Category Archives: Culture

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Back in the day…

Hello World…

This show perfectly captured all of the triumphs, foibles & questions of childhood...

As a journo and a resident of the A, you know I’ve heard the news, but I won’t analyze  it here because it’s being analyzed everywhere…On every social network, blog and online publication,  someone is posting a link to an article, a video, a picture, a commentary, this that and the other…and frankly, I’m just burdened by it all…One thing is for sure, prayer is in order…and with that, I will move on to my topic of the day…

Sometimes, when I ponder the state of affairs from politics to current events to the economy and beyond, I get, in a visceral way, why Michael Jackson was obsessed with childhood…The world can be a very scary place…And sometimes, so that I won’t get mired in the woes of the world, I have to make a sincere effort to focus my attention elsewhere…And sometimes, I just have to go “back in the day” when my world was no bigger than my upstairs bedroom at Charlestown Apartments where I could spend the entire day lounging on my bed, tracing images of Cinderella, Snow White and other characters from my Disney encyclopedia. The major problem I grappled with at that age was cajoling the neighborhood kids into letting me play kickball with them. I must admit that sometimes my penchant for “joning” (playing the dozens) got me into fights but overall it was an idyllic time where everything made sense…

So in the interest of counteracting all of the analysis, link posting and discussion, I thought I would post positive links and hopefully make the world wide web a happier place today…Yeah, yeah, maybe I’m simplistic, but at least I don’t use current events as a means to unleash the vitriol  that was already simmering within me…Uh oh, let me rein myself back in…I’m supposed to be sending out peace, love & light today…

So here are my positive or least funny links of the day…

1. Have you heard the latest news about Tyler Perry, Atlanta’s most famous movie mogul?…He just up and gave 10 stacks to some local Boy Scouts…Read the news here…Now, run and tell that lol!

2. Remember back in the day when we (the girls that is) used to do chants like, “My name is Jackie…” And the girls would holla, “Uh, she think she bad.” And I would reply with something like, ” Uh, I’m know I’m bad” and I would roll my neck, switch my hips and curl my lips for emphasis. Well Beyonce did something similar with a group of young girls. Check out the video…You gotta respect a woman who can wear heels at all times…I just can’t…

3. And last but not least, have you seen Wayne Brady and Mike Tyson spoof Bobby Brown’s video for “Every Little Step?” It is soo funny…And Bobby even makes a cameo appearance with his big ole gut and all…Incidentally, Bobby Brown is performing at a free concert for the grand opening of the new Riverdale City Hall on October 9…I will be in the house!

Any positive thoughts?

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Thank God for Freedom…

 

  

Hello World!!!

My prayer for me and you today is that we thank God for those who have sacrified their time, talent, resources and lives that we may be free today…

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.  

Galatians 5:1 (New International Version)

 

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OMG is taking the name of the Lord in vain…Yeah, I said it!

Hello World,

the image from the ABC News' "Nightline" piece...

Back in September 2009, when I saw that ABC News’ “Nightline” did a feature on the popularity of the exclamation “OMG” and explored if such an exclamation is taking the name of the Lord in vain, I realized there must be a Christian or at least a Christ-friendly person in their ranks…

Reporter John Donovan interviewed high school students from the Washington Hebrew Congregation youth group in Bethseda, Md. who have surely been taught the Lord’s name is not to be used lightly…

You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.  Exodus 20:7

As Donovan spoke with them about how they used this exclamation via text or in casual conversation, you could visibly see the students connecting what they had been taught versus their actual behavior. It was enlightening…Donovan also explored how the view of taking the name of the Lord in vain has softened over the years in this country (God help us)…In fact, in years past, words like golly or gosh, which dated back to the 1700s according to Donovan, were developed to avoid wrongly using the name of the Lord.  And if one did use the name of the Lord in vain back then, that person was severely criticized…

But that has all changed, the Parents Television Council reports that in 2007, 95.9 percent of the uses of the name God in primetime television were in vain…I mean, even my e-mail provider has a OMG emoticon…I confessed I used it too until this report reminded me of the seriousness of this oft-forgotten and ignored transgression…(Thanks John Donovan for this reminder!)

While I’m on my soapbox, people often the name of Jesus Christ as an exclamation as well – which is a sin…plain and simple…

Anyway, I had planned to write a post about this report, but I must have forgotten…but the report came back to memory when I heard one of Usher’s new songs on the radio a few weeks or so ago…The title of the song is “OMG.” In Googling this song, sometimes it sounds he is saying, “Oh My God” and sometimes it sounds like, “Oh My Gosh.” Well, even if it is the latter version, the title of the song suggests that he is wrongly calling on the name of the Father…

Now, I am a big fan of Usher’s music dating back to my college days at UGA…but I plan to turn the station whenever I hear this song…It makes me uncomfortable…The Lord is our Creator, Father and Savior – not our lil homie…we do not have the right to use His name casually…

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not one of those Christians that believes that every singer should be singing Christian songs all of the time…but I do believe that every Christian whether they decide to be a gospel singer or a secular singer should respect the name of the Lord at all times…

That’s why in spite of what people say about Kanye West, I still like him…He always speaks from the heart – even if it’s controversial or ill-advised…And I think that his song “Jesus Walks” was groundbreaking…And he properly addressed Jesus Christ in this song in spite of its controversial language and themes…Ultimately, he displayed his desire to be in the presence and counsel of Jesus Christ…in spite of his propensity to sin…

The truth is we are all sinners, but that is no excuse to not try to do right, when we know something is wrong…

Any thoughts?

P.S. Thank God Jesus walks with me!!!