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

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

The Price Of Being Removed

Currently, I'm in another state for the next couple of weeks due to job training. But deep inside, I know this is a vacation for me. Now, the place where I am isn't Hawaii but back in one of my beloved stomping grounds, Baltimore MD. It's cold, it's windy but it's good. Oh how I wish my beautiful wife Dionn was here with me to enjoy the spoils, too. But everything happens for a reason and the reason is me getting rooted and grounded in my faith in Christ. I'm having to experience a process Wes's Morgan some years ago sung about called "Love My Hurt Away." There's an old saying, "Sticks and stone can break my bones but words will never hurt me." Well, whoever came out with that phrase was smoking on a street pharmaceutical. But for real though, they did. But God is healing me from many of my light afflictions. He had to take me away from the battlefield literally to get refocused on Him. Paul shared a saying with the Galatians how he marveled the ways they were soon removed from the truth they were. When I read that for myself, I felt bad. Instead of pleasing God, I was pleasing people. Instead of praying and I was staying frustrated. Instead of me being real I was turning into a Pharisee, spiritually dead but knew a lot about God but lost touch with Him. My bitterness, anxiety, and responsibilities were coming before my relationship with Jesus and being a sound husband for my wife. That's bad. That's really bad. The teachings, all the praying, and the reading was becoming garbage because my roots were drying out, no water was hitting them. Even after a tree is planted, it still needs to get water. Even if it receives water on its limbs, if the water doesn't trickle down to the roots, eventually it's going to die (although it has the appearance of a tree standing). Soon removed and I'm not the only one going through this. But here's the good news, it's a new day and there's a freshness He wants to give to us. God is able to replant us back into Him it just takes us submitting ourselves to Him admitting that we are removed. Once we take the first step forward watch Him go to work. If you're planted, stay planted by the rivers of water and share what you have with others removed with realness and love. Don't judge. I know this a lot but the truth of the gospel is setting us in God's reality of love and purpose for us. Well, that's my two cents. If this sounds a little weird it's the evidence of my faith in God is getting worked on slowly but steadily.

Much luv, dgwo

References:
Galatians 1:6
Psalms 1
Romans 11