#also bought some seeds to sow because there are few things that bring me more joy than watching seeds germinate

[gaytobymeres]

bought some snowdrops yippee

[fuckyeahgreenwing]

Mac and Caroline’s timeline - Series 1

thisisntwaterstones asked:

do we think mac asking guy, "so have you given up on her?" at the party is maybe our first hint that he's pining for caroline? can we work out a timeline of mac falling for her? and/or of the scenes when he's looking for ways to get closer to her? or when he's testing the waters or working out whether she's into guy? they're like the ultimate angst/fluff fic and i need something cute to occupy my head aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Note: For some reason I wasn’t able to answer directly to your ask and had to make a text post as HTML kept messing up and wouldn’t allow me to do a “read more”. 

1x05 - “Housewarming Party” was a true blessing for Mac and Caroline shippers as this was really the beginning of Mac and Caroline’s romantic journey. This is what I deem to be as Mac’s timeline in series 1.

I have put this under a cut as naturally I decided gifs should tell the story, so this is a looong and very image-heavy post. May not be app friendly, best viewed on a browser!

Let us thank the student in 1x05 during their hospital tour for “sowing the seed”.

And so our tale begins!

It was no secret that Guy had been attempting to sleep with Caroline since her first day at the hospital. He even spread rumours about being successful to the staff which resulted in Caroline making him sign a confession which stated the truth.

At Caroline’s housewarming party, Mac asks Guy the following question.

Guy replies with, “Far from it. It's all part of the grand scheme. Anyway, she's TDTF.” Guy then approaches a drunk Caroline as she’s dancing with attempts to “woo” her and leaving her wanting more.

This resulted in these looks from Mac as he watches on. This is the moment he realises he has feelings for Caroline.

Fast forward to later during the party and Caroline has been enjoying a few too many shots of tequila with Martin (whilst he has been enjoying shots of undiluted orange squash, bless him).

Mac catches Caroline as she falls and does the moral thing and takes her to the bathroom to look after her as those many shots of tequila make a reappearance.

Caroline confesses to Mac that she has only eaten Hula Hoops that day and also tells him, “You're a very attractive man, aren't you?”.

Cue the romantic music.

Ah, romance. But he doesn’t seem to mind as they go in for round two, until they are interrupted.

1x06 - “Tests” brings us to the next day.

And Caroline is currently the “brave explorer returning from the uncharted regions of drunkenness”. Seeing her suffer, Mac tries to help.

It seems to work and Mac seems pleased with himself.

Now that Caroline has recovered, slightly, she wants to discuss the previous night, which we find out later she has difficulty remembering fully.

Knowing that Mac finds it difficult to express his emotions, and possibly not knowing how Caroline really feels about him, he sees Martin as a chance for a distraction and a way out of a potentially serious conversation.

After surgery, Caroline wants to discuss what happened at her party, again, and wants clarification on a certain “incident”. Mac teases her by not knowing what she’s talking about.

Caroline ends up describing how she kissed Guy, getting her drunken memories confused, as well as remembering that she kissed Sue White. Mac continues to tease her and finds the situation humorous until she says, “First you say you don't remember any kissing at all and now you're saying there was kissing in the toilet, which one is it?“

And before Mac can answer, they are interrupted by a certain Swiss anaesthetist.

Caroline, again, goes to Mac to find out the list of everyone she kissed at her party. Mac smiles as she mentions him and that smile soon fades as she mentions Guy. A pang of jealousy, perhaps?

Later, Caroline manages to pull Mac somewhere private and demands to know how the kiss happened between them. Again, knowing Mac struggles with being “serious”, he teases Caroline again by beginning to jokingly act out what happened. Things do finally get serious and there is some strong flirting and tension, although both try to act like the kiss was an “accident”. (Ha!)

Mac pulls away before they can fully re-enact the kiss, leaving Caroline hanging a little. She tries to play it “cool” and acts like she only kissed him because she was drunk. Hm, does she actually like him?

Mac watches on as Caroline leaves. She falls against the wall, weak at the knees...

Next episode! 1x07 - “Tangled Webs”

"Mac, do you think you'll ever have kids?” asks Caroline. Again, this being a “serious” question and his history with “Holly, the tear-your-life-apart baby-killer”, Mac manages to deflect using a pair of random glasses he finds.

“Oh, Nurse Todd, but you look beautiful with your glasses on.“

There is some playful teasing going on here.

“See you later, smelly four-eyes.“

“Oh, I always wanted one of those.” “What's that, a small boy?” “No, a remote-controlled car.”

And so Mac bribes a child, with a lighter, to use the remote-controlled car, and then passes the remote to Caroline.

“Ready? Live the dream.”

To mimic Mac’s words in the previous episodes “there was a lot of looking going on.” And again, more tension.

Mac pays a visit to Sue. He is not happy with the shift pattern which allows Caroline and Guy to be off at the same time, obviously knowing about Caroline’s date with Guy. Mac, in a roundabout way, admits aloud his feelings for Caroline.

The plot thickens in 1x08 - “Slave Auction”.

After her unsuccessful date with Guy, Caroline realises she loves Mac. She tries to set up a date with him, not knowing that Mac is now seeing Emily, or as Caroline calls her, “Emilily”.

(Note: At this point, this is where I get a bit ??? I’m not sure if Mac is aware that Caroline’s date with Guy ended sour. We also find out later in the episode that a hospital in Sheffield offered him a consultancy and that Emily is going with him. 

Does Mac think he lost Caroline to Guy and thus stared seeing Emily? Did Caroline take too long to admit her feelings? Or knowing he’s moving does he not want to pursue Caroline as it would be easier not to? Questions, questions, questions.)

Anyway, Caroline pretends she doesn’t like Mac and was doing an early April Fool’s joke...  In September...

Mac whisks Caroline away as she becomes increasingly catty towards Emily.

Later, Caroline talks about “Emilily”, bitterly, with Mac.

“No disrespect, but she is a bit posh.”

They spat back and forth before Caroline leaves, sarcastically saying, “She sounds great.” This leaves Mac looking a little puzzled.

Later, Martin goes to Mac for advice. He has “bought” Caroline at the hospital’s charity slave auction and they are going to go out for dinner. The advice Mac gives is... questionable. Is he jealous that Martin is going to dinner with Caroline? (Even though he most likely knows Martin doesn’t stand a chance with Caroline.)

And finally, we get to 1x09 - “Emergency”

It’s Mac’s last day at the hospital and a certain “scatterbrained floozy” isn’t too thrilled.

“This is stupid. You've got to tell him how you feel. What have you got to lose? You're never going to see him again. The worst that can happen is that he rejects you, totally humiliates you.“ Angela advises Caroline. Ah, friendship.

Caroline finds Mac and tries to put him off going to Sheffield, with reasons such as flesh-eating spiders up to six feet in diameter. (Hell no.)

She then tries to speak to him seriously. Mac tells her why he acts the way he does. (#Realness)

He finally agrees to be serious for one minute and Caroline speaks to him about how they failed to get on at first.

"You thought I was some sort of incompetent neurotic who went to a boys' barber, and I thought you were a rude, offhand bloke with lady's hair.” "Being serious, maybe I would have said that, but I wouldn't say that any more.”

Hm...

Caroline spends her day searching the internet, “trying to find fault with Sheffield”. She approaches Mac, who is with Emily, at his leaving drinks. She reads from a print out of her findings on Emily, accusing Emily of being a “fraudulent little tart”. This turns out to be a misunderstanding and Emily puts Caroline in her place, causing her to leave. Mac’s reaction to Caroline’s antics speaks volumes.

Instead of jumping to Emily defense, Mac doesn’t and he finds what happened incredibly humorous. This results in beer being poured over his head.

Mac goes to look for Caroline, who he finds upset in the hospital lecture theatre.

“Go away.” “Shan't.”

And now the two are alone and are able to finally admit their feelings for one another. (About bloody time.) I’ll let these gifs speak for themselves.

And then Mac makes the move. CUE THE DAMN ROMANTIC MUSIC.

After the long overdue kiss and finally getting together, they leave the hospital and some very suggestive flirting takes place.

And then everything was fine and lovely and nothing else happened after - oh wait, this is Green Wing we’re talking about here.

PLOT TWIST!

Their night is ruined as they get interrupted by Sue, who informs them that there’s been an accident at Guy’s flat. They head over in an ambulance. A very drunk Guy then decides to steal said ambulance with Mac and Martin in tow, leaving Caroline with very shell-shocked Joanna Clore...

And then the series ends on an actual cliffhanger.

But not before Mac smiles at the thought of finally getting together with Caroline.

[teamkrissy]

Owning some dirt really changes a man

When I was little, I always lived in apartments. In 3rd or 4th grade, I remember my school gave me a little pine tree and told me to go plant it. My dad took me out to the small wooded strip behind our apartment building where we planted it off a dirt trail and marked it with a brick. This was around the same spot where my sisters and I, with a few neighbor kids, spent a whole summer building a fort out of branches, only for an old lady to complain we were making her yard ugly then call the complex to come out and tear it down. My dad and I went back to that spot a few weeks later to check on our tree, but the brick and the tree were gone. My dad tried to tell me it was probably something natural like an animal digging (yeah I'm sure a fox needed this brick for something, dad.)

I own a small house now, with a small yard, in the middle of an urban forest. I drive through a marsh to get to work, my neighborhood is thick with so many types of trees. There are a lot of abandoned houses and houses where people don't care about their lawns, so flowers that were curated and cultivated 50 years ago now flourish like wildflowers through the cracks in the pavement. People call this the shitty part of town, and yeah the roots fuck up my plumbing once every couple of years and sometimes the neighbors have loud parties, but they're all pretty nice and they let their cats sleep on the side-walks.

