Category Archives: Holidays

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All I Want for Christmas is a New Boo…


Hello World,

Now that the turkey has been eaten, the family and friends have traveled back to locations near and far and Black Friday 2012 has come and gone, the Christmas season has officially started…And we all know that Christmas is the first of the trifecta of holidays (Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day) that really are nice to be booed up…And if you don’t have one, my friends Lamar & Ronnie Tyler, founders of BlackandMarriedWithKids.com and Ebony Magazine Power 100 honorees, really want to help you with that…

This Wednesday from 6-9 p.m., come on out to “Love & Life in Atlanta” (you know dating in the A is tricky at best…) at Organix Food Lounge….Be a part of a panel discussion featuring some of Atlanta’s top love and relationships experts including Dr. Sherry L. Blake from “Braxton Family Values” and others. Check out the flyer below for all the details!

To buy tickets, please click on this link – LoveLifeAtlanta.Eventbrite.com.

Any thoughts?

 

 

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12 Reasons I’m Thankful for 2012…

My aunt traveled from out of the state to come to my book launch party…

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; His love endures forever. Psalm 107:1

Hello World,

At this time of the year, I always have to pause and thank the Lord for His Goodness to me…So let me list 12 reasons why I’m thankful for 2012…

1. My first book “After the Altar Call: The Sisters’ Guide to Developing a Personal Relationship With God” was published this year. I have wanted to be an author since I was six years old so the publishing of this book represents the beginning of the realization of a lifelong dream… And since it was published, it has become an Amazon Best Seller and Black Expressions Book Club Best Seller!!! Thank you Lord for You are good…

Roses my boo gave me to help me celebrate my 39th birthday…

2. R. (my boo) was accepted into a college program in his chosen field this year…I’m so proud of him and happy for him…Like Brian in the movie “Mahogany” said, “…Success is nothing without someone you love to share it with! ” It has been wonderful to share our successes together this year, and I am looking forward to sharing many more of our successes together…Thank You Lord for You are good…

3. My book launch party was the visual representation of my lifelong dream coming true. And I was so blessed to see how many friends and family came out to support me!!! I will cherish this night for as long as I live…Thank You Lord for You are good…

Me and my lovely assistant at my first book signing at Lifeway Christian Store…

3. The journey of being a published author has been a lot of work, but incredibly gratifying…I have sold and signed books at Lifeway Christian Store, Nubian Bookstore, an Annual Writing Workshop and Fine Arts & Music Extravaganza( both hosted by the Stone Mountain-Lithonia Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated),  in Nashville, Tennessee at 33st Annual Christian Women’s Retreat, at Central Christian Church’s 11th Annual Women’s Prayer Breakfast, at the 98th Hampton University Ministers’ Conference and at the AJC Decatur Book Festival. Also, on Saturday, Dec. 8, 2012, I will be one of several authors participating in the Third Annual Southwest Arts Center Book Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The center is located at 915 New Hope Road, Atlanta, GA 30331. Whew!…Thank You Lord for You are good…

4. Although I’ve been working as a journalist for some time, I’m so grateful for more opportunities in my chosen field…I became an official contributor to Urbanfaith.com this year, and my contract as a columnist for THE LOOKOUT was renewed…I have been a freelance writer for Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine since 2009, but this past summer, I won an Atlanta Association of Black Journalists award for business reporting for the magazine! And I got to be part of the AABJ panel discussion “The Art of the Hustle” with The New York Times best-selling author Denene Millner (one of my mentors in my head). …Thank You Lord for You are good…

Praising the Lord at the 98th Hampton University Ministers’ Conference…

5. Although my primary purpose of attending the 98th Hampton University Ministers’ Conference was to promote and sell my books, God blessed me in other ways as a result of attending this conference…First of all, the music at this conference which was also held in conjunction with the 78th Annual Choir Directors’ & Organists’ Guild Workshop…And when I say the music was breathtaking, I really and truly mean that…I have never praised God like that in all of my life, and it was such a blessing to my spirit…Also, it was wonderful to visit Hampton University for the first time…It is such a beautiful school…

Also, while I did not get to meet Dr. Suzan Johnson Cook, who is immediate past president of the HU Ministers’ Conference and the first female president of the conference, I was inspired to look her up after the conference…Her book “A New Dating Attitude” is one of the most important books I’ve ever read…I’m just going to put it out there…I want to meet her and interview her one day…maybe even collaborate with her on a book….(Dr. Sujay is a true friend and mentor in my head.)…Thank You Lord for You are good…

6. I’m always grateful for my wonderful family…As my family is originally from Jamaican and we have spread out all over the world, I don’t get to see my extended family as much as I would like to…However, I was able to spend some time with one of my cousins who lives in Jamaica…He was in Atlanta for a few months while pursuing his medical degree…Thank You Lord for You are good…

At Sunset at the Palms Resort in Negril, Jamaica…

7. Speaking of Jamaica, as it is my family’s homeland, I’m always grateful to visit although I’m no longer able to visit my beloved grandparents who are now with the Lord…In September, I was blessed to go back to Jamaica to be a bridesmaid in one of my best friend’s wedding.  While I was in Jamaica, I was able to see one of my beloved uncles that I haven’t seen in years. Also, it was great to visit this year as Jamaica celebrated 50 years of independence from Great Britain this year!…Thank You Lord for You are good…

