Free Web Layouts
Real LYFE: December 2006

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Live for Tomorrow

Don't ever forget that the things that we do today, affect the next three to four generations. This is something that I always keep in the forefront of my mind because it's true and because it helps me to keep life in perspective. Too often people live for the moment and never take time to see further than themselves. Our youth deserve an opportunity that only we can give them if we truly understand the magnitude of the decisions we make.
Decisions come and go but one thing that remains consistently consistent is that just as we are born, we will eventually die. And the question is, what inheritance will we leave the next generation? Will we leave them in debt or will they inherit a wealth of knowledge, opportunity, and promise? I challenge you today to live for tomorrow because our youth deserve more than we have today!
This is real talk!

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Serving Our Youth

It's important to remember that throughout the hustle and bustle of the day that our greatest reward comes from our service to mankind. For me, there is nothing that I treasure more than my work with and for the youth of this nation. This month makes it ten years that I've been working on a volunteer basis for young people from all walks of life and I have to say that I've gained so much insight that I wouldn't have had had I relied on "book knowledge."
There is a huge difference between book knowledge and world experience and I've allowed the latter to be my guide in my daily interactions with our young people. I've discovered that they come from a totally different world than I did and it was important for me to major in LISTENING. This is a skill that a lot of adults lack, mainly out of ignorance, but they really need to learn this skill as soon as possible.
Through listening I've been able to understand where our young people are coming from which is more than I can say for those who choose to "preach AT" rather than "talk TO." Listening has completely taken my level of understanding to a plateau that I might have never reached or attained had I chosen to follow the "rules of engagement" per a book. Listening to the voices of our youth have brought me a much bigger crowd of youth and young adults who now look at me as a leader, guide, parent, role model, mentor, etc. Had I drawn my lines in the sand and gave them a list of what I did and didn't accept from the start, things wouldn't be the way they are now.
I'm honored to have been given the honor and privilege to serve our youth and look forward to the road ahead. What will it consist of? who knows??? but I'm excited and anticipating going to the "next level" in service for our youth! In case you didn't know, it's not too late to save them. I, for one, think it's worth the effort because our youth are our richest and most valuable resource.
Real Talk.

Monday, December 25, 2006

Merry Christmas

May this season cause you to seek out your true purpose for being created! This is a time that Christians celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus who was sent to save the world! Remember that He is the reason for the season. The old adage says, "it's more blessed to give than to receive." Purpose is found through service, so with that said, seek and you will find, knock and the "door" will be opened for you.
As the year is coming to a close, take this time to reflect, remember, and recommit to a purpose that is bigger than both you and I. The purpose of which I'm speaking is that of SERVING MANKIND! Be blessed on this day and as you go into 2007.
Real Talk!

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Let's Move On

There comes a time when you have to put aside petty differences and personal innuendos and move forward to get work done. I attended a board meeting the other evening and what I witnessed from adults made me question what I was at. I literally, after listening to all of the bickering that went back and forth, thought that I was listening to a bunch children who were upset that they couldn't get their way.
Let me help you out since many of you may not have a clue as to what I'm talking about. I'm really thinking hard about running for a seat on the Toledo Public Schools Board of Education. Since I'm in serious thought about this issue, I decided that I'd attend a meeting just to see for myself what actually takes place. My eyes were opened during the process of the meeting because I saw things that really surprised me coming from that of our elected officials. There is so much divisiveness on the board, to be honest, nothing can truly get accomplished. Things are so partisan on a non-partisan board that I found it amazing that no one took a swing at each other like on the tube the other night between the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks!
Things have to change in order for the community to begin healing but for this to begin, our board members have got to put personal gripes aside and work together. For the good of the whole, it's imperative that they come together and begin communicating because there are serious issues plaguing our city and the decisions that the school board makes will have a domino affect on that of our city!
Whatever your profession and wherever you live please remember that somebody somewhere is looking to you for leadership! You may not ever know who they are, but trust me, they are watching everything you say and do, so for the love of God, lets move forward and do what's right for the betterment of our youth and community!
Let's move on! How 'bout it?

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

What Are You Gonna Do?

Whatever happens, understand and realize that the things you do...any and everything will affect the next three to four generations! They are watching you every minute of the day and when you least imagine, their eyes are focused and fixated on you!
Be careful as to what your actions will be because if you are out of line you will need to explain to our youth just why you feel you are justified to do "whatever" you think you can do. Remember that our young people are very impressionable and they are desperately looking for leadership wherever they can find it, so beware as you proceed forward in life!
You can't do anything without understanding and realizing that it will come back on you, whether good or bad, that's up to you to decide. But the fact remains that the balls in your court. The question is, "what will you do about it?"
LYFE is to be lived to the fullest, but it can only be fulfilled when the expectations are achieved. The question then becomes, are you living to the fullest? If not, what are you gonna do to achieve this level of success? Or are you going to do anything at all?