The soil is so rich here. No doubt due to the variety of wildlife and lack of "lawn care." There are tons of rabbits, squirrels, opossums, raccoons and birds. I've seen blue herron closer to the marsh. I've also seen blue jays, woodpeckers, robins, sparrows, crows, cardinals, falcons, hummingbirds, there's at least 1 owl who calls outside my living room window at night. They come to my yard and bring me seeds, and chat with me when they are so inclined.

Before this place, I never had the means to grow plants. I could sit on my 3rd floor balcony and watch the geese in the dyed-blue, fountained pond below me, but I couldn't grow much there. I could keep a pot of cat grass in my basement/bedroom window for my cat to ignore, but it was a poor replacement for living with nature. I could visit my extended family and help them dig the dirt, but I could only be there for either the sowing or the harvest. I could never be there for the whole experience in my own home.

I was extremely lucky to get the chance to buy this house. Its so cheap that a bank wouldn't give anyone a loan for it. The only way it was offered to my partner and I was through an unusual and tragic string of events through a family that my partner knows. We paid for it through a land contract with the mom of my partner's friend from work. We started out just renting it from her because she needed money and we couldn't find a cheap enough apartment to rent. Then she needed more money and I got a better job. This random opportunity is one of the best things that could have happened for me. Its a shame that land costs anything, that there is an economic barrier in place preventing children from growing plants and digging dirt.

I grew up fantasizing about growing a garden, thinking about ways I could make it possible. What if I bought a bag of dirt, a kiddie pool and a hose from the store and combined them on my balcony? Would it be deep enough to grow tomatoes? Do I even have a hose hook-up? I never would have guessed that I would actually have a yard one day. As much as I enjoyed gazing at the summer stars from the communal parking lot, I'm glad this summer is leafier. I'm thankful for the opportunity to watch something I've planted grow.

Tldr; I planted some green onions and brought a succulent back to life with dirt from my back yard and I'm really excited about it.

[rcox808]

Public

at, Jul 11, 2015 at 10:42 PM

LICKING OUR WOUNDS?

HE IS WAITING TO HEAL

YOUR BROKEN HEART

This is a message I gave in parts of Romania. I fought giving this message. I am not a preacher or teacher. God had to give this message through me. The evil one kept telling me if I gave this message, I would offend someone or they won’t have me back. WOW! Did God bless! I pray if you have been hurt or you have bitterness against someone, this will bring about forgiveness and you can forgive or get forgiveness. Ask God to speak to your heart as you read this message on forgiveness.

May God bless,

Ralph Parnell

“LICKING OUR WOUNDS”

MATTHEW 5:7

BEATTUDE # 5 – MERCIFUL

1. Have you ever witness two dogs engaged in a fight where one dog stronger-one dog weaker.

June of 2004, my friend and I went to Romania on a mission trip. We were walking from the

house we stayed to the church. As we were walking, there were some dogs that were running a dog out of their territory. The dogs were biting at the weak dog’s heals as it was trying it’s best to get away. I notice that the weaker dog’s pride was damaged pretty badly. He went over to the side licking his wounds.

That is the way we are at times, aren’t we? When someone hurts out “feelings”, our pride is damaged; we go over the side and lick our wounds. We go home and we say; “We will never go back to that church again.” No body likes me. I will just quit going to church and quit serving God. Do we say that, maybe not out loud but in out our minds. I’ve been there and maybe you have too..

A few years ago in a church that I used to be a member, I got my feelings hurt. There was something said about me that wasn’t true. Before I knew it, it was all over the church. I was hurt and I said I would never go back. If this is what Christians are, I want no part of it. I wanted to stand before the church and give them a piece of my mind if not all of it. I was so angry.

C) Then the voice of God spoke to my spirit. “I love you. Look how many times lies were told on my son, Jesus. I still love them. Look how my son suffered for you. Will you suffer for me? I will make you strong. I will show my power through you. Trust me! It was only the Grace of God that I stayed in that church. Through God I was made strong.

2. You say, “I want to treat people the way I want them to treat me.

They treat me bad, I treat them bad. They treat me good, I treat them good.

A) Through God, positive things you do for the Lord will come back to you. You love them any way.

B) However, all the negative things and past sin you leave in your life will rule your life. You will end up just like them or worst. You can’t change some one, only God. Then, they will have to let God to change them.

Galatians 6:7. “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, he will also reap.” Don’t you want to sow good things? Years ago, I bought some cucumber seeds. (I thought) When then came up, they were watermelons. This year, I planted yellow squash. Well it came up as Butternut squash. Be careful what you sow. You might not like what it turns out to be.

Matthew 7:2 “For with that judgment you judge, you will judged; and with the measured back to you.

Remember, it is impossible to give something away because in the end it will come back to you.

It does not matter what happens to me, It is how I react to the situation. I can be very angry or I can give it totally to God and let Him work it out for the best. Trust me; it is much better to let God take it than we try work it out ourselves.

3. If we treat people kindly with true love, it will come back to you in the end.

A) The more you treat people with Godly love, the more you get back. How can get angry over true love? I would be angry with myself because I didn’t know to accept true love. Some times you get hurt when people won’t speak to you or they think they are on a higher level than you. How sad. We have to love them no matter how we are treated. There some people in this world that I can only love through God. I couldn’t do it myself. God in the end will bless you and show them you are real. That is what I like…REAL PEOPLE. You will know where they stand.

B) You beat a dog, he will bite you. Pet and love the dog, it will be your friend. It’s same in our lives. If I go out and serve God in a Godly way and let God work through me, we will get results. Don’t try to serve God in His ministry without Him with you.

4. (Verse 7) Do we have a problem with being merciful?

A) Before we can be merciful to others, we MUST be merciful to self. We must forgive ourselves as God forgives us. We must accept who we are. Accept yourself knowing that Jesus accepted you just as you are. We are loved as much as the rich. We are loved as much as the poor. We are loved as much as the “elite.” If you are a child of GOD or not a child of God, God still loves you as much. YOU have to accept God as your Savior and live for Him to go to Heaven. God loves us as much as He loves anybody on this earth. We have to accept people as their self and let God change them. We can not change them in our strength.

5. Is it that we can’t be merciful because… we hold resentment in our lives?

A) Do we have jealously in our heart? Do we have the feeling that someone is a threat to us? Are we afraid they will tear down out little world? Are we afraid they will find out how we lived before we were saved? Didn’t we give our past to God when we asked Him to come into our lives and be our Savior? If we did, we don’t have it any more. The day we got saved, we started a new life. Now we some times suffer from our past sins. The sin is gone but what did we do to have to suffer the consequences.

If we have a problem with these things, then down deep within our hearts, we must learn to deal with a lack of positive self-image. Simply meaning … Our reactions are the result of hidden wounds and deep hurts needed to be released to the Lord and be healed and taken out of our lives.

6. Steps to being healed.

A) You must know in your heart you are NOT alone. God is always there. He will walk you through it. It is not always easy but through the fire, you will not be burned. God will show up.

B) You must realize everyone has been wounded by someone in their lives. (There are times when someone we love and are very close to who hurt us)

C) You must realize that some times there are wounds being afflicted on ourselves by ourselves. We want to blame others. We have to forgive ourselves. We can’t change the past but with God, we can change the future. He is our future. He is the only future.

7. The hidden wounds we carry around every day, what were the weapons that that inflect them within our hearts?

A) Let’s take a look at Jesus wounds on the cross; 1. Nails, 2. Whip, 3. A spear, 4. Thorns, but… His hidden Wound was a KISS from one of His own disciples.

B) The weapons that have wounded us were probably as common as the kiss. Maybe some were words, looks, body language, someone turn their back on you. Maybe someone thought they were better than you, maybe you are not in their click.

C. Some times “Christians” can be very mean. I have met them. How many times have you pass someone in church and when they see you they turn their head or go another way to keep from speaking to you? Have you ever passed someone in the market place and they turn their head or turn and go the other way. If you live long enough, you will. I used to catch up with them and make them speak. (I know that was the wrong reproach.)

8. The question is; what do we do with these hidden wounds? How do we handle them?

A) First of all, don’t nurse them. The worst thing you can do is relive them. Remember when the wounds may have come from Mom, Dad, or close friends when you were small children? That is reliving them. They have come to your mind all of your life.

B) Don’t curse them. Don’t let your wounds turn you in

to a bitter and angry person. It will steal the life right out from under you. It will ruin your life.

C) We must not rehearse our wounds. We can’t put aside or give them to God if we keep talking and keeping them alive. They will control us in everything we do. They will never go away. We then turn our lives over to bitterness and anger. That will turn into hate and more sin.

WE MUST NEVER ALLOW ANGER TO CONTROL OUR LIVES! NEVER!

9. You say, well? What do we do with them?

A) First if you have not given your life totally to God, then do so. Ask Him to come into your life and save you. You MUST be born again and have a personal relationship with Him.( If you need to do this, go to the faith page and read it. Then call me and I will pray for you and with you.)

B), Then give your anger and hurt totally to God. Give your life total life to Him. Do not hold anything back. Come as you are. He wants you that way.

C) Start visiting hurting people. Visit the sick, pray with and for them. Share the burdens of other people. That way we can drown our hurts. We will see people hurting more than we ever did.

10. How do we handle our hidden wounds?

A) Reverse them. Turn our hurts by sharing them as a testimony. Use them to help turn other people’s lives around. With God’s help, He can turn our wounds into compassionly thoughtful and caring human beings.

Let me tell you a true story that happen in my life.

