-Because

Note To Self / TD Jakes -Hearing God

Do not apologize for crying. Without this emotion we are only robots.
-Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat Pray, Love

For Real

BE Basement Elevation...on being extraordinary

We live in a world that lends itself to conformity, but our unique gifts cannot shine if we are busy trying to be like everyone else. 

No one was put on this Earth to be ordinary. Be extraordinary.

- New Erykah Badu

Note to self : The Big Picture

This too is for the best. It’s a line many of us have heard our elders say, and it’s sometimes used as a spiritual slogan. But in truth, it has the potential to be so much more. The true test of certainty is not in the moments when everything is going smoothly, but in the times when it seems like everything around us is falling apart. I say “seems” because it is, in fact, all an illusion. Most of the time when things seem to be falling apart, they are really just coming together, albeit very much in disguise to us. There are so many clear examples of this. A man misses his flight. He’s upset because he has many things to do at his destination and many are depending on him. In the most disturbing scenario, his missed plane crashes. In the best case scenario, he meets someone special he is meant to meet on his next flight. Maybe we will never know why he missed his flight, but there was definitely a reason. We don’t always get to see the bigger picture, but we need to remember there always is one. The spiritual path encourages us to recall that there is a positive aspect to every event, and to trust and appreciate that the universe is always working on our behalf. We can use these moments to grow our certainty in the Creator, who intends only what is best for us, no matter how it may look or feel through the lens of our limited perspective. This is why an old saying like, “This too is for the best,” is so much more than a slogan. When we believe it with all our heart and mind, we activate a spiritual technology that will assist us in experiencing the good in all that happens. Everything is for the best. We don’t have to see it right away. We just have to trust it.

THIS.

To someone in particular

In order for me to be effected by what you do or say, I would first need to care.

Nice try though  :)

BE /Basement Elevation... Falling Down

Falling down is never a problem. The problem is staying down. There are many mantras that can help us through the times we backslide: Get back up on the horse! Pick yourself up, dust yourself off! There are no mistakes if we learn from them! But what about the moments we fall and just plain don’t know how to get up? At some point, this happens to all of us. There are moments we can’t seem to find our way out of the darkness. Everything seems wrong. Nothing we have done seems to be working. Nothing feels right. One of the greatest kabbalists, the Baal Shem Tov taught an incredible secret. If you choose to keep going in times like these, despite your lack of desire or clarity, if you make the choice to forge ahead despite difficult times, eventually you will not only see the reasons why this was a process you had to go through, but you will even see a much greater truth: That you never really fell at all, because it was all part of a much bigger plan. This is an unbelievable gift! There is a big difference between having faith that everything happens for a reason and actually comprehending those reasons for yourself. It’s only giving up that will keep us from reaching that state of clarity. Perseverance is how we see the bigger picture. Never give up. Rest if you must – but do not quit! With perseverance, we will not only have success but also uncover the blessings that lay dormant in our failures.

Can you remember?

I can remember the last time I smiled, but I can not recall the last time I laughed, or the reason.  How about you? What made you laugh?  Can you remember?

Me' Shell NdegeOcello - Soul Searching

Lauryn Hill asked a good question

Tell me who I have to be, to get some reciprocity?

(I ask myself this question every.single.day.of.my. life.) 

BE /Basement Elevation : Change

One of the great paradoxes of life is that change is the only absolute. Change is inevitable. Either we learn enough that we desire a change, or we find ourselves in enough pain that we simply have no choice. Instead of being afraid of change, try embracing it.

Listening to...

