Well, today was the first day we worshiped as a family. This morning Mommy and C.J. went to Mommy's church. This afternoon we went to see C.J.#1 be dedicated as a family, and it was a great experience. The message was about humbling ourselves so we can make it into the kingdom. What a great feeling it was to be with C.J. in the worship atmosphere! This is important because both Mommy and Daddy love the Lord and C.J. prays daily with us. She prays with Mommy daily, and with Daddy daily, and with both in our morning family prayer. I will admit we have to get better with the nighttime prayer as a family. Having exposure to worship now will prayerfully help C.J. understand that Jesus is her Lord and Savior and worthy of all her praise.
C.J. was good in church too, not a peep out of her during the entire service. This is because I know my baby was attentive to the word God sent for her on today. You may think I am nuts but God speaks to us all.
How interesting that C.J., the preacher's kid, was at two different worship services her first day out to church. It was a long day for us all but we made it through by the grace of God. Besides I woke up this morning with my mind stayed on Jesus and WORSHIP was my focus! So the two were easy because I was in WORSHIP mode. God has been too great for me not want to offer up everything I have unto Him.
C.J. I want you to know that Jesus is a gift to you from God. Daddy and Mommy will take you to church with them until you are old enough to make the decision to accept the gift God have offered you. Daddy accepted the gift for himself and Mommy for herself. However just because we both accepted the gift, it does nothing for you. You must understand that God loves C.J. and has a plan for C.J.'s life. We will pray with you as a family everyday. However, even though we pray together, there will come a day where you will need to communicate with God for yourself.
I have decided while writing that it is time to go get C.J. a bible so when she is ready to explore reading, the bible is a book that is available to her. Now we have many bibles in the house but they belong mostly to Daddy, although Mommy's collection is not too shabby. However C.J. needs a children's bible and I am going to have it for her to open as we celebrate the birth of Christ.
Well it has been a magnificent day in the Lord! I hope you all had the chance to WORSHIP and give him praise. Until tomorrow, always remember to pray because prayer changes things!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Spazzing Out!
If I were to write the following words, "After a long day at work," you could probably fill in the blank. All I wanted to do was come home and chill with my ladies. Before I left I explained to Shatema how I now had two women, C.J and Shatema. I compared how C.J. does everything to get my attention and how she could do some things to get it as well. Now her list contained a few items that would catapult her back to the pole position instead of the neck-and-neck tie she is in with C.J.
Anyway, I come home after hanging out a bit with my colleagues and all is well. Mommy is quiet, C.J. is quiet and I was able to come in and turn right to the football games of the night. (Sidebar, this is when I saw that Notre Dame loss to UCONN and I came to the conclusion that Charlie Wiess has to go). So I get comfortable and I play with C.J. for a bit. Mommy went to drop a load of laundry in, and while she was gone, it happened.
All of a sudden C.J. starts balling and her basketball was nowhere near her. Tears ran down her cheek. She yelled and screamed (and there is a difference) at the top of her lungs. I had to close the windows so no one thought she was being harmed. I did not know what she wanted. I picked her up and walked around with her, she cried. I turned some music on, and she cried some more. I rocked her, and she cried. I gave her her pacifier, and she cried louder and spit it out. She was out of control.
Now you already know I do not like seeing my girl like this. I do not get excited...I just continue trying to soothe her. She would stop for a bit and then start back up again, lol! Finally I am like Mommy, could she be hungry? Lo and behold a little milk did the trick. Now after we settled everything you know I told that little girl that she better not act like that again. Yelling and screaming like she did not just eat a hour and a half earlier.
This little temper I am seeing is gonna be something else. She is a little pistol when she wants her way. I guess she has a little bit of her dad in her, just a little bit. I will work on the "my way or the highway" syndrome early so she might fair a little better. We do not want her just spazzing out on people when they upset her. I will tell you all this now, though. Sometimes a quick spazz out might be needed to put someone in their place, but I will demonstrate to her how you do it without batting an eye or raising your voice so the victim looks like the one who is crazy. C.J.'s daddy is a professional at that.
