Joy!

That preacher was good!  What was the sermon about?  I don’t know but it was good!  Have you ever heard that or had that conversation with someone?  Well that was absolutely NOT the case on this past Sunday at Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, Cleveland, Ohio.  The preacher PREACHED!  Thank you Rev. Chaney for letting the Lord use you to minister to us!

Just a few thoughts I want to share with you from her sermon as well as adding my own reflections.

Our communities have been plagued with so much chaos, death and destruction and we wonder why when we have just started getting over one situation, something else happens.  The preacher started her sermon with this scripture, to provide an answer to the question of why. Psalm 10 verses 1-4 of the NKJV:

1 Why do You stand afar off, O Lord?
Why do You hide in times of trouble?
2 The wicked in his pride persecutes the poor;
Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire;
He blesses the greedy and renounces the Lord.
4 The wicked in his proud countenance does not seek God;
God is in none of his thoughts.

• This week of celebration may be shadowed in many tragic events; however we are entitled to our joy.
• Don’t let anyone or anything steal your joy.
• Watch out for the joy takers…(do a self check and make sure it’s not you)!
• Be a joy maker.
• Help others to live.
• Avoid negativity.  Don’t let anyone or anything steal your joy.
• Stuff does happen, but trust the Lord and joy will come.
• Don’t let anyone or anything steal your joy.

Take a moment to reflect on the reason for the celebration this week, the birth of Jesus Christ.  In spite of what you see in the world, do not let your faith waver, hold fast to the profession of your faith.  I encourage you to allow the joy of the Lord to surround you.  I encourage you to reflect on the blessings you have received and be thankful.  Then I encourage you to step out and help someone else to live, help someone else regain their joy.

I wish you a joyous, peaceful, and Merry Christmas!

SharB~TTSD
#TakeTheScaffoldingDown

Thoughts on Recent Events...

The title of my blog is Take the Scaffolding Down and as a reminder, I use scaffolding metaphorically to represent something, someone, or a situation that needs to come down or be removed in your life. Expanding upon that, I say to you,

Take the scaffolding down of hatred.

Take the scaffolding of violence.

Take the scaffolding down of domestic violence.

Take the scaffolding down of injustice.

Take the scaffolding down of poverty.

Take the scaffolding down of homelessness.

Take the scaffolding down of hunger.

And the list continues of the social issues facing us.  These and other social issues that pervade our society affect every community.  How we respond is what makes the difference.  The demonstrations across the country have heightened the awareness of and raised many questions as to the policies and procedures of law enforcement and the judicial system.

The ideal situation is that everyone will always behave in a rational and law-abiding manner, and then we would not even need police officers.  The reality is that everyone does not always behave in rational, law abiding ways; however officers have to find ways to deal with unruly people without using deadly force.  This needs to be implemented into police officer training.

There has been concern regarding the mantra, “Black Lives Matter.”  The concern being that ALL lives matter, and indeed they do; however statistics show that black lives have consistently been targeted in disproportionate numbers and the tragic events over the last several months has brought that fact to the forefront.  Media coverage is never fair and balanced, therefore it becomes incumbent upon us to shed light and bring awareness within our communities.

As parents, teachers, and community leaders, now is the time to educate and reeducate our children, especially our young black men.  Now is the time to stand with families who have suffered these unbearable losses.  Now is the time to stand for what is right. 

Many of the social issues I listed above have legislative action tied to them regarding the solution and management of these issues.  Do you disagree with the decisions of lawmakers?  Did you vote to make a change?  When the system that is in place does not work, it is time to revise it.  It is through our unity and solidarity that change is made.

Change through unity and solidarity, change through your voice, change through your actions can be realized, but we still have a long way to go and great deal of work to do.  Help the healing through support, listening and positive progressive action.

If you want to see change, you must be the change you want to be.  I encourage you to let your life be the light of hope God intended you to be.

Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are. **Benjamin Franklin

SharB~TTSD
#TakeTheScaffoldingDown

Honoring All Who Served

Veterans Day defined…it is an official United States holiday designated on November 11^th to honor all the men and women who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

How do we best honor veterans? By assisting in meeting their basic living needs. Countless veterans now lead productive, successful, healthy lives yet there are several issues facing our veterans that remain at the forefront requiring ongoing urgent attention.  Those issues include housing, job placement, timely healthcare, and mental health care.  The results of war have ravaged the minds and bodies of many service members, making the need for health care of utmost importance.  

