AMENds in 2010!

Sometimes the present is a gift I wish I could return,

But God gifts us lessons that we need to learn--

We earn or we should at least--

Our lives are on lease.

Everything that happens to us happens for a reason.

We come in and out of different seasons.

At times it’s the result of our own bad decisions.

We forget the earlier lessons taught

And get caught by a foot fault,

Stepping on lines and having to pay heavy fines,

But it’s okay because my life is Purposed by His Design!

Even the things that occur that are out of my control

I rest assured because He’s in control.

Parts of me are dying everyday

Just to be Reborn in God’s way.

The past isn’t meant to be left behind-

’08 will forever resonate in my mind.

In ’09 I lost a life line.

But He gives me hope in tomorrow and

His presence is my present--for today is a gift.

God loves me more than any friend

And promises to make Amends in 20-10!

Nation's Capital, Here We Come!

Our women's basketball team is invited to play in the Inaugural National Title IX Holiday Conference (NTHICC) in the nation's capital. We were chosen as one of eight teams nationally because our basketball program places a strong emphasis on STUDENT athlete. While in DC, we'll get a tour of the White House, and supposedly tournament hosts are trying to get First Lady Michelle Obama to be one of the guest speakers. I hope it works out. Either way, when we get to the White House, I'm taking about ten copies of my resume and accidentally leaving them all over the place.

In Constant Battle With Yourself

Regardless of a person's level of intelligence, wealth, or age, we all struggle with decision making. Why is it so hard to make the right choice at all times? Sometimes I feel as if I'm having an out of body experience. I look back at a situation and find myself saying, "Did I really just do that?" or "I can't believe I just said that! What in the world was I thinking?" It's as if it wasn't even me talking or carrying out that particular action; it was somebody else.

Sometimes it seems as if we're in a constant battle against ourselves for the control of our own mind. It's as if our real self takes a nap, only to wake up right after that other self has made a stupid decision. Now the real self has to suffer the consequences. And then we're left thinking, "What in the hell just happened?!?" (see Tiger Woods, Mark Sanford, Kanye West)

Unfortunately, this "coma-like" state can last for weeks, months, even years for some people, before they come back to their senses. By that time, they may have lived a life that they never intended.

As a child many of our mishaps are chalked up to being young or inexperienced, but what's the excuse when we grow up and become adults? What is it that causes these laps in judgement? What is it that makes people wander about in a conscious yet unconscious state of mind? If you know someone who is currently living with this state of mind, what can you do to help them to come back to reality to see again? How can we counteract moments of blindness to prevent decisions that can negatively affect us forever?

Insert Foot in Mouth

Most of my friends and family know me to be quite the comedian. I love to make people laugh and smile. However, sometimes I pick the wrong time to be funny.

Case in point-yesterday in class one of my students was selling snacks out of his book bag. I have gotten on to him several times, even confiscated the goods a few, for doing this during my class/at school.

I said," Shawn**, I'ma start calling you hustle man. You always trying to sell something!"

He replied, "I like that name. I know somebody else by that name who stands on the corner." Another student decided to chime in and said, "I know that dude too! Is he light skin with curly hair?"

Now it just so happens that this young man has light skin and curly hair, so he was setting his self up, in my book. Therefore me and my quick wit self replied in a joking manner, "Oh, so that's yo daddy?!?"

Erebody in the class started laughing. The students started saying, "Oooooooo! Ms. B just slayed you!" and "Ms. B. killing today!" I mean it was funny, but I felt really bad. The student looked extremely embarrassed and appeared to be concocting a come back. I needed class to proceed because we had just started. So I immediately started talking, pleading while he seemed to be gathering his thoughts , "I'm sorry, so sorry. Thank you Pete** for being the bigger person and not responding. You're better than me. I'm being mean today. Thanks for not slaying me back." He looked like he wanted to say something so bad, but he didn't. I was proud of him. And class moved on.

Ironically, I had a conference with his aunt that afternoon. So I'm at the conference trying to discuss a success plan for him, and she tells us that Pete's mother died when he was younger and that he had been staying with his grandmother. Now she, the aunt was his caregiver. No mention of his father.

Felt real bad after hearing this. The joke in and of itself wasn't that bad, but now knowing what he's been through, it just wasn't a good idea. So today when he came to class, I pulled him outside and we had a talk about how I wanted him to be successful and what it would take for him to pass my class. I asked him for his goals in life and he said he didn't have any. Monday he's supposed to give me one short term goal and one long term goal.

I can't take back the comment I made in jest, but I can help him move forward in a positive direction.

**Names changed