Monday, December 18, 2006

Don't Look at Now, Think Down the Road

It's easy to get discouraged as to where your life appears to be headed, but if you are anything like me, you should always and forever keep in mind that the race isn't given to the swift or to the strong, but it's given to the one who endures to the end. This is a huge feat to accomplish because it has everything to do with a Mind-Set change. In LYFE, we tend to look at things based on what we see with the natural eye. However, it's important to remember that life is a journey and can't be determined by the here and now, but rather by the "down the road!"
Life, as they say in the movie Forrest Gump, is "like a box of chocolates." You never know what you're going to get until you sink your teeth into it. And in so doing, it's important that we put our best foot forward as we set forth to accomplish something that may have not been accomplished. As we set our sights to move forward into new terrain, we have to get a gauge of what's come before and realize that we aren't guaranteed a free ride. We're not guaranteed a "walk in the park" either. Every day that we get up, it's important that we put our best foot forward and walk into destiny, even though the outlook may not look or feel good some days.
We have to forget about the hear and now. We have to lay aside the weights of life that easily get us to throw in the towel, and we have to press towards a higher goal of achievement because oftentimes we forget that there is a generation coming behind us that is looking at everything. We have to forge together so that we can prepare for a "new day" of leadership down the road. If we aren't careful in preparing for what may come, the "not yet" will be today so we better get ready for what's down the road!
What do you think?

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Never Stop Fighting

This is the statement in the movie, The Untouchables, that Elliott Ness said to Al Capone after Capone's attorney withdraw their original plea and basically entered a plea. CASE CLOSED! Through the course of the movie, Elliott Ness, played by Kevin Costner, had to endure a lot of heartache and grief. He even had to contemplate whether or not he was going to remain on the case to get enough evidence to arrest Al Capone. Did he stop when the going got rough? No! What he did was continued on and persevered regardless of the circumstances because I believe that he saw a brighter day ahead.
In the movie, Elliott had to contend with the fact that his actions directly affected the livelihood of his wife and daughter. Was that enough pressure to make him quit? Again, the answer is a resounding NO! The character, Elliott Ness, kept on fighting the crime boss every chance he got until his preparation met up and collided with opportunity! THIS IS A MOMENT THAT WE ALL HAVE TO PREPARE OURSELVES FOR. If Elliott Ness had not been in the right place at the right time, history may have been quite different.
So, what is the thought that I'm trying to convey today. Here it is: At the end of the day, Elliott Ness was able to feel a sense of accomplishment because he achieved a goal that many others had died trying to pursue. There were even partners of his that were murdered but Elliott Ness kept on fighting until the fight was won! That's the first thing that Elliott said to Al Capone at the end of the movie. "Never stop fighting until the fight is won!"
Keep on fighting and don't stop! The next generation is worth it, don't you think?

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Lose Yourself

Oftentimes we allow life's situations to overwhelm us to the point to where we are unable to enjoy the moment. But I encourage you to think beyond now and set your mind towards the future! If you can do this, you can then lose yourself in the moment of time that God has given you to make a difference.
I'm not saying this as one who doesn't know how difficult this can be because I do. I, like many of you, have been encumbered with bureaucratic policies that are an attempt to discourage and distract at every step of the pursuit. But I challenge you to do just what I've done and that is LOSE YOURSELF IN THE MOMENT! Because success hinges on preparation meeting opportunity at the right time and at the right place. Will you let bureaucracy keep you from achieving your goals? Will you let someones intimidation hinder you from reaching your destiny? I don't think so!
Rise up and take your rightful place in this moment in time and realize that you may not get another chance to prove yourself strong! So never quit fighting til the fight is over! You've got too much riding on this feat to give up now! So lose yourself and go for what you know! The lives of our youth are depending on you!
Real talk...

Monday, December 11, 2006

Take a Position and Stick with It

The thought for the day is that we need to be consistently consistent when it comes to conveying a POSITIVE message to the youth of today. If there is something that we lack more than ever before, it is consistency. As I have seen through my travels to the juvenile detention center and many other facilities that house our troubled youth, I see a pattern that desperately needs to be addressed which is our inability as adults to be consistently consistent.
This isn't addressed to one particular group of people because adults, parents, leaders, elected officials, business officials, and clergy all struggle with this issue. We tend to go with flow and blame our inefficiencies on other things rather than confessing the reality that we don't know what we really want to do. In essence, we would rather lie and act as if we have it together rather than be honest and transparent and just say that we "don't know" what our next move will be. This inability to convey a consistent message has played a vital role in the decay of our youth.
We continue to forget that the eyes of our youth are watching everything we say and do. We have to make decisions and stick with them. No matter how tough it is, it is important for us to realize that the things we do affect the next three to four generations. If we fail, as adults, to see the importance of being consistently consistent, we will continue to see a downward spiral in this nation when it comes to the productivity of our young people. Consistency provides stability which is paramount in the foundation of a healthy life. A healthy life will produce a healthy family which, in turn, produces a healthy neighborhood, school, church, etc.
My question today for you to ponder is how long will it take for us to realize that it's no one's fault but ours for the decay and corruption that we see today? It's time for us to face up and be accountable so that tomorrow can be a brighter day for the next generation!
This is just real talk...

