I understand I’m finning to be a grandfather… And I’m so proud, I can say that in many ways. I can say that in many ways, I can say I’m so happy and I’m so proud. Son I won’t give you any direction in Parenting at this stage because I think its gonna come to you like it came to me. See you came to me and your mom from the spiritual world we just the physical parents you know. God loaned you to us it’s God’s spirit we the physical parents you know. – Pops a.k.a. Lonnie Lynn (Common’s Pops)
Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 5:10
I have a version of the Bible titled “The Book”, a brother gave this bible to me this past summer. In “The Book” this same scripture reads as, Those who love money will never have enough. How absurd to think that wealth brings true happiness! Yet many of us are chasing the dollar, I myself am extremely broke, and I won’t lie and say that I am happy in my broken despair (lol) but I do find joy. There are tons of things we can find joy in in the world but what brings me the most joy and I think is often taken for granted are our family and friends. Family and friends are those who support us when we are down, they are the ones who are most proud of our achievements and they give us the strength to keep pushing when we feel that we have nothing left to give.
The scripture is right, only a fool thinks that wealth will bring happiness. Well wealth in a monetary sense, because to have a wealth of good family and friends, let me repeat that, good family and friends are one of the greatest gifts we can receive from the Creator. As I travel to Philadelphia today I am thankful because I will be spending time with my family and friends as one of my close friends is getting married. A joyous occasion it will be, a joyous occasion I really do need. With all the stresses of life and school I look forward to spending time with people I care about and people who care about me. I know it is God who sees that I need this break, and he has afforded me enough money (NOT ALOT OF MONEY) but enough to give thanks to him and watch two people say their vows before him and in his name. Take time to remember the people we sometimes forget, I am sure they will make your day a little bit warmer. Peace and Grace be unto you!
The soul that is within me no man can degrade.
Don’t be afraid to feel as angry or as loving as you can, because when you feel nothing, it’s just death. – Leena Horne
Wisdom crieth out, she uttereth her voice in the streets; She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? Proverbs 1:20-22
Do not silence your voice, allow your true self to be heard! I read the other day where a man said, “when you see and hear the good in me, you are looking at God, when you see the bad in me, you are looking at me and all of my imperfections”. When you speak the truth, you speak an act of good faith along with your words. The bible says that wisdom cries out, her voice can be heard in the streets. There’s a cry for your wisdom in today’s world. Key word here is your wisdom, not your judgment. There’s a need for a voice of love and compassion on our streets, to speak life to our children, hope for our peers, and gratitude to our elders. Your wisdom is based upon your experience, the experiences that you have had culminate into a wealth of knowledge that needs to fall upon deaf ears. Your words may spark a change, a much needed change in someone’s life. Use your voice for love and not destruction, it is a noble action, your only gratification being that you know you helped a fellow human being on their road to success.
Fools hate knowledge, and with their hate for knowledge they will purposely tune out your kind words and helpful actions. But who wants to walk amongst fools anyway, it will largely lead down the wrong path. I am more interested in finding like minded individuals who strengthen the steps that I wish to take while here on this earth. The verses following the two above show wisdom abandoning fools and largely letting them deal with their troubles alone. But we are all fools at some point or another, and we all look for another chance to right our wrongs. So it is then that you must use this beautiful voice that experience is sharpening and allow it to speak truth to the power of our Creator and speak out to those who may have hated your knowledge in the past. All this talk of truth is not to be confused with judgment, the very judgment that has taken many of us away from churches and religion in general. No sir, this is a spiritual truth of wisdom, nobility and honor. Let us love our people by our actions and our words and be hopeful that the same love will be bestowed upon us. Peace and Grace be unto you.
You have to be taught to be second class; you’re not born that way.
Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. – Dali Lama
A dog is not considered a good dog because he is a good barker. A man is not considered a good man because he is a good talker. – Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddah)
Don’t be in a hurry to condemn because he doesn’t do what you do or think as you think or as fast. There was a time when you didn’t know what you know today. – Malcolm X
March 10, 2008
Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them. Do not forsake wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her and she will honor you. She will set a garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor. Proverbs 4: 5-9
“Thought it cost all you have, get understanding”, throughout the whole verse that line spoke to me the most. Understanding can be the hardest thing to get to, we all want to be wise, we all want to be graced with honor and splendor. However, in order to reach such a level, we must gather understanding of our life’s experiences and actions so that we can be wise enough to make some of the same choices and improve on them to keep the good in our life. Furthermore, we must remember what did not work, hopefully grasp an understanding of why it didn’t work and move away from those types of actions.
My brother and I were talking yesterday and he reminded me that God answers our prayers in three ways. Yes, No, and I have something better for you! Those I have something better for you answers are the toughest to deal with, because you may be praying specifically, so what you “need” is all you know. But you have to have faith that he knows more and when the time is right will provide for you what is right for you. Be safe and have a blessed day, let’s get wisdom, get understanding and most of all lets live in peace. Peace and Grace be unto you!
The world is more malleable than you think and its waiting for you to hammer it into shape!
March 4, 2008
The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down with her own hands. Proverbs 14:1
Today it is 60 degrees in the middle of nowhere, I can’t help but have a good day with all this great weather. Interesting that this verse speaks of wisdom, what is the basis of wisdom and how does one achieve such a lofty title; to be considered wise? To me wisdom is a combination of knowledge gained through life’s experiences and also common sense which nowadays is not very common. We have all been the foolish one who tears our own house down with our own hands. We were foolish, yes, but we are even more foolish if we do not learn from these experiences. The wise woman can only build her house because she has been smart enough to pay attention to the other builders around her, she endeavored possibly to create a new way of building her home, but she could not do so without life’s experiences. So let’s not only learn from this scripture but let us learn from our mistakes. There is nothing worst than being the one who causes your own demise. Demise is a strong word but there is something grueling about feeling solely responsible for the strife that comes into your life. However, do not be bothered by these obstacles, for if we walk in the way of wisdom, in the way of the light, we will stumble during our foolish days and through those experiences we will gain knowledge and wisdom. It is then that we will be considered wise, it is then when we will build our house. And having taken the more scenic route our home will be something to marvel at, something to be proud of, because it will be our own creation. We must allow the creator to move mountains in our lives, and also give us the strength to understand our mistakes so that in the future we can make the right decisions. Only then will we understand the hardship of experiences that went into building that home and we will appreciate it that much more, Peace and Grace be unto you!
Leave bad things, talk peace!
Notes of this Native Son
