Being sheltered

This is an interesting picture I have posted from the Sheltered from the Storm website, llc, from Cheryl Jefferson counseling.  I wish that we could all be sheltered from the storms of life, like the person in this picture.  However, that is just not realistic.  Being bipolar, I know this all too well. Pain, misery, death, and hatred are all around us.  There is also goodness and light and that is one way to cope with the storms of life. I have learned from experience that wise counsel is beneficial to us all. I am doing better as a result of such wise counsel.  If only we all can be truly sheltered in this regard, but what good would being sheltered do in the end?

Great songs from the early 1990s

 "Can't Have My Man" by Alyson Williams

 "Looking Through Patient Eyes" by PM Dawn

 "Hold On To Your Love" by En Vogue

 "Close to You" by Maxi Priest

 "Don't Walk Away" by Jade

 "I Love Your Smile" by Shanice

 "Piece of My Heart" by Tara Kemp

May these officers rest in peace

 

I know that there is a division between cops and many of its citizens.  The above pictures show the police officers whose lives were needlessly lost, as are many.  This is so sad that all of these men were assassinated.  I cannot imagine the difficult work that these policemen go through on a daily and weekly basis.  It is so sad.  May they rest in peace.

"What You Won't Do For Love" by Bobby Caldwell

What you won't do

I guess you wonder where I've been
I searched to find a love within
I came back to let you know
Got a thing for you and I can't let go

My friends wonder what is wrong with me
Well, I'm in a daze from your love, you see
I came back to let you know
Got a thing for you and I can't let go

Some people go around the world for love
And they may never find what they dream of
What you won't do, you do for love

You tried everything but you don't give up
In my world only you make me do
For love what I would not do

My friends wonder what is wrong with me
Well, I'm in a daze from your love, you see
I came back to let you know
Got a thing for you and I can't let go

I know I only want the best, it's true
I can't believe the things I do for you
What you won't do, you do for love

You've tried everything but you won't give up
In my world, only you make me do
For love what I would not do

Make me do for love what I would not do
Make me do for love what I would not do
Make me do for love what I would not do

Revelation 21:1-4

Revelation 21:1-4

"1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

How does Jesus feel about this?

As I mentioned before, for God, black lives do matter.  He is the God of the oppressed.  I believe that I have read something to the effect.  I am a black person and I found the losses of life quite disturbing, but the perpetrators do not have to be some racist or gun happy white police officer.  It could be anyone.  We need to extend the mantra of black lives matter to more than just racist or gun happy white people, but to all of us.  Yes, here I say it again.  All life matters.  We are too divided in this nation.  I do wonder if Jesus is angry or weeping.  I do believe that the lives of our boys and girls in blue matter.  May those who have lost their lives rest in peace.  May those who are injured recover.  May our nation have more than just a dialogue.  May we do more than just march.  I have grown tired of the conversation due to the fact that oftentimes we are going nowhere.  It seems to breed more haterade than healing.   Maybe I am wrong here.  My point is, if America is the life affirming, spiritual or God fearing culture it was supposed to be, then maybe, just maybe, there wouldn't be such a division and such death, destruction, and pain.  God, bless America...not yet.  We as Americans have a lot to do, so forgive us instead.

Lives Matter

This should not be happening in the Land of Free and the Home of the Brave.  Yet, we are here.  Two more men, who were black, got shot and killed in the hands of the police.  Why is it that there is a division between black lives matter vs all lives matter?  Maybe it seems to some that the two are opposites because it seems that those who hold those views don't seem to understand each other.  Maybe the latter is the reason.  Maybe the real issue is life vs death, a culture of death.  Many think dying for basically nothing is cool.  Some of the most popular movies and shows focus on death.  There are some good quality television and movie programming, but much of what we see in the US is not life-affirming.  My point is, before we can say that all lives matter or even black lives matter, all who feel and believe each and every way each and every day must realize that when it comes to life affirmation and the issue of death, we are either part of the problem or a part of the solution.  A black person's life being cut short isn't all of a sudden problematic of a larger symptom except when a white person does it.  It shouldn't have to take a white, or white-Hispanic person to shoot a young black kid or young black adult to see that a black life matters.  Nor should it take even one white person who believes that all lives matter that they either don't know or care about the life of a black person.  That is so sad to me.  All Lives Matter.  All means black, white, Asian, Indian, etc.  Black lives matter is to be included into all lives matter.  Life in itself is just a vapor, too short for people to be divided over it.  In the end, we all have only one life to live on this planet.  We, or whatever "crowd" many people belong to, will have to stand that day and take account of the very fact that one day, we will all know that all lives do matter, including black lives. whether that life is taken by a police officer or one of our own.

God, forgive us

What is going on in the world?  A 37 year old man has been shot by the police and now the government is stepping in.  Guess what?  I believe that the same government will find these guys not guilty.  By the way, Hillary Clinton will not be investigated for the email scandal.  I wonder what those email REALLY say.  Now I am curious  So much is wrong with the world.  It is so hard for everyone to say that all is truly right with the world.  It isn't.  Will it ever be right?  God, forgive America.

The Story Behind Amazing Grace by Landon Jones, Time Magazine

Amazing Grace was written by an Englishman who in the early part of his life was an outspoken atheist, libertine, and slave trader. John Newton was born in London in 1725, the son of a Puritan mother and a stern ship commander father who took him to sea when he was 11 (“I am persuaded that he loved me but he seemed not willing that I should know it,” he later wrote).

By 1745, Newton was enlisted in the slave trade, running captured slaves from Africa to, ironically, Charleston, S.C. After he rode out a storm at sea in 1748, he found his faith. He was ordained an Anglican priest in 1764 and became an important voice in the English abolitionist movement. At that time he wrote the autobiographical Amazing Grace, along with 280 other hymns.

Today Amazing Grace is beloved by Presidents and citizens alike and remains a go-to hymn at American funerals, because of its striking melodies and ever-popular narrative of personal redemption. The born-again Jimmy Carter was the first recent President to embrace Amazing Grace, singing it with everyone from Willie Nelson to Senate Majority leader Robert Byrd.

But this spiritual is nonpartisan. It was performed at the funeral of Ronald Reagan by Ronan Tynan and at Gerald Ford’s funeral by a single bagpiper. At Richard Nixon’s funeral, Billy Graham quoted from Amazing Grace in his eulogy and told the story of John Newton, crediting him for later working to end the English slave trade.

Race is the moëbius strip of American life, always turning and eating its own tail. President Obama may have thought he was choosing a lovely hymn to comfort the afflicted, which he surely did. But, as always, salvation is not so simple.

From the article "The Incredible Story Behind Amazing Grace"

"God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood

If tomorrow all the things were gone
I worked for all my life
And I had to start again
With just my children and my wife

I thank my lucky stars
To be living here today
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom
And they can't take that away

And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you
And defend Her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt
I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.

From the lakes of Minnesota
To the hills of Tennessee
Across the plains of Texas
From sea to shining sea

From Detroit down to Houston
And New York to L.A.
Where's pride in every American heart
And it's time we stand and say

That I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you
And defend Her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt
I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.

And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free
And I won't forget the men who died
Who gave that right to me
And I'd gladly stand up next to you
And defend Her still today
'Cause there ain't no doubt
I love this land
God Bless the U.S.A.

How I am doing

I will not post another video for now.  I am going to be okay today.  I have not been feeling well lately, but I believe that I will be better soon.  Life is just a headache.  Interesting, since I have one. I should not worry.  All will be well.