The View of an Overcomer

For years I struggled with the substance of my Christianity; similar to how many African-American kids growing up in the suburbs would struggle with the substance of their blackness.  Looking back, I can see this came from being around and in a culture that celebrated struggle while inadvertently shunning success.  The norm was to honor the grueling test more than the victorious testimony; the ol' "coming up the rough side of the mountain" syndrome.  It took a while to realize the notions aren't valid, and that a relationship with Jesus has more to do with what He did and is less about what we've done or been through...good or bad.  Still, in many circles when winning or overcoming is mentioned, the tendency is to look at things other than...winning or overcoming.  In my mind, this is so common that many people inaccurately are leading others to falsehoods about what success entails.  Then there are others, like I was, who are looking for that devastating event or series of events that they believe will validate them.  And still there are others more who believe they have overcome...when they are actually still in the same position of bondage.

Pimpin' Ain't Dead...It Just Moved to the Web

In 2007, the late Chad "Pimp C" Butler, a member of the legendary Port Arthur, Texas rap duo Underground Kings said...

"pimpin' ain't dead it just moved to the web, the [expletive] ain't gotta hit the track...ain't got to give no trick no head...ain't gotta give no trick no[expletive], just cameras and screens, easiest money you can make it's the American Dream."

Political Popularity Smokescreen

I gotta give it to President Obama for motivating me to go against my why vote philosophy.  Actually, it was a combination of his 2004 campaign, my grandmother being a sharecropper, my parents growing up in the Civil Rights Era, and me even experiencing a relative form of bigotry that lead me to ignorantly (meaning not researching all of the information) vote for him.  But a part of me realizes I shouldn't have gone about it like that.  Looking back, I know I got caught up.  I mean, the events, the rappers, the Rock the Vote, the clothing, the history.  We're talking growing up in the capital of the Confederacy and possibly seeing a black president here.  And it was infectious and fun.  It was exciting and inspiring.  It was free-spirited but passionate all at once.  But the reality is the party ended quickly (as a small business administrator at the time, I have a not so happy experience with the Affordable Health Care Act).  And I should've just...paid more attention.

The Cool Christian Phenomenon

I got deleted twice on Facebook last week...earning all the awards I think are available on the Delete-A-Friend checklist.  Let's see, leading off Friday with the Outdated Award, I also earned the Denying People Love Certificate, the Hater Medal, and the coveted Who Are We to Judge Trophy.  I cleaned up; but when you collect all that hardware that usually equals four or five deletions.  But I only got two, so not all was victorious...but I'll get there someday.  I'm positive more effort towards truth will position me to obtain the ultimate title of Super Spiritual...which some think I've gotten already, but the data shows I still have too many slightly spiritual social media friends to be graced with such an honor...I digress.  What a life.

The Black Confederate Down the Street

It's a strange feeling when I'm just heading out for the morning and that dude's out there mowing his lawn with his rebel flag bandanna around his mouth.  And he always turns around to watch me come down the street, too.  He never really waved and he doesn't at all now; that might be because I used to  wave but he rarely waved back...so I stopped.   I don't know if he's of Confederate soldiers' ancestry, but it's quite possible he is.  The area in and around our neighborhood was once a very large plantation.  Some slaves in the area took up their arms with their masters during the Civil War, and when it was over they built communities on the abandoned farms.  But who knows.  I just know he reps....hard.  I've never talked to him and don't plan to...well, maybe.  No beef...it's  just strange.