pastor d explained to us that the passage in revelations about being neither hot nor cold and being spit out really refers to whatever you do. be hot, be healing. be cold, be refreshing.
be at the top of your game.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Thursday, January 08, 2009
forget 'post-racial', remember rodney king
Never really swallowed the post-racial america kool-aid, but sipped on whether the sentiment could persist for just long enough...
And then, the New Year--
Unarmed, Handcuffed Oakland African American Man Shot and Killed by Police at Start of the 2009 New Year
Tried to wrap my head around it. Tried to think that one had nothing to do with the other. Tried to think of such gross negligence/harsh aggression/blatant violence consistently on the part of the police toward any other race of people. Even after those tries, thought the victim could actually be a reported victim, and any criminal background reports held off until the family had a chance to mourn.
Rest in peace, Mr. Oscar Grant III
And then, the New Year--
Unarmed, Handcuffed Oakland African American Man Shot and Killed by Police at Start of the 2009 New Year
Tried to wrap my head around it. Tried to think that one had nothing to do with the other. Tried to think of such gross negligence/harsh aggression/blatant violence consistently on the part of the police toward any other race of people. Even after those tries, thought the victim could actually be a reported victim, and any criminal background reports held off until the family had a chance to mourn.
Rest in peace, Mr. Oscar Grant III
Saturday, December 27, 2008
see the rainbow
it was sunday morning. headed down the 101, i was tired and really feinding for caffeine. it was rainy. i picked up ms. shirley and we went to the coffee shop.
"do you see that?"
"what?"
"the rainbow."
"where?"
"right there," i arced my finger.
"no."
"looook, red, orange, purple..."
"there it is, that's right, how'd you see that?"
"i don't know, it's right there."
"do you see that?"
"what?"
"the rainbow."
"where?"
"right there," i arced my finger.
"no."
"looook, red, orange, purple..."
"there it is, that's right, how'd you see that?"
"i don't know, it's right there."
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
i corinthians 13
the love scripture...
how many people, when they use the word "love," mean this --
*****
my feelings toward you are characterized by patience and kindness.
my feelings for you release my pride, jealousy and any rudeness.
in my love for you i'll never find joy in the wrong things, and my love will not be eroded or irritated. the rejoicing in my love will focus only on what's right and true; my love does not demand on my way...
my love keeps no record of wrongs, always hopes and never ceases to have faith.
my love perseveres and has a forever endurance.
it will last and last...
*****
whoa.
love is not commonplace.
it's certainly not for the faint of heart.
do we even love ourselves?
how many people, when they use the word "love," mean this --
*****
my feelings toward you are characterized by patience and kindness.
my feelings for you release my pride, jealousy and any rudeness.
in my love for you i'll never find joy in the wrong things, and my love will not be eroded or irritated. the rejoicing in my love will focus only on what's right and true; my love does not demand on my way...
my love keeps no record of wrongs, always hopes and never ceases to have faith.
my love perseveres and has a forever endurance.
it will last and last...
*****
whoa.
love is not commonplace.
it's certainly not for the faint of heart.
do we even love ourselves?
Friday, November 14, 2008
invertigo
so there's this roller coaster at the Great America theme park called invertigo. One set of people goes forward as the other set goes backward. Some people laugh, some scream and cry. Some feel refreshed after, others sick. it's easily one of the best roller coasters i've ever been on...
in life, it's the same story, but far from the best. when in the course of 10 days there are a birthday, a wedding, an historic election and 2 funerals (3 if i were to count the passing of President-elect Obama's grandmother); when i feel on the job, again, that one can succeed without the other receding; when the economy's got more twists and turns than the super-duper-looper, but hey Americans are paying less for gas...
what's up with the bittersweet?
what's to be made of the suicide of a shining star?
RIP Mentor and Friend, my prayers are with your family, see you in the casket tomorrow
Congratulations Brother, she's a beautiful bride
RIP Uncle, I'm so sorry Aunty and Cousin
Congratulations on the election, so sorry your Grandmother missed it by a day
Happy Birthday Daddy
i love life, i really do... but at some points, the paradoxes and conundrums just get so overwhelming that I don't know up from down or whether to laugh or cry.
how did God know to give us both?
in life, it's the same story, but far from the best. when in the course of 10 days there are a birthday, a wedding, an historic election and 2 funerals (3 if i were to count the passing of President-elect Obama's grandmother); when i feel on the job, again, that one can succeed without the other receding; when the economy's got more twists and turns than the super-duper-looper, but hey Americans are paying less for gas...
what's up with the bittersweet?
what's to be made of the suicide of a shining star?
RIP Mentor and Friend, my prayers are with your family, see you in the casket tomorrow
Congratulations Brother, she's a beautiful bride
RIP Uncle, I'm so sorry Aunty and Cousin
Congratulations on the election, so sorry your Grandmother missed it by a day
Happy Birthday Daddy
i love life, i really do... but at some points, the paradoxes and conundrums just get so overwhelming that I don't know up from down or whether to laugh or cry.
how did God know to give us both?
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Deserved Denial or Disenfranchisement?
Been really struggling with this one...
Black men being encarcerated and convicted of felonies at abnormally higher rates than any other demographic coupled with the fact that felony convictions remove citizens from the electorate,
BEGS the question...
Does this constitute a deserved denial of rights to those unable to abide by societal law OR is it a manifestation of systematic disenfranchisement?
The struggle comes from the fact that each side to the argument represents compelling rationale. Regardless of black felony conviction rates being so strongly linked to disenfranchisement, anyone able to make the leap of faith that racism no longer exists will see no such rationale. Maybe in their world, there is no black... only good and bad, criminal and upstanding citizen.
God can take my faith there...
Until then, I can't help but beg the question.
Black men being encarcerated and convicted of felonies at abnormally higher rates than any other demographic coupled with the fact that felony convictions remove citizens from the electorate,
BEGS the question...
Does this constitute a deserved denial of rights to those unable to abide by societal law OR is it a manifestation of systematic disenfranchisement?
The struggle comes from the fact that each side to the argument represents compelling rationale. Regardless of black felony conviction rates being so strongly linked to disenfranchisement, anyone able to make the leap of faith that racism no longer exists will see no such rationale. Maybe in their world, there is no black... only good and bad, criminal and upstanding citizen.
God can take my faith there...
Until then, I can't help but beg the question.
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