T, as in trifling

In our breakroom we have 2 kitchen sinks, and about 4 full bottles of palmolive dishwashing liquid. In the sink there are 3 dirty coffee cups and about 8 dirty utensils and 2 dirty plates. None were mine. I have good home-training. My sister and I washed every dish and swept and mopped the kitchen floor. We kept the kitchen ( and bathroom) spotless and we only had to be told once to do it. It was the same at our grandfather’s place; he did all the cooking, and it was our job to get that kitchen clean after we ate. There’s also a fully functional dishwashing machine that the evening maintenance people turn on every evening. The machine washes the same dishes every night because no one unloads the machine, and those that put their dishes in the sink don’t seem to have the time ( or brain power) necessary to open the dishwasher, to put their clean dishes away, and put their dirty dishes inside. Approximately 100 or more people use this particular breakroom Today, as usual, about 10 am I’ll get my second 32 oz glass of water and make a cup of tea. There were about 7 people in the break room getting coffee, eating something, using, or waiting to use the microwave, and they were complaining about how trifling people are, regarding not washing their dishes. People complain about these trifling people every day I go in the breakroom. They were going on and on about it. So today, while waiting for my tea to brew, I unloaded the dishwasher and put the dirty dishes inside, and I cleaned the kitchen sinks and countertop. Everyone stopped complaining. I’m only going to do that today. I may ask the secretary on our floor to post a sign asking people to stop being so f*****g lazy and trifling and clean up after themselves. There’s no excuse. Which reminds me of a commercial I once saw when I was a kid. It must have been when I was really young because it was in black& white- maybe before there were color tvs. Anyway- there were 4 people looking down at a crumpled piece of paper on the ground. They were complaining about people littering. As they were looking and complaining, a boy walked by. He walked through the group of people, picked up the crumpled paper, put it in the trash bin which was about 6 inches away from them, and he walked away. Then the people stopped complaining. They looked up, and walked away. And so, what is the message I’m trying to convey?

For real, tho

  Someone is praying for the things that a lot of people take for granted.

#foodforthought

The Small Of Her Back .

Question of the day

              Why is it that people use Facebook to insult strangers who don't share their opinions? It's so strange to me.  Someone posted an article about Malcolm Lee not liking Tyler Perry.

               My response was that I cosigned with him, then someone that I don't even know says:


               I will never put down another person of color to come up. It shows weakness. Especially when one is employing so many!

               I didn't respond because I don't use Facebook to argue, especially not with strangers.  I am entitled to my opinion. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but calling them weak for not sharing their opinion is totally unnecessary and it's immature. Am I supposed to like every black person coming up? Am I supposed to like  Herman Cain or Alen Keyes, or Michael Steele, or Allen West, or Clarence Thomas?
              Besides, KFC, McDonalds and WalMart employes alot of black folk, but I wouldn't necessarily be proud of that.

Slow it down

Friday Flashback

Song in my head

A year ago today

It was my 50th birthday, and I was below the Tour Eiffel, taking this picture

-Older

Question of the day

Hazelnut Kahlua Cake with a splash of Tequila
 

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?
-- Satchel Paige

               
                 I wouldn't mind being 35. There's so many things I would have done differently at that age, knowing what I know now. My closest friends today are the same ones that  were friends in my 20s and  early 30s, so the latter 30s through to 50 I would have no regrets having a do-over. Unfortunately, none are local. My best friend lives in Los Angeles, and all the rest live in the Midwest, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, and Sydney Australia. They have all called a few times. Every last one of them, wishing there were here to celebrate with me.

                 This is the eve of my 51st birthday, and between me, you, and God, I am not looking forward to it. Last year, my trip to Paris helped 50 arrive, but 51?  I'm home, having baked my own birthday cake. I already ate three slices. I made my own butter pecan ice cream.  I even posted on facebook a month ago and earlier this week, an update asking people to give me ideas of what to do for my birthday. That was a hint for at least one of the  90 + local fairweather friends to say something like ' hey let's go get some beers, or some lunch, or some dinner'  and only one person  responded and her response was 'not to go to Chuck E Cheese because the food sucked.' As if. So Friday I treated myself to dinner and drinks. Saturday I treated myself to lunch, a movie, dinner and drinks. This morning I went to a Packer bar to see the game, and I treated myself to  lunch, a Netflix movie. I went home and made for myself the type of meal my grandfather would have made for any holiday meal; I fried some cat fish, made some  macaroni & cheese, chittlins, collard greens, and corn bread (I have enough to last an entire week),  and I baked my own cake tonight. And made homemade butter pecan ice cream. And tomorrow, only because Facebook will notify people of my birthday, I will get birthday greetings, and people, especially the locals, will ask me what I did.



