My Sissy is Getting Married

So I fail...kinda epically. I realized that it's been over a month since I've posted but you know what? Life happens sometimes.

I'm sitting in my office, looking at the week ahead of me and can say that my heart is so incredibly full right now. By week's end, one of my best friends in the world is going to get married to a dear, dear man. She is not the first of my friends to get married by any means but somehow this time it feels different. Earlier today I shared this with her and explained that with anyone else I would think "Awww, that's sweet", go about my business and celebrate with them on their special day. With Beks, I've found myself on the verge of tears from my heart abounding with love and happiness for her and her husband to be. I wish I had words enough to fully articulate my emotions but the best way I can put it is like this. There are times in life where God allows us to enter into deep, meaningful relationship with people. You share in the pain, stresses and trials that life has to offer but there are those beautiful times where you experience joy so unfathomable you find yourself busting at the seams with emotion and elation. This is one of those times for me.

Being an only child, I cannot say that I have siblings bore of flesh. However God, in all his infinite grace, has given me sisters bore of His spirit who have added...no, multiplied blessing after blessing in my life. I am so honored and humbled that on Saturday I will have the privilege of standing with my sister Bekuh as she enters into the covenant relationship that is reflective of God's union with his people. On that day (and the days proceeding), I will give thanks to God for bringing her to this new place in her life that is ripe with promise and possibility.

30 Day Challenge: Day 12 (Five Guys Whom You Find Attractive)

Ohhhh this one is gonna be fun : D! There are a lot of guys I think are attractive but here are 5 for the purpose of this posting:

1) David Banner

He's educated, on his grind musically as well and socially and a country boy. Plus I'm a sucker for nice smiles and glasses (both of which are displayed above)

 2) Jeremy Piven

If you know me, you know Jeremy is my original Jew-boo. He is the primary reason I've watched Entourage for so long (the man makes the show).

3) Jay Hernandez

Pre-adolescence and Saturday morning TV (i.e. Hang Time) brought this cutie to my attention in the 90's.

4) Troy Polamalu

I'm not really interested in football and cannot tell you what his position is...I can, however, tell you that Troy is a pretty man with even prettier hair.

5) Paul Rudd

He is the quintessential awkward guy and I think he's absolutely precious.

30 Day Challenge: Day 11 (My Family)

My family is...interesting. I'm an army of one (no siblings) born two people who probably shouldn't have been married, well at least not to each other. So in the typical American fashion, they got divorced. While the related aftermath is probably a cause for therapy at some point, I am grateful that my parent's marriage ended because it was probably the healthiest resolution for all parties involved.

My family is now tri-sided due to the male parental unit's remarriage at the dawn of my teenagedom. I'm fortunate to have been spared the scarring from having the prototypical "evil stepmother". My stepmom, or as we used to say "mom through marriage", is one of the nicest people I know. She's the type to give people whatever she has if they need it.

My extended family is zany and has drama from time to time but whose family doesn't? Even though they drive me nuts at times my family is just that...MINE and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Need for Bipartisan Collaboration

The more I read Kaffir Boy in America, the more I appreciate its perspective. In speaking about the liberal-conservative relationship Mathabane notes

 "It is the interplay of these two forces which brings about needed changes and improvement while preserving past improvements."

No one has a monopoly on progress; both sides of the aisle need to come together for the betterment of the people. I pray that leaders latch onto this notion, lay aside their differences and work towards the initiation of work that will bring about positive change for their constituency.

30 Day Challenge: Day 10 (ITunes Shuffle Challenge)

So according to this challenge I'm to put my ITunes on shuffle and write the first 10 songs to come up. This should be interesting so here goes...


1) I Gotta Go - Trey Songz
2) Cold Rock A Party - MC Lyte
3) Great Exchange - Martha Munizzi
4) Waiting Room - Shane & Shane
5) Maxine - John Legend
6) Represent - Lecrae
7) Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day
8) I Want You To Be My Girl - Frankie Lymon
9) Fiesta - R. Kelly feat. Jadakiss
10) Don't Take Your Love Away - Avant

30 Day Challenge: Day 9 (How Important You Think Education Is)

Knowledge is freedom. It sparks revolutions and is the vehicle for social change. If you educate a people, they are likely to be more inclined to work toward the betterment of themselves and their community. I think we need be cautious about confusing education with schooling as the two are correlated but not necessarily one in the same. Doing life is what is most educational and I feel experiential learning is what frees me to really understand an issue.

Education is what allows people to enter an existence tempered by purpose. When you increase your base of knowledge, your exposure to new things gives you a platform to plan, dream and live in a way you couldn't do before your schema expanded. 

A quotation and a thought

My name twin and I had an exchange this morning that was inspired by this quotation:

When the Holy Ghost was poured out on the day of Pentecost, and those flames came down on every head, it was not a pink flame on the women and a blue flame on the men. The Holy Spirit is no respecter of gender [ ...] We need fierceness released in our women. We need women who are willing to go out there and crush some enemies and throw some millstones. Even if you do not yet know your specific gifts and calling, God still says to "GO" and "use what you have." - J. Lee Grady

 In our speaking about the impartiality of the Holy Spirit, I wrote the following: 

God has called women to do bold, extraordinary things but for fear of not conforming to man's image many have denied walking out into who they are meant to be. Men deal with this too though women are much more confined by the perceived boundaries of femininity.

I wonder how many revolutions have been delayed due to women being bound to conforming to an image of womanhood. Leadership knows no gender so why do we yield our vision and the God given fire impregnated in our spirits to be a picture of something?