Burnt toast

When I was a little girl, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then.. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage, and extremely burnt toast in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his toast, smile at my mom, and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that toast and eat every bite! When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the toast. And I'll never forget what he said: 'Baby, I love burnt toast.' Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his toast burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, 'Debbie, your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides-a little burnt toast never hurt anyone!' You know, life is full of imperfect things......and imperfect people. I'm not the best housekeeper or cook. What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is the one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship. And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of GOD. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where burnt toast isn't a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship in fact - as understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!!" "Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket, but into your own." Reply Reply to all Forward

A prayer for our homes

Let us pray.......That God will grant us a happy home.
"My people shall dwell in a peaceful habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places."
Isaiah 32:8
Our God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, I turn to thee like a wanderer in the dark, seeking a way out of the noise and confusion in my life.

For you know, dear Father, how much noise and confusion enters our homes. Yes I realize that many of the words and deeds are not always badly meant, But they do upset our homes so much Father.

So, today, dear Lord, I want to ask Thy blessing on all who dwell under this roof. Help us to bear cheerfully together in any sickness, any sorrow, and any hardship.

Bless those in our home who have jobs and duties to perform, dear Father. And bless any small children within our home and those who may have left it for homes of their own. Yes Father, bless and keep those whom have left our dear homes for places far away.

Thank you, dear Father, that even this little talk with you has brought thy spirit into my heart. I know you will answer my prayer and I thank you-I thank you for such comfort, happiness and peace.

We pray in this holy miricle working name.

AMEN

Powerful but true!

This little girl is supposed to be a fictional character, but the message is still powerful.

Ms. Janitra Patrcik: Dear BET, Why Do You Hate Us?

Dear Debra Lee,

I’m Janita Patrick, a 15-year-old African-American female from Cincinnati. Recently, I watched the 2009 BET Awards and felt the strongest urge to reach out to the program. My family is of the typical middle-class variety; both parents and four brothers. See, I’m a junior in high school (got skipped), so naturally EVERYBODY in my age group watches BET. I’m used to seeing the sagging pants, tattoos, lack of emphasis on reading and respecting women that makes up your videos. People in my class live this out everyday, while teachers tell us that we’re acting just like the people in your shows.

In your shows. That struck me as odd, because I would think that with your show being the primary outlet for black entertainers and musicians, and considering the context of blacks in this country, there’s a social responsibility factor to consider. I would never blame BET alone for the way a great deal of my classmates act and talk and dress. Everybody makes their own choices. However, if anybody is aware the power of television on impressionable minds, it’s the people running the television operations. If you are not aware, then perhaps you shouldn’t be running the operations.

Guess who watches your network the most? Not those who are intelligent enough to discern foolishness from substance, but those who are barely teenagers, impressionable and believing. It’s awfully cruel to plant seeds of ignorance in fertile minds. You know it’s really bad when the co-founder of BET, Sheila Johnson, said that she “really doesn’t watch it” anymore.

I am constantly fighting against the images and messages put forth on your program. What made you think that it’s okay to bring my classmates on stage to dance behind Lil Wayne and Drake to a song talking about boffing “every girl in the world”? Why does reality train wrecks have to thrown in our faces? Are you aware of the achievement gap going in inner-city African-American communities? A report from America’s Promise Alliance, a non-profit group started by Colin Powell, recently stated that 47 percent of high school students in the nation’s top 50 cities don’t graduate. (Fifty-four percent of males of color in Ingham County graduated from high school, compared to 74 percent of white males). This isn’t because of BET per se, but I don’t see any episodes on your show doing anything to counteract this disturbing trend. In fact, your show is a part of this cycle of media depicting us at our worst.

My older brother told me something about profit being the number one goal for every business. I’m not sure I understand what that means, but I do know that your shows have to be entertaining enough to generate viewers, which is how you make your money. But surely our culture is rich enough to entertain without anything extra to “boost” ratings; why the over-the-top foolery? I listen to classmates talk about Baldwin Hills like it’s the Manhattan Project. It doesn’t take much effort to produce a throng of degenerative reality shows, nor does it take much to eliminate socially conscious shows off the air. MTV isn’t much better, but since when does two wrongs ever make a right? It’s one thing for white television shows to depict us in a particular way, but for black television shows to do it is baffling.