Tomorrow is WORSHIP day with the believers. I get my WORSHIP on everyday so I am going to go for now. Until the next time, you all remember to pray because prayer changes things. Peace and blessings to you and yours!
Anyway, I come home after hanging out a bit with my colleagues and all is well. Mommy is quiet, C.J. is quiet and I was able to come in and turn right to the football games of the night. (Sidebar, this is when I saw that Notre Dame loss to UCONN and I came to the conclusion that Charlie Wiess has to go). So I get comfortable and I play with C.J. for a bit. Mommy went to drop a load of laundry in, and while she was gone, it happened.
All of a sudden C.J. starts balling and her basketball was nowhere near her. Tears ran down her cheek. She yelled and screamed (and there is a difference) at the top of her lungs. I had to close the windows so no one thought she was being harmed. I did not know what she wanted. I picked her up and walked around with her, she cried. I turned some music on, and she cried some more. I rocked her, and she cried. I gave her her pacifier, and she cried louder and spit it out. She was out of control.
Now you already know I do not like seeing my girl like this. I do not get excited...I just continue trying to soothe her. She would stop for a bit and then start back up again, lol! Finally I am like Mommy, could she be hungry? Lo and behold a little milk did the trick. Now after we settled everything you know I told that little girl that she better not act like that again. Yelling and screaming like she did not just eat a hour and a half earlier.
This little temper I am seeing is gonna be something else. She is a little pistol when she wants her way. I guess she has a little bit of her dad in her, just a little bit. I will work on the "my way or the highway" syndrome early so she might fair a little better. We do not want her just spazzing out on people when they upset her. I will tell you all this now, though. Sometimes a quick spazz out might be needed to put someone in their place, but I will demonstrate to her how you do it without batting an eye or raising your voice so the victim looks like the one who is crazy. C.J.'s daddy is a professional at that.
Tomorrow is WORSHIP day with the believers. I get my WORSHIP on everyday so I am going to go for now. Until the next time, you all remember to pray because prayer changes things. Peace and blessings to you and yours!
Friday, November 20, 2009
Laying the Foundation
Tonight is another one where I will provide C.J. with some helpful; hints from some pretty on point people.
#1. And when you discover what you will be in your life, set out to do it as if God Almighty called you at this particular moment in history to do it. don't just set out to do a good job. Set out to do such a good job that the living, the dead or the unborn couldn't do it any better.
If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well. If you can't be a pine at the top of the hill, be a shrub in the valley. Be be the best little shrub on the side of the hill.
Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
#2. "We declare our right on this earth...to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary."
"Our objective is complete freedom, justice and equality by any means necessary."
"The day that the black man takes an uncompromising step and realizes that he's within his rights, when his own freedom is being jeopardized, to use any means necessary to bring about his freedom or put a halt to that injustice, I don't think he'll be by himself." Malcolm X.
#3. Ain't I A Woman?
by Sojourner Truth
Women's Rights & African-American Rights Pioneer
Delivered To The Women's Convention In Akron, Ohio - December, 1851
Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about?
That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?
Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?
Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.
If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.
Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say.
So C.J. one day you will read this and wonder to yourself, why did daddy capture these words for me." I am going to save you the mystery and give you a little insight. Daddy wants you be be a strong young woman, firm in your position. Daddy wants you to have pride in all you do, to be focused and dedicated to the causes you deem as important in your life. Finally the Malcolm X words. Sometime you will have to just go out there and take things you want. This is not meant in a negative way. It simply means that sometimes you will have to be assertive and aggressive to get what ans where you want.
To all my readers, I am raising a well balanced young woman so when I go off on tangents please understand why! Until next time always remember to pray because prayer changes things!
#1. And when you discover what you will be in your life, set out to do it as if God Almighty called you at this particular moment in history to do it. don't just set out to do a good job. Set out to do such a good job that the living, the dead or the unborn couldn't do it any better.