I was married to a wonderful Godly Lady "Pat" for 19 years. She loved people. No matter who they were, she had a Godly love for them. From 1980 to 1991, she was a very sick lady. The year 1980, she was involved in a very bad accident in which an 18 wheeler ran over the car which she was riding in. Pat was in the hospital for 41 days. (Which is another story I will share some time.) She was in a hospital bed for another 3 months. In a wheelchair for another 6 weeks. Pat could not walk until God healed her legs. Her desire was to go to church again. The Sunday after she came home from the hospital, we took her to church. We had her in a wheelchair with 5 pillows all around her. That Sunday morning, I rolled her to the front of the church to sing a song, the alter was full. God did heal her from this wreck. For the next 11 years, her health went down. She was a very bad diabetic. Through this sickness, she lost her sight, and she lost one leg. Within a couple of weeks, she found out she had cancer. Now, here is a lady that loved the Lord and serving him teaching, singing, and working in children’s church right beside me every week she could. This is just a little bit of her life before she was hurt very bad.

The last 2 years of her life, (With her being in a wheelchair) she served God with all of her life. Let me say this. It doesn’t matter how much you love the Lord and how much you serve Him, someone out there don’t like you. Even if you greet everyone with a Godly love. Well…someone didn’t like us. We received three letters within 1990 -1991 letting us know that.

The person or persons would cut out words from magazines and paste them on the paper. It would say things like you are a preacher clone, here is some coupons to buy food with. The coupons would be expired. Some other mean things that I won’t mention. The first two I read them to her.

Then we received the third one. This one I never told Pat about. At this stage, she was very sick and did not have long to live. The letter said basically the same thing but this time they drew a picture. It was a picture of her in a wheelchair with a patch over one eye and with one leg. They had written above the picture; “poor little thing.” I went through the roof. The ANGER PIERCED MY BODY, MY MIND, MY THINKING! I was raging with anger. I wanted to find this person or persons.

At that time, I was over Sunday school at my church. I went to my pastor and let him read the letter. He was furious! He settle down but I didn’t. I went down to the Sunday school office and went through every Sunday school roll and look at every name and how they had filled out the information page. They did make one mistake. They wrote our name and address on the envelope in their handwriting. So, I match their handwriting to the handwriting on the envelope.

BINGO! There were two handwritings that match. One was a very dear sweet lady I know would never do this. The other, had to be the person. Looking at the person’s life, it had to be it. Everything was perfect.

The anger swelled in my soul. I wanted to kill him. (Thank God I was a Christian.) My pastor clamed me down and I just went home. Every time I went to church, I would make a point to find this person and shake their hand with a hard hand shake. I would smile and say I’m praying for you. May you have a great week. It is so good to see you. I did that for a year or so after the Lord had took my wife home to be with Him.

I could not turn loose those letters. I would read them just about every day. I was so hurt and bitter. I wanted to go to that person but I could not prove it. I wanted so bad to know. The letters were on my mind when I got up in the morning and there when I went to bed at night.

I will never forget it. It was on a Monday night when my pastor showed up at my door. The Lord had been dealing with me about the letters. I kept them in my night stand next to my bed. When the pastor came in and sat down on the couch, I know God had sent him. God spoke to my spirit. Go get the letters and give them to the pastor. I fought it. I said no, I want to find out who it was. God spoke to my spirit one more time. Go and get the letters.

I looked at my pastor and said I will be right back. I went into the bedroom just about broken in my spirit and got the letters out of the drawer. It took everything within me to get the letters and give them to my pastor.

As I carried them to the pastor, I saw him smiling. He knew why he was there and I did too. God was working. I said to my pastor, “I can not get rid of these letters. Will you take them and destroy them for me?” He reached out his hand and took them and with them the anger and bitterness left with them. He prayed with me and I let go all the anger and bitterness within my soul. After that, I was a free man. Yes I did think of them again and I have ran into this person many times since then. I see him almost every week. But, there is no anger or bitterness just pity and love that only God could minister with in me.

Today I still see this person even in the church that I am a member of. I still pray for this person. Some times I wonder if God gives me a test or teaching me a love when I pass someone and I see no Christian love or someone that thinks they are on a higher level than I.

11. Forgive someone that has deeply hurt you!!! Yes, It would be for us but not with God!? IMPOSSIBLE!

A) Who is a better teacher on Forgiveness than the Lord Jesus Himself!

B) Remember what Jesus said on the cross? Forgive them for they know NOT what they do.

C) Jesus is an expert on Forgiveness.

D) He can heal you from those hidden wounds that you have and can not turn loose.

E) Just come as you are and He will be waiting.

Let me end with this.

If we are merciful, God can release us from those bitter, angry attitudes that can and will destroy our lives. If we follow God’s plan (that is the Bible)…God’s Holy word and a personal relationship with Him, we can have a joyful life right here on this earth. First we must allow Jesus to come into our lives and take control and then we will have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ Our Savior. That is the only way to get to Heaven through Jesus Blood. Would you like to do that right now? You can right where you are. Is it pride that is holding you back? Do you think you have arrived and you got all it takes? If you do, I pity you and I will pray for you. Let’s don’t be like the weak dog. Let’s stand for Jesus!

You will never forgive anyone more than God has already forgiven you.

God has blessed me more than I could tell or write since then. Pat went to be with the Lord in 1991. In 1993, God put another Godly lady in my life. Merle is my right arm, my prayer warrior, and my wife. We were married for 17 years this past July 18 2010. It seems like we have been together for ever. We have been on many mission trips, Merle teaching a Bible Study in our home on Tuesday nights, and He uses us in many ways. He will use us until He takes us home to be with Him. Praise the lord!

Since then, I have been through Three car wrecks. One July 3rd. 1993 and the second one in Bucharest, Romania in the year 2000. In that wreck, seven went to the hospital. The devil has TRY to take me out since I was borne. I weigh in at 2 lbs. when I was born. At the age of 9 years old, I was hit by a car that almost took me out. A lot of small wrecks. Then in 1993, a guy driving drunk hit me in the back and that put me out of work. Then in 2000, a car hit us head-on and a another car hit us in the back, and we hit a building. You know? I'M STILL HERE devil! God is NOT finish with me yet. Praise the Lord. The third was in April 3rd 2012. A car hit me in the back and threw the truck in the air. I had to be cut out. Came out with a broken neck. One minister of music said one time, "When God gets through with you, He will kill you and take you on home." He said that as a joke but how true it is. , I am79 years young. I can't do what I used to do but, I can do what He wants me to do and will show me how to do it.

If you are not saved and have questions about giving your life to the Lord Jesus, write to us and we will try to lead you to the lord. God Bless you.

May God Bless.

Ralph & Merle Parnell

ralph4god2@att.net

Photo by Thomas Mabry

[fleurdefoudre]

It’s been a while since I laid out a nice meaty spread and it seemed like the first of the year would be a good day for it.  All I asked for was ‘what do I need to know as I start the new year’ so...

The Present/Outlook - Ace of Pentacles - Despite it being the middle of a particularly frigid winter, the cards are absolutely right: I’m looking at a new beginning, one I intend to have a decent amount of actualization in, specifically in the areas of family and finances.  My husband and I are pretty resolved to try for children this year (so the bunny is particularly apt) and we need to fix up and sell our condo as soon as possible to help us with that.  I have a few ideas for selling and producing things and all around, I’m looking forward with fresh ideas and new desires.

The Challenge - Page of Swords - My brain immediately went to ‘fickle and brash’ when I saw this card and I can definitely see that being a challenge for the year.  Having a sword as the ‘challenge’ also means to me that we’re going to have unexpected troubles poking up, things we might have thought we had in hand turning to give grief.  Given that I doubt one particular person is going to be our ‘trouble’, I’m going to assume this is a tendency to be quarrelsome, finicky, and over-react to things and I’ll try and take that into account.

The Past - The Lovers - trufax, we made a lot of decisions last year: we bought a house, among many other things, and those decisions are going to be playing out a lot in the months to come.  I also know, reading the card more than the meaning, that the unity of my husband and I, the times we went through, are going to be an important thing to keep in mind and fall back on in the coming days. 

 The Future - Knight of Pentacles - surprise surprise, the Knight who sows the seeds, who builds the battlements.  We have lots of groundwork to work on, so having that as my next step makes oodles of sense.  We’ll be getting our butts in gear and getting things done and hopefully the energy of the knight will be with us to keep our progress steady and continual.

Above/Aspirations - rx Six of Pentacles - As we work towards new things, it’d be very easy to throw money around, throw money at problems.  Also, as we work towards happy goals and good things, there’s an inclination in me and to some degree my husband to feel like we have to give to others an inordinate amount.  This feels like the reminder to be careful of that, to go back to the Five and remember the lean times, remember that kids are expensive and house repairs are expensive and to do what we can to be honest with ourselves about what we have and what we don’t have so that we don’t end up in a worse condition.

Below/Subconscious - rx Hermit - I got the Hermit a lot in the last year, and I think it coming up in this spot, specifically reversed, is really kind of significant.  I don’t WANT to be alone, I don’t want to be contemplative; I’ve hidden away enough and now it’s time for me to really throw myself out into the world a little as scary and as rough as that can be sometimes.  Funnily enough, as I played a video game of all things, a phrase really hit me: “Practicing by yourself just exacerbates your flaws” because, while it’s useful for a beginner to have a good baseline, eventually it just lets you fall into a rut with no one there to point out what you’re doing wrong even if it can LOOK right to you.  You never grow past a certain point until you get out there and I’m going to work on getting out there even if my inclination is to stunt myself and try and remain inward-facing.