Why do you hate us?

All of the values that my parents seek to instill in me and my brothers seems to be contradicted by a more powerful force from the media, and your show is at the forefront. Your network is the only network that features rap videos and shows exclusively to children of my color. I know that you have no control over the music that the artists put out, but you do have influence as to how you air these videos. I’m sure if a stand was taken to use the talent in your organization to actually crank out thought-provoking entertaining shows and videos, then artists will follow suit. Being that they need you as much as you need them.

There was one awkward segment in the BET Awards when Jamie Foxx singled out three black doctors-turned-authors, but the introduction was so powerless that many of the viewers had no idea who they were. Had they been introduced as Sampson Davis, Rameck Hunt and George Jenkins, three brothers who overcame major obstacles to become a success without the use of lyrics that berate women, the sell of substance that destroy communities or through raps about loose gunplay, then maybe my classmates would have come to school talking about more than Beyonce, T-Pain’s BIG ASS CHAIN and Soulja Boy Tell Em’s hopping out the bed.

But they weren’t introduced like that. It seemed like a throwaway obligatory tribute to appease some irritated fans. It missed the mark. Big time. Ask Michelle Obama if she watches BET or encourages Sasha and Malia to do so. Ask President Obama. It’s a reason he is the leader of the free world, and it isn’t because of Buffoonery Exists Today.

You’d be surprised how smart young black children can be with the absence of Blacks Embarrassing Themselves. If your goal is to deter engaged, forward-thinking articulate black minds, then consider your goal fulfilled. It’s hard-pressed to think that your shows are working to promote cultural betterment. However, it’s quite easy to conclude that the destruction of black children through the glorification of immoral behavior and rushed production is by design. Poison is being swallowed by every viewer who adores your network, and the worse thing is, these viewers - my classmates - are not even aware what they’re swallowing.

There is nothing edifying for black women on your show. I don’t judge people who do throng to your programs though; I mean, if a jet crashes in right in front of me, I’ll watch it too. That’s why I don’t flip by your channel…I don’t even want to be sucked in.

I have aspirations of acquiring a law degree and possibly entering the public sphere, so I can counteract conditions in my community perpetuated by the images on your channel. So I should thank you, because in a weird sense, your shoddy programming is the wind behind my back. And it is my hope that I can accomplish my dreams despite BET’s pictorial messages, because Lord knows it won’t be because of them.

Sincerely,

Janita Patrick

Real friends vs Fake friends

Today I would like to talk about friends. How many times have we met someone whom, at the time, seemed like someone we could keep in our lives forever. Only to find out later, that they we snakes. I went to Cleveland, my hometown this weekend to visit a very dear friend of mine, and I asked another friend whom I thought was a good friend to watch my dog for me while I was away. When I got ready to return home which was the following day, I called to let my friend no that I was on my way home and to please have my dog ready for pickup. She said that I couldn't have my dog back! She also said when I got back , she wasn't going to let me in! Well of course, I THOUGHT SHE WAS JUST PLAYING! So I told her that I would be there around 8 pm and that my husband and I were tired and I asked her If she could have his things ready. We got to her house around 8:05 pm and to my surprise, She was not there! Or would not open the door. I happen to know that my dog would never not bark when someone knocks on the door so I concluded that she wasn't there! Can you believe it! I sure didn't. Well a few hours rolled by and still no dog. At about 11:20 pm, This so called friend calls my house and says come and get your f#@$$#@ dog! I was heated....so when I got there, she was running down the hall. I could see her through the glass entrance doors to her building....and no, my dog charlie was not with her! I was even more heated! This girl actually had hidden my dog in someone else's apartment!She must have came out the back door because I ndidn't see her coming towards my truck! all of a sudden I look up and she is standing outside the car yelling and screaming and calling me names and totally intoxicated! Now let me remind you that I said she was a good friend of mine. My husband retrieved our dog and he got back in the truck and we pulled off! Now, in a situation such as this, I felt that because she was intoxicated, I shouldn't add to a no-win situation although I was mad as hell! Now What would you have done? Let's talk about it!