The increased critical need for mental health care and the shortage of mental health providers is a great concern.  However, there are many resources available through the VA and through outside sources.  A few of those resources include:

• NAMI: Veterans & Military Resource Center http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=Veterans_Resources&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=53242&lstid=877
• SAMSHA: Veterans and Military Families  http://www.samhsa.gov/veterans-military-families
• Benefits.gov Mental Health Services  http://www.benefits.gov/benefits/benefit-details/4747

These and other resources are available and necessary because statistics show that the suicide rate among veterans has seen a major increase.  The unemployment rate among veterans is higher than that of civilians.  Many service members returning from war suffer from traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder as well as depression.  The key to honoring and helping our veterans is giving them the opportunity for early and proper diagnosis and then providing the needed service to the veterans and their families.  To accomplish this there is also a need for more trained mental health professionals.

A step towards successful diagnosis and treatment is reducing and eliminating the stigma associated with receiving mental health services.  This stigma of embarrassment, of fear, and of disappointing family, friends, and comrades is a major barrier for veterans in need of mental health care.

If you can offer a helping hand, please do.  There is hope.

You are encouraged to pause and reflect on the thousands of service men and women who have served and sacrificed on behalf of America.  Each service member deserves our gratitude and recognition for service.

To my family members that served, my father, my sister, my brother, my husband…thank you for your service.  I too am proud to have served.

Thank you to every Veteran.  God bless and keep you. 

SharB~TTSD
#TakeTheScaffoldingDown

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

                                                                                                    

Part 2 of ….Purpose Beyond the Walls

Similar to the metamorphosis that results in a beautiful butterfly, we must go through a metamorphosis or transformation as we step beyond the walls of the scaffolding and soar to the next level.  Consider the stages of metamorphosis:  the egg, the larva, the pupa, and finally the butterfly.   I use these stages to illustrate going beyond the walls of the scaffolding and stepping out to becoming what you are purposed to be.

The female monarch butterfly lays her eggs on milkweed plants to ensure nourishment and a successful transition to the next stage.  The larva stage yields the caterpillar, which throughout this stage endures many changes.  The pupa stage yields a hard chrysalis, a protective shell, where the final development takes place and finally the chrysalis cracks bringing forth a butterfly.  Had the caterpillar decided that going through the pupa stage and cracking through the chrysalis was too hard, the beauty of the butterfly would never have been revealed.  Likewise, as we go through our transformative process, it is sometimes necessary to venture out of the protective casing of the familiar and stretch beyond our self-imposed limits.  The limits we place on ourselves hinder us from achieving our God-given purpose. 

Going beyond what seems to be the protective walls of the scaffolding, taking the limits off and stepping out on faith opens us to opportunities within our multidimensional environment leading to accomplishments that previously felt unreachable. 

Jesus went off the course planned for him when he met the woman at the well.  Jesus gravitated to something he had to do, something he was good at doing, and something that would have a direct impact on him and the woman at the well.  John 4:4 says that Jesus needed to go through Samaria.  The well was in Samaria, which was located between Judea and Galilee; therefore the logical route for those traveling from Judea to Galilee would be to take the most direct route, right through Samaria.  History tells us that Jews and Samaritans were bitter enemies so travelers actually went all the way around avoiding passing through Samaria.  To accomplish his purpose, Jesus needed  to travel through Samaria. 

There comes a time when we may have to deviate off the path dictated by someone or some set of circumstances to attain our goal, to reach someone, to embrace the multi-faceted culture we are part of.  Armed with faith we can step away from the walls of the scaffolding, from what seems impossible to accomplish and make that dream a reality.

SharB~TTSD
#TakeTheScaffoldingDown

Purpose Beyond the Walls

In keeping with the theme of tearing down the scaffolding and going beyond the walls, you are presented with the following questions:

1. Are you doing what you want to do or what someone else wants you to do?
2. What or who directs you?

People do better when knowing their purpose and functioning in the capacity that fulfills them.  The key is to find out what really works for you, what you are good at.  What you gravitate to is what you are good at.  Many of our actions and decisions are in response to what life dictates.