Advice - rx Queen of Wands - I feel like this is letting me know that I almost need to forget what I think I know, ‘empty my cup’ so to speak, and let myself relearn my passions, my creative work, try new things, push new boundaries.  Don’t rest on my laurels, don’t take comfort in mastery, but try new stuff without the fear of (absolutely certain at some point) failure.  The rx Queen here even looks a little like plumes of smoke rising this way, and that could be an intended result or the result of a failure, who knows?  Maybe one that becomes another.  I won’t know until I try.

External Influences - Seven of Pentacles - some of my work will be coming to harvest this year; I have a feeling that has to do with some things at work, with the condo stuff, with my husband’s stuff, with some family stuff.  The seeds that were sown are going to be coming to fruit, mostly for the positive I should hope but also, as seeds go, for the negative as well.  It’s a reminder that our past actions and planning and consideration will have something to do with this year as well as what we’re doing right now.

Hopes and Fears - Queen of Cups - I’ll be honest: there’s a lot about what’s going on this year that I’m excited for and yet, it’s the sort of stuff that I’m also really worried about.  The Queen of Cups is one of the cards that’s looked to as head of the household, and with kids on the horizon, that is a role that I desperately want to fill properly.  I didn’t have the best upbringing and I have my fears that I’ll bring some of those unhealthy things into my own childrearing.  Aside from even that, I know that I need to have a healthy emotional state myself to weather some of these things and the Queen of Cups is my hope (mastery of my emotions, of self-understanding, of love and healing) and my fear (someone who is too emotional, has too strong a tie to emotions, who’s watery and fluid instead of stable).  There’s a line here that I’m going to have to learn and I’m going to try and keep the advice from earlier in mind: failure will happen, it’s not the end unless you make it one.

Outcome - Ten of Wands - Whelp, think that one’s kind of a given.  With everything planned, with the new directions my life is hoping to take this year, yup yup yup, can’t say I didn’t see it coming.  I’m going to do my best not to overburden myself.  Fingers crossed.

Overview

One cup, though in an important place, though the rest of it should help with the ‘fears’ part since emotions and such just aren’t going to be the greatest influence here.  There’s also only one sword, but in another rather important place, which makes me think that for both of these, there’s going to be some key moments.

Two Major Arcana, so largely this is going to be in my hands.  The universe is not going to be putting too many things in my path; this is all gonna be me driving.

Three rx cards, so not a huge amount of blockage or stagnation, not too much where my instincts are going to be wrong and I have lessons to learn as of yet.  But enough to note them and I’ll have to be careful of them.

Four court cards, so who I am (in the moment, and for the opening of the year) is going to be a little in flux and I can see that, can see me shifting and trying to find an equilibrium given what’s coming up.

Four pentacles, which makes sense because actualization ahoy, lots of real life effort and real life changes and real life things coming about.  In comparison, there’s two wands, keeping the fires going.

All in all, plenty to digest as I consider my first breakfast of 2018.

[esquirho]

“But you’re a lawyer, you’re making all the big bucks now” yea.. FALSE!!🙅🏾

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard some variation of that statement. It’s almost as though the term lawyer has become synonymous with wealth. To a certain a extent, I can see why. Lawyers are portrayed (for the most part) as being well-dressed, and living a lavish lifestyle, etc. For those who’ve had the unfortunate pleasure of needing a lawyer, they’ve become familiar with the “high�� prices lawyers charge. So I guess, one can say that yea.. “I’m making the big bucks 🙄”

What if I told you that at one point in time (not too long ago actually) I was making less than an office assistant (no offense to this line of work–it’s a very important job) Let me put things into perspective. Before law school I worked as an account rep for a credit union (making decent money for a recent college grad). Had I stayed at that job and gave up on my dream (and ultimately my destiny) I would be making more money than I was AFTER getting my law degree. 😳LET THAT SINK IN… LET IT MARINATE.. yea.. exactly.

After all these years of schooling, studying, testing, reading, writing, oral arguments… one would think I’d be going home with “the big bucks💰”. I learned very quickly that perception is not always reality. You see, for a few months after graduating and passing the bar (thank you Jesus..won’t He do it🙌🏿) I was just getting by. Rent was always paid (somehow) food was never a problem (I’m a foodie… touch not my food and do my chocolate🍫 no harm🙅🏾) and well, I was not in want of clothes(flex for the gram📷). My savings account– ha.. that was a joke and a half. SOMEHOW “I got by”

HOW?? No I wasn’t working the corner, & NO I didn’t pick up a part-time job as bartender (like MANY new lawyers often do) or even drive Uber (you have no idea how many times I considered this😩).. so what did I do?

I GAVE–

Yup, I just said I was barely making it, had nothing in my savings, but here I was giving. A little backwards isn’t it? You have little, but you’re giving? 😟Yup.. that’s exactly what I was doing. See, I’m a trial by fire kind of a person. I’m the child who touched the hot iron even AFTER I was told not to. I’m the test me and prove me now kind of person, and that’s exactly what I did. At an early age (even before I became a devout Christian) I bought into the idea of seed sowing and tithe giving. It was the one concept of the Christian faith that I grasped quickly (which isn’t too much of a surprise because I enjoy giving gifts). You see, the Bible tells us to give the first 10 percent of our income to God. For some, giving that 10 percent is almost like ripping their child from their arms; it’d be easier to ask them to cut off their big toe. 😓Giving that 10 percent is NOT EASY AT ALL; especially when you do the math. When I thought about the things that 10 percent could do.. man! Like clockwork, by the grace of God (only by His grace, because Lord knows there were days… chiillleeee!!!) “I ripped that child from my arms and gave it away.”

Now here’s the interesting part.. EVERY time I paid my tithe, SOMEHOW I’d end the pay period with enough left over to treat myself🤗. It made NO SENSE. (Let’s be honest, half the time neither does GOD) On Fridays, I would look at what my paycheck was for that week, do A LOT of subtracting and sometimes end up with NEGATIVES (yup..that’s right😔). By the following week, SOMEHOW, I’d still have money left over. EVERY TIME. How? because no one sacrifices for God and goes unrewarded. Because God takes care of those who take care of His Kingdom. Because when he said “prove me now and see that I will open the storehouse of heaven and pour out a blessing so great that you won’t have enough room to take it in” HE WAS NOT JOKING!! There’d be times RANDOMLY money would come to me. Other times, something I thought I had to pay off would suddenly go from whatever the amount was to $0.00. Times when discounts that didn’t exist were created just for me (because “I like your smile”.. honey that’s FAVOR!!!🙌🏿)

Times it was so HARD to give (I mean rent is almost due, Sallie Mae is knocking at my door, that check engine light is whispering sweet nothings to me) I GAVE!! It wasn’t easy oh! Make no mistake. I’d find myself standing in front of church paying tithe or sowing a seed and inside I’m like “you this stubborn girl, you wont go sit down.” 😒 But the Kingdom of God must be taken care of. When you take care of God’s business (paying tithe, helping others in worse conditions that you) He takes care of you!

Not too long ago, God reminded me that if He can take care of the lilies of the field who do not labor, yet are splendidly clothed (Matt 6:28-29), He can also take care of me. God opened a door to a wonderful job opportunity. (Relax, don’t come for my “big bucks” – Sallie Mae is already on it😅) This job brought stability, benefits (any job willing to pay for my yearly bar fees has my heart forever😍) and a consistent reminder that GOD TRULY CARES FOR THOSE WHO CARE FOR HIM.

With that said, if you’re a tithe payer– be consistent with it, do it and do it well! The return may not come like you expect, (money for money) but it may come in the form of: favor with your boss, a miracle with your immigration status, full tuition for your child, or healing for an ailing family member. Hallelujah 🙌🏿🙌🏿 The Word of God is power and it’s active, it WORKS!

If you’re not paying tithe– baby girl/homie – stop robbing yourself of blessings; the money you THINK you’re saving is NOTHING compared to the blessings you’re wasting. I pray God gives you the grace and ability to take this step of faith. I PROMISE you, you will NOT regret it. "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” ‭‭Malachi‬ ‭3:10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Tis all

- from the desk of Esquirho ;)

[johnchiarello]

Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10 ‘IS THERE HOPE FOR FALSE PROPHETS?’

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  Why write this book? Over the years of struggling with these issues I would often come across an article, book or some type of testimonial that would expose many of the errors that are dealt with in this book.  Some of the books I read seemed to leave little or no room for repentance and restoration of the ‘prosperity preachers’. I not only believe that Gods ultimate purpose in exposing sin is for the restoration of the individual, but there are examples of former prosperity preachers who have seen some of these gross errors and have returned to a balanced presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 What constitutes a false prophet? While there are many characteristics that we can mention, I would like to deal with one specific area relevant to our study. That area is motivation. In 2 Peter chapter 2, the apostle deals with covetousness as a motive for teaching heresy [2 PETER 2:1-3]. He states that Balaam was a false prophet who ‘loved the wages of unrighteousness’ [2 PETER 2:14-16]. Although balaam’s gift was legitimate, it was his motivation [the love of money] that caused him to use his gift in a wrong way. So you can have a true prophetic gift, and yet be a false prophet because of a covetous motivation [JUDE 11]. The early church even went so far as to brand someone a false prophet if they hung around more than a few days and charged for their ministry! [Read the Didache].

 As mentioned earlier, Paul and Peter warned against being in ministry for financial gain [1 TIM.6, 2 PETER 5:2, TITUS 1:11]. Jesus himself laid down a strong warning against the hireling mentality [JOHN 10:12-13].

