Coming of Age: Drama Free

Anyone who knows me know I hate drama with a passion. I remember back in the mid 90s how the word drama became related to the word mess. Here is the definition of the word, drama:

Drama -  an exciting, emotional, or unexpected series of events or set of circumstances.

For anyone who has been through childish games with people, drama only stresses out the nerves and destroys patience. Drama destroys relationships. Drama destroys destiny. Drama destroys vision. If you're a person who's about something, I think you hate drama, too. Drama happens when one or some people are going somewhere in life and their supposed "friends" begin to hate on them. Or maybe there's a minor conflict at the job and someone who lacks maturity or foresight takes the conflict to a level where it shouldn't go. Wow. Drama occurs when someone walks too much in their emotions, which leads to selfishness; therefore when someone is trying to "help" them, they get into their emotions. Now everyone is the enemy. Everybody is against them. Everybody is trying to tell them how to live. Drama occurs when people don't communicate with one another. Matter of fact, one side has their arms wide open to the other party. However, the other party (from being a hard-head) refuses to come to a common (meeting) place to handle the situation. Hmmm. Just as Isaiah said, we should come and reason together. People who are addicted to drama start lousy arguments and say stupid things that ignite beef; thereby births drama among two or more parties. I gets real messy. I guess in this day and age, reasoning isn't a part of everybody seasoning (if you feel where I'm knocking). It's sad man because drama in our lives doesn't have to be so. We shouldn't have all these tribal and cold wars amongst each other but we do. We shouldn't be tearing each other down because of lack of communication but we do. Within the past 6 years of my life, the amount of drama I've experienced supersedes what I experienced in all my years in middle school as well as high school. A couple of months, drama made me mad but now, I'm like Shawn Carter; brushing my shoulders off. Nothing good from people who start drama ever comes to the forefront. It's messy. You'll always see people forsake others, even in the time of need and encouragement because they can't let go of drama. If we would learn to be adults (this even go for you kids in the latter part of high school), sit down, humble ourselves, and come to an agreement (even agreeing to disagree -thanks Mrs. Overton), drama becomes nonexistent. Drama loses its place in our lives and allows maturity to settle in our spirit. When the Pharisees were hating on Jesus out of their selfishness and lust for power and fame among the people, they started drama. Everywhere Jesus went to effect change in the lives and thinking of others, here go the Pharisees starting drama. To put this into layman's terms, every time a father is trying to support and be there for his kids, the baby momma is finding some way to sabotage his efforts. Every time an executive of firm is warning his or her conglomerates of poor financial decisions, their out to kill them. Every time a politician stands up to Congress and calls them out for their inappropriate decision-making, other politician cook up dirt from their long buried past to keep them quiet. Drama and trust me, Jesus faced it (and still facing it), too. One day, He stood up in boldness and told the people the time of their spiritual and mental freedom had come through the move of God in Him. Thereafter, the Pharisees stood up  and tried to kill the man. But Jesus was a smooth dude, escaping their clutches, moved through the crowd and disappeared. How did He do this? Through His years of observing maybe what His parents went through and His surrounding society, He knew how to handle drama. Sometimes, we have to learn how to bow out gracefully and let those who continue drama hang themselves. THAT'S RIGHT I SAID. The other side of loving people is allowing them to learn from their mistakes. Sometimes, watching a bunch of Pharisees killing themselves (not literally) doesn't feel like an act of love but it is. That's who we learn; its through our experiences. So, as this blog comes to a close, I'd like to tell all me people out there who are ready to move forward in life, travel the world, start a business, getting married, writing that book, and running that ministry, be drama free. It's the best thing to be. And when you start thinking like that, no type of drama will harm thee (get it, it's a rhyme). As for Mr. and Mrs. Overton, we're going to do just that, be drama free. And to all you haters and drama-makers, grow up already, stop keeping drama going, and let God set you free. This is what coming of age is all about, being drama free.