8. I’m sooo thankful for my immediate family as I am every year…It continues to be a blessing to see my nephew and niece grow up….I cannot believe my nephew has entered middle school this year……Thank You Lord for You are good…

9. As of this year, it has been 20 years since I graduated from Benjamin Banneker High School in high school! For the first time since then, I was able to return and visit the brand new beautiful school as a part of its Career Day last month…What a blessing! …Thank You Lord for You are good…

10. I never take my health for granted…As of my last physical, I’m still healthy……Thank You Lord for You are good…

11. I never take my finances for granted…I’m so thankful that I’m able to pay my bills, save and invest……Thank You Lord for You are good…

12. And I’m always thankful for the little things…feeling the sun on my face as I drive…a good hair day…a kick-behind workout…Saturday mornings……Thank You Lord for You are good…

What are you thankful for in 2012?

Any thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Let Freedom Ring: Dr. Alveda King Remembers Her Uncle Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (REPOST)

 

(Editor’s Note: I originally wrote this post back in August, but I thought I would repost today on Dr. King’s birthday and on the eve of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday…Enjoy!)

Hello World,

As if you did not know, today marks the 48th anniversary of the March on Washington and Dr. King’s delivery of his magnificent “I Have a Dream” speech in our nation’s capital. Today is also the day that the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial, which is located on the national Mall, was to be officially dedicated in front of thousands of people. However, due to the emergence of Hurricane Irene, the official dedication has been postponed to September or October, according to various new reports.

However, I still want to honor Dr. King and his dream today as well as highlight the accomplishment of having his monument on the National Mall, the first time an African-American has been honored in such a way on the National Mall!

Dr. Alveda King, center, next to her cousin Bernice King and other members of the King family.

I was able to interview Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. King and daughter of his King’s younger brother Rev. A.D. King, about her uncle, his dream and other issues…

On the dedication of the memorial:

I think it’s wonderful to remember my uncle. With me being a preacher, I’ll be giving honor to God for blessing us with the gift that He gave to us through my uncle Martin Luther King Jr.

Her favorite memory of her uncle:

My favorite memory of my Uncle Martin were the times that our families were together. My father Rev. A.D. King is his brother. He and Dr. King live together in the kingdom of God now. They are in heaven together. But our families during their lifetimes were together very often – Christmas, Thanksgiving, summer, swimming, just fun. I remember we were at our Uncle Martin’s home one year. Daddy was playing the violin. And Uncle Martin was talking and laughing. We called him Uncle M.L. actually because my Dad was A.D. Alfred Daniel Williams King and Martin is Martin Luther King Jr. So they were laughing, and I was a young teenager, and I walked through, and I remember my uncle laughed and said, “A.D., you gonna have to watch it because the boys are going to be after her. She is gonna be a very pretty lady.” It affirmed me and made me so happy.

Reflection on Dr. King’s death:

I was about 18. I got married the next year. My uncle was killed in ‘68. I was born in ‘51. So I was either 17 or 18 I guess. And the next year I got married. My daddy walked me down the aisle, and a week later, he was killed as well in our swimming pool.

On the realization of Dr. King’s dream:

I believe that the world will remember and should remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I think the most important thing for everyone to remember is that he loved God and he loved his family. And he was very much loved by us. I think I noticed in “USA TODAY,” there’s an article and it says with M.L.K. memorial opening, the dream has come true. Dr. King’s dream was really that we would all have the love of God in our hearts toward each other. The main part about his dream was advancing the kingdom of God and the love of God. And I do see that increasing in the world, and I think that’s true.

And I ask people as the dream is realized, has the “check for insufficient funds,” have those funds been made good? We are still struggling with the economy and many social issues, but I believe as we learn to love each other as brothers and not perish as fools, as my uncle said, we all have to learn to live together as brothers and sisters, I might add, or perish as fools. So as we move closer to that agape love, that God of kind of love, I believe that we will all overcome.

On the redemptive power of Jesus Christ, particularly for young people:

I like to remind people that David in the Bible pleased God in all things except the matter of Uriah the Hittite, and we know that he committed adultery and killed Bathsheba’s husband. Paul used to kill Christians. Mary Magdalene was the woman caught in the act. But the redemptive power of Christ. I want young people especially to realize this, when you stumble, get up. And then as you mature in Christ, you don’t stumble as much. None of us are perfect, but God is perfect. The blood of Jesus, the perfecting blood of Jesus His son can help us, can cleanse us, and then the power of the Holy Spirit.

So these are things that my uncle understood, my father Rev. A.D. King understood, my grandfather Daddy King. I’m understanding it more and more every day as I continue to mature so these are principles that young people and mature people can embrace.

 And like I say, if you make a mistake just get up and keep going. If you can remember the days that when you were learning to ride a bicycle, when you fell off, you didn’t quit riding your bike. You got back on. When you were on the skating rink, if you fell over, you got up and kept skating. If you were at the bowling alley, if the ball went in the gutter, the next time you took it and you made a spare and found your strike. So these are the ways that we advance in life in Christ. And I do want to encourage all young people to live accordingly.

Dr. Alveda King is a civil rights and pro-life activist and founder of King for America Inc. which endeavors to “to assist people in enriching their lives spiritually, personally, mentally and economically.”

Dr. King also made an official statement regarding the dedication of Dr. King memorial…

 

Thank you God for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr….and Thank you God!

Any thoughts?