If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music, sweep streets like Leontyne Price sings before the Metropolitan Opera. Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well. If you can't be a pine at the top of the hill, be a shrub in the valley. Be be the best little shrub on the side of the hill.
Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
#2. "We declare our right on this earth...to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being in this society, on this earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary."
"Our objective is complete freedom, justice and equality by any means necessary."
"The day that the black man takes an uncompromising step and realizes that he's within his rights, when his own freedom is being jeopardized, to use any means necessary to bring about his freedom or put a halt to that injustice, I don't think he'll be by himself." Malcolm X.
#3. Ain't I A Woman?
by Sojourner Truth
Women's Rights & African-American Rights Pioneer
Delivered To The Women's Convention In Akron, Ohio - December, 1851
Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that 'twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what's all this here talking about?
That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain't I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain't I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man - when I could get it - and bear the lash as well! And ain't I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother's grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain't I a woman?
Then they talk about this thing in the head; what's this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That's it, honey. What's that got to do with women's rights or negroes' rights? If my cup won't hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn't you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?
Then that little man in black there, he says women can't have as much rights as men, 'cause Christ wasn't a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.
If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.
Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain't got nothing more to say.
So C.J. one day you will read this and wonder to yourself, why did daddy capture these words for me." I am going to save you the mystery and give you a little insight. Daddy wants you be be a strong young woman, firm in your position. Daddy wants you to have pride in all you do, to be focused and dedicated to the causes you deem as important in your life. Finally the Malcolm X words. Sometime you will have to just go out there and take things you want. This is not meant in a negative way. It simply means that sometimes you will have to be assertive and aggressive to get what ans where you want.
To all my readers, I am raising a well balanced young woman so when I go off on tangents please understand why! Until next time always remember to pray because prayer changes things!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Trouble, Trouble, Trouble!
Today was the day I knew would come, the reign of terror is currently upon us. Yo have to understand something. C.J. has a big cousin, we call her Breezie. She is a child who has been here before, maybe a few times. This girl called me Rudy up until about a month ago. She knows my name too. Now when we asked her why she called me that she simply said because I wanted too. Breezie is more like a hurricane than any kind of breeze.
When C.J. was born I instructed her not to deal with Breezie. She was told that she would be the reason that she would get in trouble with daddy. Now For C.J. to get in trouble with me it would take a lot but with Breezie all things are possible. So today they are at their Great-Grandma's house and Breezie has a cookie. of course my child being the greedy girl she is eyes the cookie. So my niece decided that she wanted to share with C.J. After she was told that C.J. could not have the cookie she took it upon herself to break a small piece of to offer her. C.J.'s mouth watered and if Breezie was not stopped she would have feasted upon her first chocolate chip cookie.
It is great that C.J. will have a lot of folks to grow up with. Family is very important for me and I want my children to have the same kind of upbringing. This way they will know their family. they will form bonds and they will learn how to support one another.
C.J. and Breezie will be a force to be reckoned with for a long time. The trouble is only beginning. I know we are in trouble because when I asked C.J. about the events of the evening she looked at her daddy and smirked. So world look out! I warn you now that C.J. has hooked up with a monster and they are gonna run loose. I will do my best to keep her tame but I do not know if my best will be good enough. So in closing please pray for me and C.J. because prayer changes things. This one I have to mention before I go. Shatema made a visit during her lunch period to the sitter. She comes home and tell me that the little boy at the sitter was fascinated with C.J. , wanted to share his toys and was looking and smiling at my baby. People, mommy said C.J. smiled back. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!You all know I am going to the range soon! Again, always pray because prayer can changes things and most of all people.
When C.J. was born I instructed her not to deal with Breezie. She was told that she would be the reason that she would get in trouble with daddy. Now For C.J. to get in trouble with me it would take a lot but with Breezie all things are possible. So today they are at their Great-Grandma's house and Breezie has a cookie. of course my child being the greedy girl she is eyes the cookie. So my niece decided that she wanted to share with C.J. After she was told that C.J. could not have the cookie she took it upon herself to break a small piece of to offer her. C.J.'s mouth watered and if Breezie was not stopped she would have feasted upon her first chocolate chip cookie.