Til next time, dGwO

Reference:
Luke 4:16-32

Coming of Age: Learning From Life's Lessons

It's me again, friends. It's been a while. Since the last time I posted something "fresh", I've been in a couple of battles within this war called "adult" life. Being an adult is more than making money everyday on the job, having the freedom to do what you want, and making your own decisions. Being an adult is having some sort of basis or "foundation" to stand on. It's about having facts or truth that will help guide you in what James Brown called "A Man's World." It's a cold one, too. Throughout these past two months, I've been on a journey and man, it's been a long one. A couple of days ago, a good friend of mine and I were talking about some real issues. Then, wham, a thought came to my head. It was called "Coming of Age." What is coming of age? Coming up, I remember listening to a song Jay-Z had on his first LP "Reasonable Doubt" that had the same title with Memphis Bleek (don't act like you guys never heard it). The moral of that song was the younger dude's need to come up, grow out of some things and grow into some things. Now, I'm not saying we chase after that dollar because the love of money is the root of all types of evil, which many of us thirst for (1st Timothy 6:10). What I am saying is that we need to seek to get better. Our attitudes, our ways, our thinking, our associations, and paths. We learn to come of age or mature when we learn and meditate on life's lessons occurring in our lives. One thing that I love about God is that He allows us to experience the good, the bad, and the ugly to draw our attention to what's really important. About ten plus years ago, my focus was copping that new Cam'ron joint, getting blitzed after work, and chasing after women. Fast forward to 2013, my focus is on serving God, getting my financial house in order, taking care of my wife, and building my career. Things within these past ten plus years have caused me to change my focus. They've caused me to grow up. The last time I was in B-more, one of the most meaningful conversations I had was with my Jermaine (LaVar to some). Seeing all of his scars help make him become the business man he is today. Experience. Some people believe that we can actually escape the hard times but that's further from the truth. God sort of directs our path to those harsh experiences to put our trust in Him and to move forward from the foolishness. Have you ever seen 30, 40, 50, or older people still act like middle school kids? The answer is that they never learned to mature from their life's lessons. I'm planning on not making that same mistake. God allowed Joshua to see all that Moses did and what he experienced. One thing was for sure, he saw his mentor miss out on the "promise" given by God to Israel. Joshua took it to heart and crossed that river. Although things was perfect in the promised land, he lived out the promise given to him. He didn't make the same mistakes as Moses because he learned from life's lessons. How many of us are learning from life's lessons? If we don't we'll never grow. Those things and people (or those jokers) will continually frustrate you until you kill your own dreams and goals. My friends, let's learn from our lessons and our experiences. Let's grow, let's mature, let's be counted among the eagles that soar about this earth's worthless drama. You know what I'm saying?

Til next time, DgWo

Reference:
Joshua 1
Romans 5: 1-5

Refocus - May 1st, 2013

Sometimes in life we get caught up on everything that's going on around us. Problems, problems, and more problems. Distractions, regrets, shiesty people, worries, and all the other cares of life I can't name. All of these are blindfolds from keeping our vision closed to God's purpose in our lives. Here in the United States alone, we are the most overworked and most mentally stressed people in world society. It's like we're doing all these things and still have no piece of mind. We think that PTSD is only for soldiers who've been in war but that's further from the trouble. Over here, we believe in multi-tasking and doing it big all the time. Eventually these acts of "business" breaks us down and in the long run we are broke down. A lot of times we allow good for nothing people and things run our lives. This can happen directly and indirectly, you know. We continue to align ourselves with these that only make us waste God's precious time and resources. We get nothing accomplished. We get nothing done. We lose focus. There's a man known as Samson who lost focus on his purpose, to lead a people out of bondage from their enemies. There was another man known as Eli who was a holy man called to lead a nation to relationship with God. However, these men lost their focus on who they were supposed to serve and what they were purposed to do. Many of us are like these men. We have lost our focus. Today it's time to refocus. It's time for us to cut off those people who year after year hinder what God is attempting to do in our lives. If we don't, we'll to be on a vicious cycle that will cause us to waste our lives. It's time discipline our eating habits so we can live healthier lives. It's time for us to take charge over our of financial matters from spending, saving, and investing (in the right things). It's time for us to build our families on the Rock. Most importantly, it's time we refocus our eyes on Jesus, who is the wise master builder of our lives. When we zone into reaching a goal we do whatever it takes to achieve it. We assassinate anything else that tries to stop from doing so (Satan knows this better than us and that's why he stays successful in what he does). My friends, it time to refocus. Let's get our vision back. Let's refocused on raising our kids and loving our spouses. Let's break the monotonous cycle of setbacks we can overcome with just one choice not to give in. This is going to cause us to feed people with a long handed spoon (love people who mean us no good from a distance-something my father would say). This means when we feel mess invading our lives we need to stop, fight, and pray. So much to say but I can't say it all.

Til next time, dgwo.

Reference: Habakkuk 2:1

Go Get Your Life Back!!!!

