Turkey Day

The slogan I will teach C.J. is that everyday is a day of Thanksgiving. God is in the blessing business daily so I will never limit myself to observe a day called thanksgiving. C.J. will be taught to do it daily and the other folks in the world with just have to catch up.

Think about that and remember to pray because prayer changes things!

Daddy Failed, LOL!

Well we all know by now that mommy and C.J. have this night-time ritual that is repeated nightly. Well tonight, being the night before Thanksgiving, mommy wanted to get the house straight which meant that daddy was left to get C.J. to bed. Do not laugh at me but you all know that spells disaster from the start. Mommy and daddy just do things way differently.

So of course I did not change her clothes from what she had on. I chose not to giver her a bath. Going in the room and making it dark was not necessary for daddy and I did not lay her down on my chest. I laid her in her crib and turned the mobile on, that did not work. All I heard was giggling and when I looked in on her she had a huge grin on her face.

Next I brought her out of the room and put her in her chair. I thought she would rock herself to sleep but instead she started to get more and more excited while rocking herself. I said I will take a page out of mommy's book and decided to take her back in the room and sit in the dark.

C.J. I guess wanted to play around today because she started to kick and rock and grab and twist until I began to stare at her. The more stern the stare the it seems the brighter her smile got and the wider her eyes became. I guess mommy had enough because the next think I know she is standing over me laughing and taking her for a bath.

Now folks I know how to deal with kids, really I do. C.J. is just my little princes and she does get her way with daddy from time to time. I will have to work on this bedtime thing. Because if she stays up to late the next day will be hell for us all.

So I failed today. this is the first "F" I have received in a long time. So now I have to reassess what I do and come up with a new game plan. Funny thing is mommy failed too because C.J. is currently up making noise when she thought she was down, lol! You all pray for us now because prayer changes things!

Home On The Range

When I think of home I see place where love is over flowing. That is the sentiment I want C.J. to have when she thinks of home from now to forever. We arrived home fairly early today. C.J. had the opportunity to watch some television, eat and catch some football with dad. the game was rather boring so daddy decided to switch to SVU. The feel in the house was relaxed. We ate dinner. C.J. and I practiced some singing scales and I played Floetry so she could hear what real music sounded like.

I began to think of what a home was. Some may say a place. I beg to differ and I will say that it is a feeling. You have to feel at home. A home is when you are at peace. The distractions from the outside world are not allowed. A home is where loves abides and excitement fills the hearts of all. A home is where you find refuge from a bad day and serenity from the chaos that is the world. A home is where prayer is number one on the agenda and God is the head.

Their was a time in my life when I would keep myself busy not to go home. However once I was married the urge to be home grew and now that I am a daddy home is where I want to be 24/7. I hurry home from work, do not go out as much and make sure that every night is ended and began at home. I pray that home continues to develop into a haven of hope and layer of love and a palace of prayer. that way it will be a model home. A home that C.J. will be nurtured and grow into a fascinating young woman and more importantly a home that God is pleased with.

Every night C.J. is read to, prayed with, comforted and kissed. When I look down in that crib and see her sleeping it brings a smile to my face. I smile because another day in our home is complete and now God will watch over us as we slumber.

As I go may homes be developed in your lives may the be blessed and highly favored. Until next time always remember to pray because prayer changes things!

Sing A Song

My favorite band of all time is Earth, Wind and Fire. They have a song titled "Sing A Song" that I love to play all the time. Something about me that some may no and others do not is that I love to sing. I come from a family that enjoys singing. So of course I am going to expose my little girl to music. Country music, club music, techno music, R&B music, rap music, neo-soul music, gospel music, worship music, jazz music, band music, classical music, you name it I will play it.

Music does a lot for a person. It can help calm them down. It can help turn a bad day into a great one. It can prepare you for worship. It can also tell stories. Music is universal, it touches every ones soul.

So yesterday and today I decided to sing with C.J. i am talking a full blown one on one jam session. Now we did not get past the warm up stage but we are well on our way. I have started with a simple "ah". "Ah" for a short time "ah" for a long time. I would say sing it and then C.J. would look at her daddy and laugh. She then would open her mouth but nothing would come out. I saw her trying and I know I had a connection so I kept on demonstrating and by the tenth time she did it! C.J. did exactly what I wanted. I celebrated her success and told her to make sure she practiced at the baby sitter today.

Music is what gets me through the day sometimes and already C.J. and I have our best times listening to music. Our favorite song to listen to and dance to is "Your Joy" by Chrisette Michele. We also jam to "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth, Wind and Fire. When we are together listening to music are hearts are in sync. C.J. in my arm, me looking at her and her looking at me. It is a magical moment only the two of us will ever be able to share or explain. So C.J.;

When you feel down and out
Sing a song, it'll make your day
Here's a time to shout
Sing a song, it'll make a way
Sometimes it's hard to care
Sing a song, it'll make your day
A smile so hard to bear
Sing a song, it'll make a way

Singasong
Singasong
Singasong
Singasong

Bring your heart to believing
Sing a song, it'll make your day
Life ain't about no retrieving
Sing a song, it'll make a way
Give yourself what you need
Sing a song, it'll make your day
Smile, smile smile and believe
Sing a song, it'll make a way

Singasong
Singasong
Singasong
Singasong

Love you baby!

Until next time good people, always remember to pray because prayer changes things!

Let The Church Say Amen!

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!

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!

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!