 It is clear from these warnings [and the many others in the N.T.], that the early Christians were very aware of the dangers of the love of money. I have heard it taught that this ‘fear ‘ or ‘scared’ attitude towards money is just a ‘religious mindset’ that has no foundation in the word of God. This just isn’t true! The bible contains many warnings against materialistic living and covetousness that were the foundation of the ‘healthy fear’ that the early church had towards money.

 Now the scripture teaches that there will be a time when certain teachers [false prophets] who are motivated by money, will teach false doctrines [Jesus and the disciples being rich, etc.] and that these teachers would connect faith and money [gain and godliness], as going hand in hand. Now if the current abuses of the prosperity movement do not fall into this category, then who does? We just can’t deny all the evidence pointing to this movement as one of the fulfillments of the ‘false prophets’ who teach that gain is godliness! We as a church must see this before there can be any true restoration of those involved, or more importantly a preventing of this false gospel from being taught to a whole new generation of believers!

 The scripture says to rebuke false prophets sharply so THEY MAY BE SOUND IN THE FAITH [TITUS 1:13]. Even the false shepherds of Ezekiels day were promised restoration and usefulness in their latter years [EZEKIEL 44:10-14].

 If we begin to renounce our errors and return to the Lord [repentance], there will be true renewal in the church. Jesus warned the church to repent because she had within her those that held to the ‘doctrine of balsam’ [REV. 2:14-16]. It is possible for those who have taught these errors to repent and be restored to a pure gospel of Christ.

 Jesus dealt with the ‘money changers’ of his day just prior to the establishing of Gods kingdom.  MARK 11:15-17 AND THEY COME TO JERUSALEM: AND JESUS WENT INTO THE TEMPLE, AND BEGAN TO CAST OUT THEM THAT SOLD AND BOUGHT IN THE TEMPLE, AND OVERTHREW THE TABLES OF THE MONEYCHANGERS, AND THE SEATS OF THEM THAT SOLD DOVES; AND WOULD NOT SUFFER THAT ANY MAN SHOULD CARRY ANY VESSEL THROUGH THE TEMPLE. AND HE TAUGHT, SAYING UNTO THEM, IS IT NOT WRITTEN, MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED OF ALL NATIONS THE HOUSE OF PRAYER? BUT YE HAVE MADE IT A DEN OF THIEVES. The moneychangers served as a sort of currency exchange for anyone wanting to bring any offerings or do any legitimate worship at Jerusalem, but needed to exchange their type of currency for the official currency that was accepted at Jerusalem. I find this interesting, because the function of the moneychangers themselves was a legitimate business function. But their business itself brought a type of merchandising to the temple that Jesus himself found highly offensive. I find a present day application to the moneychanger mentality in the modern prosperity movement. The movement teaches Christians to focus their attention on the return they will get on their investment into the kingdom. It causes Christians to give their offerings with the expectation of some type of return on their money. While this in itself is not wrong, for we know that God does reward his children [HEB. 11:6], the tendency of the prosperity message actually appeals to the covetous nature of people in order to make disciples of Christ! Jesus told people to forsake all to follow him, while the movement tells people if you follow him he will make you rich! I have heard it taught that as you sow your seed [money] into the offering basket that you need to ‘picture’ your harvest of what you are believing for in your mind  [whether healing, a new car or house, the salvation of a loved one, etc.] and then your seed [money] will produce your harvest! The very idea of exchanging your money [or changing it!] into the visualized harvest of your own expectation is just as off base as the money mentality of the first century moneychangers. This is the only recorded incident in the N.T. where Jesus was visibly angry.

 REVELATION 4:14-22 ‘AND UNTO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH OF THE LAODICEANS WRITE; THESE THINGS SAYETH THE AMEN, THE FAITHFULL AND TRUE WITNESS, THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF GOD; I KNOW THY WORKS, THAT THOU ART NEITHER COLD NOR HOT. SO THEN BECAUSE THOU ART LUKEWARM, AND NEITHER COLD NOR HOT, I WILL SPUE THEE OUT OF MY MOUTH. BECAUSE THOU SAYEST, I AM RICH AND INCREASED WITH GOODS, AND HAVE NEED OF NOTHING; AND KNOWEST NOT THAT THOU ART WRETCHED, AND MISERABLE, AND POOR, AND BLIND, AND NAKED: I COUNSEL THEE TO BUY OF ME GOLD TRIED IN THE FIRE, THAT THOU MAYEST BE RICH; AND WHITE RAIMENT, THAT THOU MAYEST BE CLOTHED, AND THAT THE SHAME OF THY NAKEDNESS DO NOT APPEAR; AND ANOINT THY EYES WITH EYESALVE, THAT THOU MAYEST SEE. AS MANY AS I LOVE, I REBUKE AND CHASTEN: BE ZEALOUS THEREFORE, AND REPENT. BEHOLD, I STAND AT THE DOOR, AND KNOCK: IF ANY MAN HEAR MY VOICE, AND OPEN THE DOOR, I WILL COME INTO HIM, AND WILL SUP WITH HIM, AND HE WITH ME. TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH WILL I GRANT TO SIT WITH ME IN MY THRONE, EVEN AS I ALSO OVERCAME, AND AM SET DOWN WITH MY FATHER IN HIS THRONE. HE THAT HATH AN EAR, LET HIM HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT SAITH UNTO THE CHURCHES.

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[jamaalw]

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” – 2 Peter 2:1

In these last days the enemy is assaulting true Christians with many false teachers. There are in fact so many false teachers that I can spend hours and hours every day exposing them and I still wouldn’t have enough time to expose them all.

Is it important to spot out false teachers? Absolutely. The Bible is clear that we are to mark those who put obstacles in our way that are contrary to the the teaching that we have learned (Rom. 16:17). The Lord Jesus Christ warned that if a blind man leads another blind man they both fall into the pit (Matt. 15:4). Sadly, many are going to end up on the broad road to destruction because of false teachers. They shut up the Kingdom of God according to Jesus (Matthew. 23:13)

These false teachers not just in the United States but worldwide. This spiritual war that we are all in is a worldwide affair. The Bible is clear satan deceives the whole world (Rev. 12:9), that is why one must be vigilant as satan is like a roaring lion (1 Pet. 5:8). It is  unsettling that the enemy can be operating right behind the pulpit via a Pastor, Evangelist, teacher etc. and that is why we should be a “fruit inspector.” Jesus warned us 2,000 years ago that we will know false prophets or teachers by their fruits; a good tree will produce will good fruits, but a bad tree will produce bad fruits.

Note: if an X teacher falls under one more of the following (with a few exceptions) it doesn’t always necessarily mean he is a false teacher since no one is perfect. The following can be a general idea to help you see certain red flags of a teacher.

1. Self-Promotion

“Promoting self under the guise of promoting Christ is currently so common as to excite little notice.” – AW Tozer

Jesus is and His teachings are supposed to be central. King Jesus didn’t come to be served but to serve. Be wary about those who boast about their success and achievement. This is an indicator of pride and pride is an abomination to God (Prov. 16:5).

One blatant indicator of a false teacher is self-promotion. If the ministry named after himself or herself is an obvious red flag. They will also tend to give themselves lofty titles such as “Reverend,” “Apostle,” or “Prophet.” There will also be a sort of a cult of personality around the person. The teacher or preacher will usually have written books (which are likely to be theologically bad), and their face will almost always be on the front cover.

Because of their celebrityhood there could be a sort of cult of personality built around the person. God is not a respecter of persons (Rom. 2:11) so why would God be behind a person to be boosted up? One shouldn’t think they are something when we are all nothing otherwise we deceived (Gal. 6:3). The Bible reads God will not share His glory to another (Isa. 42:8). Contrast these celebrity Pastors with the attitude of John the Baptist who said “I must decrease but He must increase” in referring to the Lord. A true Christian walking with Christ will be humble and Glorify God first and foremost. No man should be elevated above another when we are all supposed to be brothers (Matt. 23:8). Jesus Christ said the greatest of all is the one who is the least (Luke 9:48).

2. Tickles the Ears

“A popular evangelist reaches your emotions. A true prophet reaches your conscience.” – Leonard Ravenhill

False teachers will teach what sinful man wants to hear. Our flesh wants to hear smooth sayings. Exhortation to obedience to God’s commands is rare. You will never feel conviction by his sermons or teachings. Such teachings can be so insidious because it just seems so “right” or “true.” False teachers will tell people what their itching ears want to hear (hence they tickle the ears).

Does the preacher frequently emphasize God’s love but tends to ignore the “offensive” characteristics of God? Yes, God does love the world (John 3:16), and God is love (1 John 4:7). But God is also a God of wrath and judgment (John 3:36; Isaiah 26:21; Rev. 20:15). Sadly, we have heard God loves us so much that many sinners are going to be surprised to find himself that this God who is love sent them to hell. Jesus said that on that day many will to Him “Lord, Lord…” but Jesus will say to them “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt. 7:22-23).

If Jesus had many hard teachings then surely should preachers. One preacher once said “if Jesus had preached the same message that ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified.” A few examples are when Jesus said if you don’t love Him more than mother, father or even child you are not worthy of Him (Matt. 10:37). Jesus said to strive to enter the narrow gate because broad is the road that leads to destruction (Matt. 7:13-14). Jesus said that if your eye or hand causes you to sin then it is better for one to gouge out your eye and cut off your hand than to end up in hellfire (Matt. 5:29-30). Jesus said to not fear man who can only kill the body but fear God who can destroy both body and soul in hell, and He said this to His friends (Matt. 10:28). Hard sayings from the meek Lamb of God. Remember, this is the same God that destroyed all human life but 8 people with global flood (Gen. 6:17) because of sin (Gen. 6:5). The God of the Bible is a holy (1 Pet. 1:16), jealous (Ex. 20:5), judgmental (Is. 61:8) God who hates sin (Heb. 1:9).