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Give Back

The things that surround you can exert a powerful influence on you.And you can use that influence to your advantage. Surround yourself with positive influences. Let them serve as subtle and constant reminders to be your very best. Arrange your physical environment so that it encourages and promotes focus and creativity. Choose to spend your time surrounded by things that lift you up. Get yourself around people who will reinforce the values and goals you consider to be most meaningful. Spend time with people who challenge you to be your best. Seek out situations that enable you to connect with and fulfill your most deeply held purposes. Learn which surroundings inspire you most, and find a way to spend time in them. Though it is certainly possible to flourish in spite of your surroundings, life proceeds much more smoothly when your environment exerts a positive influence. Surround yourself with the best you can imagine, and it will start to get to you.
Author Unknown

As I read this, I couldn't help but imagine if our children were constantly put into an environment where opportunity was at their disposal, I wonder what would our future look like? As I constantly work to make the lives of those coming behind us better, I couldn't help but wonder how different things could be or would be if we would be a little less selfish and a little more giving. As I attempt to speak life into the hearts and minds of tomorrow's leaders, I can't help but dream the impossible! I am not like the average person because I refuse to believe that things can't get better for our youth. But for things to change, the change has to start within! So, I challenge each of you to mentor and give back to those who are coming behind because our future will be determined by the things we do today!

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Reflect about TOMORROW

Again, it's great to be back! For the past month I've been in "reflection" mode pondering a lot of things that I have had to endure for 2006. This has been a long and arduous year. Many hills and valleys and yet, when I thought the "drama" was over, I endured some mountains and cliffs! But can I tell you something? I'm stronger today than I was on January 1, 2006! I'm more committed to the Lord today than ever before! I'm prepared better today to fight for our children than I could have ever been had I tried to escape the principle of suffering!

For those of you who don't understand or may even think that I'm smoking the "pipe," let me explain. To the natural eye, it seems or appears crazy to look at disasters or cataclysmic events as situations that bring out the best! However, I see these "things" as the ultimate way to find out just how strong you are. For instance, the caterpillar would never be able to become the butterfly if someone were to assist them in their "cocoon" season. The cocoon is there to protect, nurture, and to shield. God gives the caterpillar the innate ability to tear through the cocoon. Without this final push or test, the caterpillar would die because it was divinely orchestrated by the Master for these things to take place in order for the transition to occur in the process to becoming the BUTTERFLY!

So, what am I saying? The events that took place this year, while they may have been difficult, worked out to manifest in me the strength and perseverance needed for my final destination. As it is for me, so it is the same for many of you. The things that you feared or tried to avoid in your life took place anyway and in hindsight you are the "better" for it. Am I right? In the scripture, I believe it was David that was quoted to say, "it was good that I was afflicted..." I believe the reason he could utter such words was due to the fact of the character and determination that was built in the process of his struggles! Through the pain and persecution of life should come a determination to NEVER stop fighting until the fight is done!

Today, receive in your heart and be thankful that God loved you enough to test you and to show you just exactly what was inside of you! If you are anything like me, you can handle anything because no matter how difficult things get you continue to remember that a generation is coming behind you who is praying that you remember that it's not all about today but about what you leave for their tomorrow.
Now this is real talk!

Monday, December 04, 2006

Better Than Ever

For those of you who have been emailing and calling about NOT receiving the Real Lyfe blogs, the wait is now over! After taking the past month for some much needed R&R, Real Lyfe is back, better than ever! For those of you who don't know, our passion is and has always been young people.
Everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING we do affects the next three to four generations and we have to make sure that we keep that in the forefront of our minds because these kids need us now more than ever before! They need us to guide and direct them, but more so than anything else, they want us to love them. Someone reading this may be asking, "how can I show love to a young person in this day and time?" LISTEN, this is something that a lot of us need help with doing because when it comes to our young people we tend to not want to be bothered, or if we make time for them, we spend more time preaching AT them then we do conversating WITH them.
Young people do not want to be preached too so try talking to them and then LISTEN! You can learn a lot about what a child is going through by watching and simply observing their actions! Oftentimes their actions speak louder than any words could ever tell you. As we finish out the year pray for the lives of our young people! The best is still yet to come!
Special Note: It's good to be back in the "saddle" producing blogs for the good of the whole! Look out for some big things coming in the days ahead!
Free Website Counters
Free Website Counters