It is great that C.J. will have a lot of folks to grow up with. Family is very important for me and I want my children to have the same kind of upbringing. This way they will know their family. they will form bonds and they will learn how to support one another.
C.J. and Breezie will be a force to be reckoned with for a long time. The trouble is only beginning. I know we are in trouble because when I asked C.J. about the events of the evening she looked at her daddy and smirked. So world look out! I warn you now that C.J. has hooked up with a monster and they are gonna run loose. I will do my best to keep her tame but I do not know if my best will be good enough. So in closing please pray for me and C.J. because prayer changes things. This one I have to mention before I go. Shatema made a visit during her lunch period to the sitter. She comes home and tell me that the little boy at the sitter was fascinated with C.J. , wanted to share his toys and was looking and smiling at my baby. People, mommy said C.J. smiled back. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!You all know I am going to the range soon! Again, always pray because prayer can changes things and most of all people.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Real Quick
Sometimes you just run out of time. So today I will leave a few quotes for my girl C.J.
1. Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice. Wayne Dyer
2. People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents. Andrew Carnegie
3. The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. Mark Twain
4. Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. Robert Collier
5. If you want to get somewhere you have to know where you want to go and how to get there. Then never, never, never give up. Norman Vincent Peale
C.J., these are some quotes that one day you will understand the underlying meaning. They all will help you develop a strong work ethic and help you achieve all the goals you set for yourself. Just know your daddy is always here for you and is your loudest cheerleader!
1. Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice. Wayne Dyer
2. People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents. Andrew Carnegie
3. The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. Mark Twain
4. Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out. Robert Collier
5. If you want to get somewhere you have to know where you want to go and how to get there. Then never, never, never give up. Norman Vincent Peale
C.J., these are some quotes that one day you will understand the underlying meaning. They all will help you develop a strong work ethic and help you achieve all the goals you set for yourself. Just know your daddy is always here for you and is your loudest cheerleader!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Child Growth & Development
In college I studied the likes of Piaget, Vgotsky, Dewey and Skinner. I will say this upfront, at the time I hated everything about these guys. You have to understand I was forced to remember every theory, every stage, every similarity, every difference, every year and more. My diet for an entire semester consisted of these men. Now back then you would never get me to believe I would use this material once I left SPED 101. Which to date is one of the most difficult classes I have engaged in because of the large amount of material packed into a semester. As a 29 year old Educator I will admit that I was wrong.
The first day I stepped foot into my first grade classroom I needed to call up my boys to analyze where my students were functioning. They all played a role in my classroom and when I left the elementary level of education I again though I would leave them behind. Again I was wrong. I refer to my boys now when I deal with my students at the collegiate level. They should be far along the spectrum but some of them (And I love them all) are still at the beginning.
C.J. also brings me back to the beginning stages of development. We now have her spending more time on her belly. This fores her to lift up her head on her own which she is doing quite well I might add. I spend a lot of time with her. Letting her grasp my hand, have her pull on some of her toys, watching her kicking her feet and trying to roll over. Since I have a little knowledge in the area I should use it with my own kid. One thing I try to do is not make her a lab rat. I do not want to watch her according to any scales or books. that would not only drive me crazy but more importantly it would drive C.J. nuts.
As an educator I once thought that I would have very critical of everything my poor baby did. Is she doing that right, is this on-time, when will this happen, when will that happen. Until I decided way before she was born to let her do her! She will do what she wants to do and let me share with you all that C.J. does what she wants when she wants. Right now it is not a problem but one day it might be and then we will have to have a sit down. If that does not work, thy rod and thy staff might have to comfort her, lol! All in all she is developing quite nicely and I am pleased with her progress. I will always refer to my prior knowledge i am just glad I have my own to draw from.