How many people in the pews know that to be blessed is to be persecuted (Matt. 5:10-12)? The Apostles thanked God for being persecuted for Jesus (Acts 5:41). Jesus said if you lose your life for His sake then you will gain it (Matt. 16:25). In fact, that is said in all 4 Gospels! Do you ever hear such a message from X preacher? Does his usually sermons or teachings focus what God can do for us rather on what we can do for God? Does he rarely, if ever preach against sins such as fornication or pornography, which widespread these days? Then that’s a teacher to avoid.

3. Materialism, Wealth, and Health

“The early church was married to poverty, prisons and persecutions. Today, the church is married to prosperity, personality and popularity” – Leonard Ravenhill

The prosperity Gospel has spread like a plague all throughout the world of Christendom. One study claims that 4 out of 10 churches in America preach prosperity.

Teachers of the prosperity Gospel will teach if you give money to their ministry God will bless you. The teaching that you will receive health and wealth if you sow a seed into their ministry is unbiblical. They will give self motives for so-called seed faith offerings. But we should give to glorify God and to benefit others. 

Yes, God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7). Yes we should give as the apostles did (2 Cor. 12:15). But if the seed is true then why didn’t it apply to Paul (1 Cor. 4:10-11)?

If the preacher lives lavishly and luxuriously then that is a tell-tale sign to avoid the individual. If the preacher has a fleet of expensive cars and a mansion then that’s also a red flag. Jesus despite being King was very humble. In His triumphal entry into Jerusalem He didn’t ride on a regale horse but instead a lowly donkey. The Apostles and the early church were poor in the material sense, but were spiritually rich. 

These prosperity preachers are materially rich because God is blessing them, right? Actually, no. The devil has blessed many of his people with riches and wealth. Jesus said to store your treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:19-21) so why are some of these preachers living in luxury?  During His ministry Jesus could even find a place to lay His head (Lk. 9:58) so it should raise red flags when a preacher lives in a mansion. I seriously doubt the Spirit of the living God is working behind a preacher who would be so wealthy when there are millions of of Christians throughout the world living in poverty. Be careful about those who are making a profit out of their ‘ministry’.

Jesus said woe to you who are rich (Luke 6:24), and it is more difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom (Matt. 19:24). Jesus said you can’t serve both money and God, you will hate one and love the other (Luke 16:13). The Bible also reads the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil 1(Tim. 6:10). 

What about good health? Well, good health is not promised by God. The Apostle Paul was sick (Gal. 4:13). God even allowed a messenger of satan to be a thorn in his flesh to buffet him to keep him humble (2 Cor. 12:7). In fact, he went through trials that contradicts the health and wealth preachers teach:

“24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:24-28).

Didn’t God love Paul? Of course He did. But as the Bible reads “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).

Yes, God can bless a person with money and supernaturally heal a person if He chooses to, but false teachers will tend to emphasize those aspects of God making Him to be a sort of Santa Clause. Jesus however said one’s focus should be on seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness first and things will be added onto a person (Matt. 6:33).

We should learn to be content (1 Tim. 6:6-10; Phil. 4:11-13). Peter warned about such false shepherds who fleece the flock: “through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you” (2 Pet. 2:3). The New Testament focuses more on the hereafter rather than on earthly rewards. Indeed, the Bible reads to took at the things above and not on earthly things (Col. 3:2). The name it and claim it, and prosperity Gospel is not scriptural as it focuses on the things on Earth instead of making God Himself our reward (Phil. 3:8).

4. Lying Signs and Wonders

“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” – Matt. 24:24

Jesus warned there will be false prophets showing great signs and wonders who, if possible, will even deceive elect (Matt. 24:24). Such false teachers will publicize their supposed miracles. Jesus however told people He healed to not tell the general public. They will claim they can do all kind of miracles but they are almost never verification for such miracles. Their supposed power involves theatrics of display.Some of these false teachers use fake miracles to boost themselves or their ministry up. Don’t be deceived. If they do have genuine supernatural power (and some really do) is it really of God? The devil has supernatural power too. If the people prayed for are convulsing on the ground or laughing hysterically then it is likely not of God. 

5. False Prophecies

“And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.” – Deut. 18:21-22

There seems to be scores of self-proclaimed prophets these days. There are a plethora of them on Youtube and elsewhere on the internet. But God gave us a test to know if a prophet is really from Him or not. In Deuteronomy 18:22-21 it reads that if a supposed prophet gives even one false prophecy then he or she is rendered as a false prophet since God knows the beginning to the end (Is. 46:10).

I find it interesting many of these supposed prophets almost always “prophesy” very good things to people. This is reminiscent of the days of the prophet Jeremiah when God said “16 ….Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. 17 They keep saying to those who despise me, ‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’ And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, ‘No harm will come to you’…. 21 I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied” (Jer. 23:16-17; 21).

A lot of times their supposed “prophecies” sounds very appealing to the flesh. Test all things and use the litmus test God gives in Deuteronomy 18.

6. Unbiblical Lifestyle

“6 if any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 but a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” – Titus 1:6-9

Is the preacher or teacher really following Jesus?If he is a Pastor at a local church you are attending have you spent time with him outside of the church setting to see how he treats his family? Is he disobedient to what the Bible teaches? Does his actions betray what the scriptures teach? Is he very worldly? Has the teacher ever been involved in a scandal? Does he preach one thing but practice another thing? 

Jesus strongly disliked hypocrites (Matt. 23:1-29). This should be a blatant indicator of a false teacher. Sadly, some people are so blinded by their loyalty to their Pastor that they will stick by him even when caught in a gross scandal. Blind loyalty to man can in itself be a form of idolatry. The Bible reads to avoid any believer who lives an unruly life (2 Thess. 3:6). The Bible even goes as far to read that one should not even eat with a person who is sexually immoral, a swindler or who is covetous (1 Cor. 5:11). Teachers or preachers are not exempt.

7. Scripture Twisting or Ignores Scripture

“But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” – Luke 11:28

They may be great orators but their messages or sermons are really hollow and empty fluff that appeals to the flesh, and not inspired by the Holy Spirit. They are essentially motivational speakers. They are the people that teach from man’s wisdom rather from God’s wisdom. He or she will take scripture out of context or doesn’t exegete scripture at all. Such teachers will misinterpret scripture to fit man-made doctrine. 

Does the teacher emphasizes or goes to the extreme with certain doctrines? Does he add on to scripture his own doctrines? If yes, those are red flags. One end of the spectrum there are false teachers who don’t preach against sin, but on the other end of the spectrum there are false teachers who are exceedingly legalistic. Some even wrongly teach that one must keep the Old Testament laws to be saved rather than repenting and turning to the Lord Jesus Christ (read Gal. 2:16; 2:21; 3:11). 

I have never in my life heard the Pope read from the Bible (I have doubts he has ever read a whole page out of the Bible). If the preacher doesn’t read scripture at all then completely avoid him. 

Christians should never take for granted the importance of studying God’s Word. Jesus said man shall not live by bread alone but on every word that proceeds from God’s mouth (Matt. 4:4). Indeed, the Words of God are life (Jn. 6:33) and food (1 Tim. 4:6). 

One must do his due diligence to study the Bible (preferably with the aid of the Holy Spirit) to judge whether the preacher’s message lines up with scripture. 

8. Popularity

“If you want to be popular, preach happiness. If you want to be unpopular, preach holiness.” – Leonard Ravenhill

Jesus Christ was hated by the world (John 15:18-23), how is that the certain preachers are loved by the world? It is not biblical for there to be celebrity pastors. Contrast the popularity and celebrity of some the preachers to the words of John the Baptist who said “He must increase and I must decrease.” Jesus said the world loves its own so if the preacher is embraced by the ungodly that should raise red flags. 

There are certain Pastors who are popular because they don’t preach from the Bible. If certain teachers or pastors are embraced by the world, which is ran by the devil (2 Cor. 4:4), then he probably watered down the teachings of the Bible. A lot of what it in in the Bible is offensive to the common person. How popular would a preacher be if he strongly condemned premarital sex and preached that fornicators will end up in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8)?

 The Bible has a lot of teachings that are offensive and hard for those who love their life and many people even in churches love their life. There teachings appeal to the flesh.

Jesus said woe unto them when men speak well of you (Luke 6:26). Prophets in the bible were killed because they taught what people didn’t want to hear. Almost all of Jesus’ original 12 disciples were martyred.

9. Yokes Up With False Teachers

“14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” – 2 Corinthians 6:14-15

A true Christian should have nothing to do with the Pope, Islam, or any prosperity preacher, or teacher who teaches doctrine contrary to scripture.

It seems satan is trying to set up an ecumenism among the various faiths of the world in preparation for the Antichrist. In Amos  Several very popular teachers have yoked up with people of false religions.Mainline Christianity should have nothing to do with Roman Catholicism, Islam or any other faith or religion that contradicts the eternal Gospel.

There are false teachers in mainline Christianity where the leaders are yoking up with those who preach another Gospel and another Jesus. The Bible reads to not put up with a person who preaches such things (2 Cor. 11:4). In fact, the Bible reads those who preach another Gospel is accursed (Gal. 1:8)!

If a Pastor is to shepherd his flock then he wouldn’t be shaking hands with the wolves. If such a leader doesn’t have the discernment to see who is a false teacher then he probably not fit to be in a leadership position in the first place.

10. Preaching Another Jesus and Another Gospel

“For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” – 2 Cor. 11:4

Perhaps the most important and strongest indicator of a false teacher. No matter what if the teacher denies Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God (Matt. 16:15-16) and He is God (Is. 9:6) one should avoid him!