What's up my friends, it's been a while. I've been through a lot of changes in my life, a lot of challenges. However, I thank God because I've got a renewed purpose in my life and that's getting my life back on track. I've been low but now I'm climbing up the mountain, not in pride but in confidence in God. Sometimes, we allow the comments and childishness of others to pull us down from being who we need to be. We allow the circumstances of life to tear us down and stranded in the city called stuck. We allow past and even present predilections keep us from moving forward in life; now we're like Lot's wife. A lot of us have wasted time with wasteful things and wasteful people. But today is a new day. This is a new season. There is change all around us not because we're heading into spring. God has opened His mouth and waved His hands to open opportunities for us to grasp. You know, we like to judge people who are successful; such people like Donald Trump. The man has been through a lot y'all but he fought to reclaim the dream that he saw in his heart. Look at Joseph, over a decade living as a slave and a cellmate. He ended up recapturing the dream that was put in his heart to become. My friends, it's time for us to go get our life back. It's time for us to stop the nonsense and get to living again. Parents, it's time out for being selfish trying to reclaim the glory days of times past when we were younger. It's time to raise our kids and fight for our families. To married couples, husbands and wives, it's time to rekindle the romance in our relationships that God has put together. To those who've been used and abused, forgive those who've trespassed against you that bitterness doesn't harden your hearts. Let go of the hurt and the pain and live again. To business owners, pastors, politicians trying to affect change, and to those who've been down, go get your life back. It first starts with taking hold of the name of Jesus Christ, following His instructions, and moving forward from taking it one step at a time. God is able to redeem the time that we've wasted or has been stolen from us. It's time for us to live and not die and let the world know God strengthens those who've been beaten down. When we get our lives back, don't let nothing or nobody take what God gave to you.

Til next time, dgwo

Isaiah 40:28-31
Joel 2:25-27
Revelation 3:11

Handling Changes

I'm in a new place in my life. Some places in my life I buried deep in the dirt. Other places I allowed weeds to grow up and take residence. Some places I've neglected because of laziness. However, those days are @ a close. I'm learning that being an adult is taking responsibility of all that happens in your life the good and the bad. Many of us don't like that. We want to stay in baby stages so we can point the finger @ others when we mess up. It's easier to blame the man and woman who've done you wrong or gave you the wrong advice. But as the old schools say, it all boils down to what or who you let influence your life. Right now, I'm trying to surround and listen anyone with the voice of reason and wisdom. Without these, we won't make it in this cold world. God has given us His Holy Spirit to not only dwell in us but in others to lead us, guide us, and correct us in truth, righteousness, and judgement. I guess what I'm trying to say also is that we need to ensure we spend time in prayer, Gods word, and meditating on each enlightenment His gives us. David said His word is like a lamp unto our feet and light unto our paths. It's true. To all my people going through changes, know that God is with you. We have to put our trust in Him even when we don't see our next step and the bridges all around us have crumbled. God is here, we just have to make the time to seek Him.
Til next time, dgwo

References:
Psalms 27
Psalms 119

Sabotage!!!!

My friends, sabotage is in the air. It's floating around like a stench of baby poo in the trash can (laugh somebody). I can honestly say that my senses have been heightened to understand sabotage when it rears it's ugly face. We are seeing sabotage occurring more and more on planet Earth no matter where you go. For example look at President Obama. I didn't get a chance to see the 2013 State of the Union address but I can probably envision seeing certain congressmen hating on his views. He probably made some great points and some jokers in the audience probably didn't clap their hands or give honor to where it's due. Then after the man was finished, they "conspire" to stop every agenda he's trying to push (to help Americans) for their own dishonest gain (let's pray for our President). Now that's sabotage. We've seen sabotage occur throughout our world history. The Senate publicly killing Roman emperor Julius Caesar. The sergeant being left for dead by another soldier in Platoon movie. A new leader of a company trying to move it to new levels of innovation but his/her team members are irreverent in their disapproval. A father trying to instill discipline in his children to follow rules but they're cussing him out. A teacher in a high school classroom is trying to educate her students but has to deal with one knucklehead interrupting the whole class. It's crazy, dude. But that's the work of sabotage. I recall an instance of sabotage Jesus was marketing a new strategy of ageless principles in the land of Israel. He chopped it up with those who the Pharisees looked upon as rotten, grimy people. However, Jesus reached out to them and they listened. However, the Pharisees didn't like that because they felt their influence in Jewish society was being threatened. So what do these jokers say about Him. Oh, that dude must be a drunkard. Oh, he's this and he's that. Sabotage will try to ruin others' reputation through lies, deceit, which is all stemming from jealousy. Sabotage. Or what a a out that time when Aaron and Miriam spoke evil about Moses' leadership skills along with dissing his wife (probably called her everything under the sun, too)? They were trying to sabotage Moses from leading the people to the promised land. Even Paul dealt with religious leaders smacking him against the head while he was witnessing the grace of Jesus Christ to roman officials to keep him quiet about the truth. My friends, especially those who are destined for greatest, keep your antennas up, because sabotage is present around you. Like Paul says, we can't be ignorant of Satan's devices and they are readily made to sabotage destiny, purpose, and focus. Sabotage can come from anybody, anywhere, or anything. My friends, I allowed a whole year (2012) to be ruined because I allowed sabotage to take me not from behind but right in my face. Instead of fighting against it and strategies, I laid down and died. But now, I'm like a warrior, sort of like William Wallace, I'm fighting against sabotage. As my man Starnes told me, you've got to fight. So, let me leave you with these words from my man Peter and let it make you wise:

