many jump for joy portions of the service ( Ephesians 5:28-33 AMP ). Yet there they are for the believer to know there is a guide to life teaching us how to behave and live appropriately. The thing is, it doesn't make the flesh feel too good. It doesn't leave room for error ( Matthew 24:4 AMP ). It does give direction for the believer to be strong and continue to be blessed. Bu...

The reality of what the church is as opposed to what it has become, has been disappointing. Watching the wrong things is the cause of trying to find other ways to keep abreast of God's Word; but then, as we all do, the recollection of the scriptures force some changes to be made as we continue walking out this journey the best way we know how. How many times have we spoke the wrong things not realizing it is opposing the Word of God? But because it is the trend and most people say it, there can't be anything wrong with that? Right? This has been written in this blog before for us all to watch the words we speak because its like seed sown into ground about to reap a harvest that you can rejoice over or grieve about it later. For instance, if you'd like friends, to count yourself as being friendly ( Proverbs 18:24 KJV ). This is simple to incorporate in your everyday lives. Yet it would seem there are those that believe without effort, things should just happen. Life should b...

In my first year of college, I was employed by a small company who was hiring the local residents. My sister and I were hired. During the introduction to the process, the employer tried to be more engaging telling us about himself and his family. He had a picture of his first born toddler son on his desk. He turned the picture around for my sister and I to see it better. If there was ever a bigger reason to practice the masked face when horrified, that was the time. Never would I ever call a baby ugly mostly because I had never seen one before and the next reason is that babies are innocent and fully dependent on the adults caring for him/her. However, that particular day, my sister and I reacted solely from immaturity. No sounds of horror just the reflex of the jump /draw back spoke volumes. That was years ago and we believed he grew up to be a handsome young man or one who drew on all of his other attributes. Those other attributes are what this entry is about. By now, if you have re...