There have been very influential people who came under the guise of being a follower of God that founded their own religion or cult, namely Muhammad, Joseph Smith, and Charles Taze Russell. Today there are millions of followers of their respective religions or cults. They believed in a Jesus that wasn’t the Biblical Jesus Christ. Every false teacher will deny the eternal Gospel, which is the Good News concerning Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection according to the scriptures (1 Cor. 15:1-4), but preachers another Gospel.

Or the preacher will pervert who Jesus is character wise. Their Jesus maybe a Jesus who doesn’t judge because He just loves everyone. However the Bible reads the wrath of God abides on unbelievers (John 3:36) and commands all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30).

The Roman Catholics will profess Jesus Christ died for the sins of the world and that He is God in the flesh but they will deny sufficiency of His shed blood to cleanse us from all sins and will elevate Mary equal to or even above Jesus.

It’s vitally important for every person to personally know Jesus Christ of the Bible so it would easy to spot the counterfeit Jesuses taught by false teachers.

11. Too Proud To Be Corrected

These type of teachers have a tendency to take themselves too seriously – they think so highly of themselves they believe they are always right even if the Body of Christ comes in agreement against that person on an issue or issues. He is always right in his own eyes. If one rebukes him he retaliates. The Spirit of God is not behind such behavior (Pro. 12:1). Unwilling to heed correction is a sign of pride and pride is an abomination to God (Pro. 16:5).

Of course, correcting or restoring someone should be done the Biblical way (1 Tim. 5:19; Gal. 6:1).

12. Lack of Love

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor,and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.” – 1 Cor. 13:1-8

Ah, how can we not forget the most important characteristic a teacher ought to have: love. Jesus said the 2nd greatest commandment is to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matt. 22:39). 

Does the Pastor really care about his flock? Would he take time to personally minister to a person? Does he have compassion for people, and is humble as the Bible commands a Christian to be (1 Pet. 3:8)? Does he esteem others over himself (read Phil. 2:3)?

If the teacher is really operating by the Holy Spirit a marked characteristic of the person should be love because God is love (1 John 4:8). All of of the law is fulfilled when one loves his neighbor as he loves himself (Gal. 5:14; Rom. 10:13). If he does love others then does well (James 2:8).

      12 Signs of a False Teacher "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."

[buggie-hagen]

Sermon for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost (Year A)

Sermon Text: Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52

Dear People of God,

       I’ve never really needed glasses. When I was in high school I had 20/18 vision. I didn't even realize that was a thing, but it simply meant I could see better than average. However, the last time I went to the eye doctor I only had 20/20 vision. In the last couple of years both my parents have started to use glasses. And, more surprisingly, my siblings have talked about a need for having glasses. So far, I can see pretty well. I don’t have trouble driving, even at night. Based on my genetic heritage I suspect that glasses will be something I will need at some point in my life. When I hear stories of people who have newly started to wear glasses they often say something like, “wow, I can see so much clearer.” What I take from hearing this is that the blurry, less detailed vision that a person has before they get new glasses has become what they would consider to be normal. But, when they get glasses, they see a “new” normal. Instead of seeing things in a blur they see details they didn’t know they were missing. Things have become crystal clear—so to speak. New glasses offer people the chance to see the world in a new way.

In today’s Gospel lesson Jesus has offered us a new set of glasses. He teaches us what the kingdom of heaven is by using parables. Parables are short stories that use symbols to highlight how the world is or ought to be. He’s trying to get us to see the world in a new way. Often when we go about our day to day lives we get stuck in a routine where we have become used to seeing the world with blurry vision. Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven with parables to reignite our vision of the world. Our new glasses help us see the details of how God is at work bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth in and through God’s people.

When it comes to talking about “the kingdom of heaven” one of the first places my mind takes me is to the Lord’s Prayer when we ask God, “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.” Every Sunday we recite the Lord’s Prayer. Hopefully, more often than not, we pray with intentionality and not just out of rote memory. In addition to praying the Lord’s Prayer at church, I recommend that, if you’re not already doing so, to pray it as much as you can in your spiritual journey. At least, once when you wake up, once when you go to bed, and anytime you find yourself afraid or in need. Doing this is not being superstitious, but rather we do so in order to remind ourselves of God’s goodness and God’s promises to us. Luther provides us some idea of what it means to pray “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.” He says, “In fact, God’s kingdom comes on its own without our prayer, but we ask in this prayer that it may also come to us. (pause) Furthermore, he says, “God’s good and gracious will is done on earth as in heaven whenever God breaks and hinders every evil scheme…and whenever God strengthens us and keeps us steadfast in his Word and in faith…This is God’s gracious and good will.”

       Jesus offers us ways we can see God’s gracious and good will in bringing in the kingdom of heaven. (pause) The first two parables in today’s lesson share a particular theme, or understanding, of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” He goes on to say, “the kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour causing all of it to rise.”  The theme that these two parables have in common concerning the kingdom of heaven is that God’s gracious and good will is found in the little things. Right now, it seems like the good things in this world are few and far between. And, what is good in the world appears to be easily overwhelmed by what is bad. But, as with the mustard seed that is planted in the ground, or as with the yeast that is mixed with the flour, God’s promise is that the good things are what matter. The mustard seed will grow and in fact, as seen through the eyes of faith, the seed has grown into a great tree where the birds of the air come and nest in its branches. So, dear people of God, do not be discouraged by the oftentimes looming misery of the world. God promises to implement God’s gracious and good will through our hands.

The thing is, God has a knack for using the little, ordinary, and unexpected things to change the world for the better. Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said, “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” I read in the newspaper this about a senior in high school from the area. She was working on a project for the Global Education Achievement Certificate through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. The student said she wanted to do something tangible to help the world, and in her efforts, she discovered paint recycling. In April, she was able to collect 200 cans of paint through a latex paint drive. Paint is significant for developing communities throughout the world because, “This paint protects the buildings from weather damage, brightens and freshens appearance, improves hygiene and boosts community pride and self-esteem.” It might seem like collecting used and leftover paint would be a little and insignificant thing. But, it is one of those little things that can be done to make the world a better place, to make it the kingdom of heaven. Such a thing like paint collection can be one of those things that manifests our faith active in love. God calls us to be the kingdom of heaven on earth.  

       The next set of parables Jesus uses to share another theme, or understanding, of what the kingdom of heaven is share yet another theme. Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” I see these two parables as emphasizing the value of the kingdom of heaven. This is where our reading for today from 1 Kings becomes handy. Solomon, who at this time is a child and considers himself to be insignificant, asks God for understanding so that he might govern the people justly—to do only what is right and good. God praises Solomon for asking this instead of asking to live a long life, or to be rich, or for all his enemies to be dead. By doing so God communicates to us that being rich or getting everything we want is not as valuable as the kingdom of heaven. This might mean doing the right thing is not always the most attractive thing in the eyes of the world.

St. Paul reminds us that the Christian life involves being happy with those who are happy and crying with those who are crying. Certainly, the rains and the flooding in our region have been cause for people to cry. Houses and business and cars have been ruined. It is and has been an opportunity for us, as the people of God, to share the burdens of our neighbors in need—even if it didn’t happen in our own town, or our own home. The kingdom of heaven is of great value precisely because it is a way of life that serves the neighbor. Martin Luther says, “Therefore, I will give myself as a kind of Christ to my neighbor, just as Christ offered himself to me. I will do nothing, I will do nothing in this life except what I see will be necessary, advantageous, and salutary for my neighbor, because through faith I am overflowing with all good things in Christ.” What a liberating and refreshing way to look at life. Now, if only all people were so self-giving to each other we would live in a happier world. We would give everything we have for it. I think this vision is God’s dream for the world—where we all give ourselves to each other just as Jesus has given us himself. And, as you wear your glasses of the kingdom of heaven I encourage you to do good and be good to all people. It is not our place to choose who deserves our kindness. Just as God makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous, may we in turn be little Christs showing unconditional love to all people. (pause)

Now, we must address the last and perhaps most troubling parable. Jesus says, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the lake and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” On first glance, this idea of throwing the evil into the furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth can seem quite scary. However, we must understand the greater context of this passage. As is said, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the lake and caught fish of every kind. There is room for some celebration in that the kingdom of heaven includes people of every kind. For God’s love in Jesus Christ is unconditional. Hopefully that leads us to think of people who are different from ourselves in a kinder way—even if they have a different skin color or speak a different language. This includes people who walk and talk and dress different too—they might have tattoos and piercings we don’t have. Now then, Jesus speaks earlier in the chapter about this theme of separating the evil from good. In the kingdom of heaven, the angels will collect out of the kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers. Now, on one hand, this is a strict warning to be taken seriously. God demands that we be not evildoers but gooddoers. And God warns here that there are serious consequences for living outside of goodness and love—for God is both goodness and love. On the other hand, this separation is necessary because there will no longer be weeds to choke out the good in this world. As Jesus says, “the just [will then be able to] shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears listen!” When evil is no longer here we no longer need to be afraid and we can live as God meant us to live—as fully human. (pause) When reading a difficult passage like this it is key to always remember that there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

So, then, how do we have the power to live as God fully intends us to live. It is entirely by grace through faith. God, through Jesus Christ, has given himself freely for all the world when he died on the cross. In a happy exchange Jesus takes on all of our sin, all of our evil, all of our pain, and all of our sorrow, and in exchange gives us his life, his righteousness, his goodness, and his joy. This is what the Kingdom of Heaven is all about, and these are the gifts that our ours because we are part of the Kingdom. Our salvation does not depend on our own worthiness in what we do or say, but is entirely dependent on God’s gracious and good will in Jesus the Christ. The Holy Spirit draws us to Jesus through the word and the sacraments and makes us holy. Our faith glasses cause us to no longer consider blurry vision to be normal, but help us have a “new normal” where all live and are sustained by the goodness of God in Jesus Christ and then live for and love each other. This is completely trustworthy and true.