Have a great evening and do not forget to pray. Prayer changes things!
Note for C.J. Always put in the work for the results you desire.
The first day I stepped foot into my first grade classroom I needed to call up my boys to analyze where my students were functioning. They all played a role in my classroom and when I left the elementary level of education I again though I would leave them behind. Again I was wrong. I refer to my boys now when I deal with my students at the collegiate level. They should be far along the spectrum but some of them (And I love them all) are still at the beginning.
C.J. also brings me back to the beginning stages of development. We now have her spending more time on her belly. This fores her to lift up her head on her own which she is doing quite well I might add. I spend a lot of time with her. Letting her grasp my hand, have her pull on some of her toys, watching her kicking her feet and trying to roll over. Since I have a little knowledge in the area I should use it with my own kid. One thing I try to do is not make her a lab rat. I do not want to watch her according to any scales or books. that would not only drive me crazy but more importantly it would drive C.J. nuts.
As an educator I once thought that I would have very critical of everything my poor baby did. Is she doing that right, is this on-time, when will this happen, when will that happen. Until I decided way before she was born to let her do her! She will do what she wants to do and let me share with you all that C.J. does what she wants when she wants. Right now it is not a problem but one day it might be and then we will have to have a sit down. If that does not work, thy rod and thy staff might have to comfort her, lol! All in all she is developing quite nicely and I am pleased with her progress. I will always refer to my prior knowledge i am just glad I have my own to draw from.
Have a great evening and do not forget to pray. Prayer changes things!
Note for C.J. Always put in the work for the results you desire.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Here's Laughing At You!
One of the greatest things to wake up to every morning is a smile. A smile can usher in a great day on the job, in school, on the road and quite frankly anywhere you will find yourself.
This morning I changed the morning routine a little. Instead of waiting for mommy to get ready and then once she was done get C.J. ready I pitched in. Getting C.J. up in the morning is a chore, she stretches, she yawns, she grunts and she makes it difficult for anyone involved. However today was a little different. After she interrupted my last half hour of sleep; you know that dimension of sleep that either makes you say you had a great not of sleep or that you did not sleep well at all. The last moments of sleep that usually cap off a great dream. The last few moments of sleep that can erase the bags from under your eyes, yes folks that sleep. I proceeded to wash her up. The funny thing is that she did not make a peep instead she began to giggle, laugh and smile. It was like she was happy she was being cleaned. As I continued my heart was full of excitement to see my little girl so happy. To me it means I am doing what I am suppose to do. I aim not to make her happy but so that she has joy running throughout her veins.
This morning was so fun getting her ready that I will attempt Day 2 in the morning. I hope the smiles and giggles come again because they helped kick daddy's week off more than she will ever know.
I am going to turn in early tonight so in parting you all always remember to pray because like I always say, "Prayer changes things!"
This morning I changed the morning routine a little. Instead of waiting for mommy to get ready and then once she was done get C.J. ready I pitched in. Getting C.J. up in the morning is a chore, she stretches, she yawns, she grunts and she makes it difficult for anyone involved. However today was a little different. After she interrupted my last half hour of sleep; you know that dimension of sleep that either makes you say you had a great not of sleep or that you did not sleep well at all. The last moments of sleep that usually cap off a great dream. The last few moments of sleep that can erase the bags from under your eyes, yes folks that sleep. I proceeded to wash her up. The funny thing is that she did not make a peep instead she began to giggle, laugh and smile. It was like she was happy she was being cleaned. As I continued my heart was full of excitement to see my little girl so happy. To me it means I am doing what I am suppose to do. I aim not to make her happy but so that she has joy running throughout her veins.
This morning was so fun getting her ready that I will attempt Day 2 in the morning. I hope the smiles and giggles come again because they helped kick daddy's week off more than she will ever know.
I am going to turn in early tonight so in parting you all always remember to pray because like I always say, "Prayer changes things!"
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