Is your goal to make people agree with you?  Have you been doing things that seem to make people happy around you but leaves you unfulfilled?  Waiting for acceptance from your friend, co-worker, even family can be daunting and send you on an endless spiral of doing things that will only gain acceptance or approval from others.  When you step out of the box and seek you purpose and allow your personal transformation to evolve, a greater sense of satisfaction and accomplishment is realized.

Success hinges on your ability to function in a multidimensional environment.  We are part of this multidimensional environment; which therefore requires Godly wisdom and decision-making.  Decisions made based on what has been purposed for your life and the willingness to make changes, to transform our thoughts, our decisions, and our actions.

Transformation requires flexibility and the ability to adapt to the environment.  Cultural and familial stability is indeed important; however to broaden your horizon, to perform within your purpose and desire, you must allow flexibility in.  Are the people you surround yourself with encouraging you to reach higher heights or simply stay where you are and even go back to where you were?

One of my favorite creatures is the butterfly.  The butterfly went through many stages and changes in life before it became a beautiful butterfly.  What if the caterpillar stayed inside its skin without moving on through the stages?    It would have never experienced the level of becoming a butterfly.  Just like the butterfly goes through a metamorphosis, as I like to refer to it, a transformation, to reach its potential, so must we.  It is ok to step out of the shell, to step beyond the walls of scaffolding and soar to the next level.

I’ll be back soon with part two…

SharB~TTSD
#TakeTheScaffoldingDown

Be a Light

Several situations across the country have grasped our attention, angered us, and have given us cause for grave concern.  The police response to the rioting in the town of Ferguson had likened that city to an Afghanistan or Iraq war zone not a town of citizens seeking justice, peace and answers to their many questions of what occurred and why.  With all these emotions boiling over, what can be accomplished to direct these emotions into a positive change?  We continue to seek justice through peaceful means.

To achieve the needed paradigm shift, we must strive to build homes and neighborhoods and environments that instill the values that this country was actually founded upon.  The constitution states that “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable Rights” which include “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness…”  The “WE” is all inclusive not exclusive to a select few.

Don't let the blinders of scaffolding keep you from seeing what is really there.  Don't simply see what you are told to see.  Have the courage of your convictions to stand up and speak up for what is right.  If you have the opportunity to effect change, then do so!  If you have the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life, then do so!  If you have the opportunity to offer an encouraging word or a helping hand, then do so!  It is our duty to impact the world in whatever way your God-given ability and purpose dictates.

Communication and education are keys to peace and stability and the process must start at home continuing into the classroom and community.  Plan now to make your voice heard in the voting booth.  Each voice is powerful; realize the importance of your voice.

Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.  I hope these brief words encourage you to think about your choices, the power you have and the light that you are in this world.

SharB~TTSD
#TakeTheScaffoldingDown

Open Letter to Tanya

Dear Tanya,

I must share this story to encourage someone in their day-to-day walk to never give up, to keep pressing towards the mark.  Moments of weakness will come especially when faced with a major traumatic event; however you can stand firm having the proper support system and above all the faith to believe you are a survivor.  

Tanya, I have been reflecting on what an incredible journey life has presented you with.  The part of the journey I've been blessed to travel with you started seven days after Hurricane Katrina when you and your son were brought all the way to El Paso.  I recall going into the nursing office that Labor Day Monday and overhearing the conversation of needing to “send the baby to CPS” since mom was a patient.  I asked what room the baby's mother was in and the moment I walked into your room, our lifelong friendship/sisterhood began.  I found out “the baby” was actually a six year old little boy with whom my husband and I both immediately grew attached to.

Tanya, through the trauma, the devastation of losing everything and your illness, you continued to show incredible strength and the will to survive.

Approaching the 15^th birthday of your son, I can’t help but recall the day I met him and told him he would come to our house for a while during your hospital stay. He was so little then, and yet now is so grown up.

I commend you, Tanya and your son for overcoming insurmountable odds and being the survivors God promised you would be.

I hope this letter encourages you and others to fight through the “scaffolding” of defeat, discouragement, loss, and illness and keep your head up through the storm knowing that the rainbow after the storm holds the promise of a new day ahead.

Sincerely,

SharB~TTSD
#TakeTheScaffoldingDown