[joiminer]

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Yeah I said it, now what? I was the portal that dopeness chose to enter this world and I ain’t ashamed to say so. Lol. No, but for real. Have you ever looked at your child and been like, “you’ve been here before,” or “if you’re this dope, then I must be like the supreme Goddess of dopeness because I actually grew you,” or “you’re going to be the most awesome adult ever”? I do it every day, with both of my girls. But my oldest, my first born, my Mango, she’s BY FAR, the most awesome person I’ve met… and that says a lot because I know a LOT of super awesome people! I mean, like famous and almost famous, and even local celebrity type people. But my daughter is one of my favorite people in the world to be around, hands down.

My baby ain’t a baby no more. 

The funny thing is that this is the time when most mothers are wanting to strangle their teens. I invite mine into my room, we sit up and listen to music and write and talk for hours, she tells me almost everything and I am SO open with her, too. My momma told me recently that I was so lucky because by 15, she was ready to buy my headstone and dig me a hole. I was a mess. And I’ll admit it. Then, she did the worst thing a Southern mother can do to her child… she cursed me. Told me that Phoenix was gonna be the one to get her payback for her. Like, really momma? Dang. Lol. So, I’m just telling y’all right now, ten years from now, don’t be coming back over here looking for another “my teenager is dope” post. It’ll probably be more like, “5 ways to maintain your sanity when raising a diva who can’t even drive…” Lol. But I digress. Back to the one I got it right with the first time.

I know… I know, y’all probably think that I’m biased because she’s my daughter. Well, let me nip that in the bud. I’m gonna give you just the 3 MAIN reasons that my 15-year-old is dope and I bet you’ll be agreeing with me by the end of this post.

Reason #1:

She’s an artist

Her wall of drawings

More drawings and paintings

Ok, let me clarify. I’m a poet/novelist/publisher/editor. I can do ANYTHING that involves words. But Mango… she can do that and then some. Like, she’s a writer/poet/photographer/videographer/editor/painter/graphics designer. Yes, she does all of those things. And does them all WELL. She writes better than I do, and I ain’t even jealous. I mean, we want our children to be better than us, right? She’s on my mixtape as a poet. She hosted the open mic at my Sowing Seeds event back in August featuring world-renown Poet Sunni Patterson, the only teen in a room full of adults and she kilt that shit! Yeah, I said kilt. Lol. She’s reclusive in real life but a powerhouse onstage, man… for real.

She’s a 9th Grader at Ramsay IB High School, and was voted VP of her school’s Creative Writing group. She wrote an essay to get them funding for their newsletter. She wrote a poem about me, comparing me to a flower in a vase whose nourishing water was her own tears. Yeah… that one there, gets me every time. She got her first poem published in the 8th Grade. (Thanks DISCO.) She’s writing her first novel.

I mean, I could go on and on with this one alone. But I’ll just share the song that we did together for my upcoming mixtape, also featuring my sister Poetic Puff, as evidence. Ya know, so you don’t think I’m making it all up. Lol.

Mind of Mango is a private exclusive, only being shared here. Enjoy! (Feel free to download.)

Reason #2

She fed the homeless for her birthday

I’ll forever remember this as one of the many moments that meant so much to me. My daughter came to me and told me that she wanted to feed the homeless people around her school (5 Points South in Birmingham) for her birthday. Now, most teenagers want their learner’s permit. They want a part-time job. They want gifts, but she wanted to feed others. She was going to use her allowance to do it, but, come on… what mother wouldn’t want to make this wish come true for her child?

Mango, the mastermind

The bags

Inviting people over to take the bags

I have no idea what I’m saying here. Lol.

Well, it snowed on her birthday, January 7th. That was dope because she loves the snow and y’all know we barely get that mess here in Alabama. But the next weekend, we were up at 7 in the morning. Well, they were, I was asleep but they came and got me and were dressed and excited. By 9am, we had bought Wal-Mart out of all of their toothbrush travel packs, bought a couple cases of water, juice, oranges, boxes of chips, granola, gloves and skulleys. So… a Facebook post, that got the help of several of my dear friends and fans of both myself and my baby girl, and a couple hundred dollars later, we were ready to feed the homeless.

That face is priceless!

“You’re gonna let ME put this on your hands. Lol.

Phoenix was the official hand sanitizer distributor, happy to help her big sister make her dream come true. My dear friends AJ and Rob (soon-to-be Mrs. And Mr. Danner III) and their children came up from Prattville with more water (and fussed me out for not asking them to help more). Poet Brint Story and the beautiful Jasmine Enriquez were also there to help distribute the food and supplies. It was a MONUMENTAL day, man. Like, worth every dollar, second, and smile. Check out the slideshow below. Photos courtesy of Mr. Danner.

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Still not convinced of her dopeness yet??? No worries, there’s more. Lol.

Reason #3

She pitched and landed her own teen open mic to give herself and her peers a judgment free zone of expression

Mango is an artist, beyond the shadow of a doubt. But, as you can see, she’s also a very caring person. She approached me last year, after she hosted the open mic at my event, and said that she wanted to create one of her own for the teens in the area. She said she feels like they have nowhere that they can express themselves and their voices be heard. Of course, as always, I was all for it. She wanted to start in the Spring and have it at Avondale Park.

Well, the way the Universe is set-up, things happened a little differently than planned. In November, I spoke to the students at Putnam Middle School at the invitation of my dear poet friend, Mojo Mama. There, I met Liz Hughey, who owns DISCO (Desert Island Supply Company). I thanked her for having me, and told her that they’d published my daughter’s first poem. She asked who my daughter was. I told her Mango Miner. She nodded, smiled, and said, “that makes sense.” That, by far, is one of the most flattering compliments that I’ve received to date. Lol. I told her about Mango’s desire to start a teen open mic and she was all ears.

The next morning, I received an email offering the venue to Dira for her open mic. I just want you to read that part again… I’ll wait.

Ok, now I’ll proceed. Now, because I’m a teacher and mother first, I didn’t take it upon myself to do anything else but thank Mrs. Liz and tell Mango about the opportunity. Then, I emailed Mango a pitch that I’d done in the past and she emulated it and… her first teen open mic is on Friday, February 17, 2017. I did nothing. She did it all. On her own, with a little coaching from her entrepreneur mom. Even now, the meetings, the planning, the FB Fan Page, the promotions. All her. She’s fifteen. Hell, when I was 15, I was still trying to figure out why boys were so stupid. (Still haven’t figured that one out by the way. So, anyone with the answer, please feel free to share.)

But it gets better. (I feel like I’m on an infomercial… “But wait, there’s more.” Lol.)

Soooo, she wanted to call it “Mic Check.” But there’s already a popular event here by that name hosted by an awesome married couple, G.I. Magus and Jacqueline Jones. So, on the pitch, by the name of the event, I told her to put “TBD” and explained to her that it meant To Be Determined. Well, she chose to keep that name because she said that, as teens maturing into adults, their lives, their destinies, their everything is still being determined. Pretty cool, huh? (I will take a moment to say that she was heartbroken that “Mic Check” was taken, but she respected the reason that she couldn’t use it. She’s a better bad news taker than most adults I know. Lolbvs.)

I reached out to a few friends and they agreed to sponsor the event through the provision of chaperones every 1st and 3rd Friday night. She was excited about the sponsorships, but livid with me for bringing adults into the mix. See, Mango wants her event to be “by teens for teens.” Of course, all of my adult friends want to come show support, but she ain’t having it. Like, she even told me I could just drop her off. *insert hurt face with pearls clutched here*

Nahhhh, not for real, I don’t even wear pearls, but I was kinda hurt. But then, she explained it to me… she said, and I quote, “Umi, people, especially teens who are unsure of themselves, are less likely to open up and be true to themselves when they are in the presence of someone that they feel is superior to them.” Well… what could I say after that but, “ok, what time do I need to drop you off”?

So, as any proud mom would do, I’m blogging and posting all over social media about my daughter’s first ever artistic endeavor. That’s she’s doing with little to no assistance from grown-ups. Well, her dad did design the flyer… and I coached her… a little… and adults are providing the venue, but you know what the hell I’m trying to say. Sheesh!

Bragging Rights

See, I have an issue with bragging on myself, but I have no qualms whatsoever when it comes to bragging on my children. You know why? Because they are my Magnum Opuses. They are the greatest achievements I will ever have in my life and, books and performances and accolades aside… THEY are my legacy.

Now, are you ready to admit my teenager is doper than yours yet? If not, ‘tis cool. I wouldn’t expect a good parent like you to sell your baby short like that anyway. But… you’ve gotta admit, she is REALLY dope. Grown-ups wanna be her… Hell, I wanna be her! I WAS her one year for Halloween, actually. I told her that on my birthday, I could be anyone or anything I wanted to be (yes, I’m a spook baby), but I chose to be her. That did wonders on her self-esteem, man. She even styled me to make sure I got her swag right… do people still say swag? I can’t even keep up with the slanguage nowadays.

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Always

All

Smiles when we’re together!

Joi Miner as Mango Miner

Mango Miner

But I will say that when it comes to dope teens doing dope things, I truly believe I have the dopest of the dope.

3 Reasons Why My Teenager is Doper Than Yours! Yeah I said it, now what? I was the portal that dopeness chose to enter this world and I ain’t ashamed to say so.