                

what do you see?

                                                            It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
                              - Henry David Thoreau

In the past 72 hours

                      

•                        My sister turned 48.
•                        I was reminded of miracles and that most occur at the 11 hour.
•                        I baked and shipped 100 avocado chocolate chip cupcakes to a friend's bakery
•                           in Seattle.
•                        I got paid $2.50 per cupcake.
•                        Someone asked me a question and I told them the truth about themselves and 
•                            they didn't like what they heard. And I have no regrets.
•                        

                      

Listening to:

Brazilian President Wants To Reserve 20 Percent Of Government Jobs For Blacks

BRASILIA, Brazil -- BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil's president says she'll ask congress to pass legislation to reserve 20 percent of the nation's government jobs for blacks.
About half of Brazil's 204 million people are black — more than in any nation except Nigeria.
Blacks face persistent socio-economic inequality in Brazil, and President Dilma Rousseff says her proposal will help reverse that. She says "affirmative action is essential" for creating equal opportunities.
There is no word on when congress might begin debating the proposal.
Rousseff also said Tuesday that by the end of next year, her government will have sent a doctor to each of Brazil's more than 3,500 "quilombos." Those are settlements founded by descendants of Brazil's slaves.
Brazil had more African slaves land on its shores than any other country in the Americas.

Daru Jones featuring Ishe - Come Close

morning prayer

Dear God,

You know that which I fear the most. You know what it is. I pray to You about it at least 10 times a day. In a few days, if it's Your will, I'll be older than I've ever been.  Please give me the desires of my heart, that which others take for granted; that which I would cherish and I would praise Your Holy name for the rest of my life.

Amen.

11 Things I've never said and will never say

1. Kim Kardashian's 'body of work' qualifies her to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2. I see nothing wrong with Kanye West selling confederate T shirts.
3. The Minnesota Vikings had a good chance against The Packers on Sunday. They're competitive this year.
4. I like being the only black person in a social event of hundreds of people, all the time.
5. I'm not a fan of small waists, round asses and full lips
6. One day Kelly Rowland will catch up to Beyonce
7. A lot of singers can sing just fine without autotune
8. "Let's go see a Madea movie!".
9. If you feel that you must twerk, then a flat ass  (miley cyrus)is just as sexy as a round ass.  
10. Wendy Williams' soft feminine features  ( and lack of an adams apple) make her one of the most beautiful women in show business, up there with Halle Berry, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, and Sanaa Lathan.
11. Kerry Washington's Olivia Pope is a great role model for single black women, someone to aspire to.

Taking you higher

 

We are as the flute, and the music in us is from thee;
we are as the mountain and the echo in us is from thee.

We are as pieces of chess engaged in victory and defeat:
our victory and defeat is from thee, O thou whose qualities are comely!

Who are we, O Thou soul of our souls,
that we should remain in being beside thee?

We and our existences are really non-existence;
thou art the absolute Being which manifests the perishable.

We all are lions, but lions on a banner:
because of the wind they are rushing onward from moment to moment.

Their onward rush is visible, and the wind is unseen:
may that which is unseen not fail from us!

Our wind whereby we are moved and our being are of thy gift;
our whole existence is from thy bringing into being.

 - Rumi

I love this passage,
” We all are lions, but lions on a banner:
because of the wind they are rushing onward from moment to moment.
Their onward rush is visible, and the wind is unseen:
may that which is unseen not fail from us!”
The way I view those words is let everyone plan, dream, move around for God is our Captain. Do not lose contact with your soul for the rush will become a stampede and people will get injured. Have the body listen to the Soul.

Everyone, have a nice day.