1st Peter 4:1-2:
"Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God."

As we commit more of ourselves to God, this means we've got to up our wisdom to war against sabotage. Stay alert. Stay alive. And remember, no matter who or what you are, sabotage is always looking to take you down. Through wisdom and strategy we will defeat this foe.

Til next time, esta luego, dgwo.

References:
Luke 7:33-35
1st Peter 4:1-2

Manipulation

Manipulation: 1 : to treat or operate with or as if with the hands or by mechanical means especially in a skillful manner
2 a : to manage or utilize skillfully
b : to control or play upon by artful, unfair, or insidious means especially to one's own advantage
3 : to change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one's purpose

I think this is becoming more prevalent as the days go by in our society. I was just driving down the road and bam, the word manipulation gets into my head. This skill is used primarily to hide the track of a person's real agenda. A little while ago, I was talking about intentions. Well, I guess this is part two. Manipulation is a common skill used in warfare strategy to get the upper hand of one's enemies. We see the movies where a beautiful woman entertains a king, seduces him, and when opportunity knocks, they take his life. Nowadays, for certain people to get ahead in life, they play on the love and emotions of people. Some people use money or investment plans to get others to buy into their mumbo jumbo. Some people will use their supposed gift of fab and knowledge to overthrow one to gain position. Some people simply use their good looks to entice others; thereby keeping their sight from seeing the real picture. Some people love to get close to others and then ruin them. I've seen it, I've done it, and I've experienced it. Manipulation has the power to destroy. It's another form of rebellion against ones authority/leadership. It's a form of lust, pride, jealousy, and anger because somebody can't get it their way. Manipulation I believe is one of the top 10 destiny killers in the history of man. From Adam and Eve, to Genghis Khan, to Adolfo Hitler. I'm telling you my friends, we gotta be like one reggae artist St. Matthew says, Wise up. Like they used to say back in the day, it's time to wake up and smell the coffee. Even Nehemiah dealt with manipulation from his enemies but told those jokers he wasn't going to stoop to their level. You know, we live in an interpersonal relationship world. We have to be careful of the bones that's in our closet we share with others. They'll see them and tell everybody your "sacred" business. We have to be careful of how we conduct ourselves especially those of us in management positions. People are praying for our downfall and like vultures, will feed on the dead (I'm learning momma, I'm learning). So how do we overcome manipulation, this thing that will cause us to compromise, to lose heart, to castrate our purpose? We study the Word of God, we pray, we walk in the Spirit, we link up with those who've been where we're trying to go. Most importantly, we come to grips with the fact those who are employed with manipulation are trying to dominate you and make you feel less than. Trust me, I dealt with this all my life and now at 31, I'm standing up straight to confront it with ease. If your businessman and your successful at what you do, don't let nobody make you do anything different. If your an educator who's got a successful track record of teaching, don't let those who are jealous swipe you down with their lies. And married couples, don't let everybody in your business especially when your having "heated fellowship." I know this is a long post but I just couldn't put this in the back burner. Much luv to everybody and get manipulated; be educated!!! (Knowledge with love is power!!!!) Don't let nothing or nobody take away your purpose!!!!

Til next time, gdow

Reference:
Romans 16:19
Revelation 3:11