God Made The Difference

Feeling blessed today.

God goodness deserves appreciation.

Therefore...

For his presence and assisting me in my freedom from alcohol; for health and being able to be alive in this most special time in America; for being present and showing me my own potential. Just having him in my life made the difference.

Tomorrow marks three years and five months of complete liberation from the bondage of alcohol and I dedicate this song to him. It’s one of my favorite songs of all time. Having You There by Mississippi Mass Choir. God simply answers prayer.

Remembering Aaliyah

A family reunion brought our family to Houston, Texas in July of 1996 from my hometown of Fresno. Born in El Paso, Texas and having lived a great deal of childhood in the heart of the state, July was a common month for heat and I knew it. A summer’s heat as bearable as a root canal.

We’d arrived and noticed the music was thick; mountains of R&B and Hip-Hop station flooded the airwaves. There were no words to articulate the feeling of love my soul felt (that‘s what soul music does to me). Once we were in pursuit of the family reunion, driving from our hotel, ‘If You Girl Only Knew’ came on the radio. “I can’t believe this song,” I said to myself. The beat was hypnotic, the harmonies were impeccable, the singer’s voice? An alto[ed] perfection. When the song completed and the announcer said it was Aaliyah! “You have to be kidding me” thinking, “Not the ‘Back and Forth’ girl.” From then on she had a faithful fan.

Fast forward to August 25, 2001, just weeks prior to the attack on September 11, I was in a three month relationship for the wrong reasons. We were talking at the time, the TV was muted, flashes of Aaliyah came across the screen and my eyes continued to pivot to the news’s special report while we were in conversation. After giving the TV its volume we’d found Aaliyah died in a plane crash after shooting the music video to ‘Rock the Boat.’ It was a defining moment, I ended the relationship immediately. Before this relationship I’d never been one who used another and didn’t intend to keep company based on the assets. Because I was being taken care of, I’d given the relationship attention. A needy attention not a commitment focus. No cheating was involved but it seriously would have been in upgrade. Sometimes the reason to maintain a union because of what’s given, is as sinister as any act of infidelity.

My ex and I are still friend, in fact, we’re going to meet for the first time since 2001, hopefully sometime next month. Her legacy educated me. A vehicle of preserving truth and honor. By the devastation of her death I became more important than the person I was becoming; a self-serving, egotistic bastard with no regard for my fellow man. Therefore, I remember Aaliyah on this day and provide appreciation to Christ, even eight years later, honoring Aaliyah by remaining true to my own legacy and hers alike.

Whitney Houston - Is It Worth It?

The album leaked or so alleged. Accidental? Strategically? Intentional? Whether or not one of these adverbs implemented the 'leak' is a debate for those who bathe in semantics. The case is clear; we've been presented a glimpse of the entire I Look To You album. Each song on the album complements each other. The smooth transition of one song moving to the next cooperates fully. This blog, however, is to present one of the eleven songs on the album: Worth It.

The song opens in chorus, wide and telling, coasting above a seemingly 90's R&B base percussion and piano riffs. Imagine sitting in Starbucks and eavesdropping on a woman telling her girlfriend of the power to grasp relationship without mistake, using colorful language and a soft caring voice. It's beautiful.

With that in mind, the phrase of the first verse, 'it's a beautiful thing, when it's share between two...' is quintessential Whitney Houston. Indeed, her voice has changed but with warrior valor she has a adjusted and that vibrato (we fell in love with in I'll Always Love You) is unmistakably unchanged, meaning, the only thing that has changed is the key. Many people say this song is Whitney's version of Mary J. Blige's Be Without You. One must agree the groove is undeniable and as Californian's in the bay area proclaim, "This song goes."

The album is solid. Based on the muscle of promotion, the strength of the comeback and (let's face it) her own name alone, the album is guarantees platinum sales. The hope is that the leak doesn't stifle sales. I don't think it will. She's Whitney Houston - You betta recognize!

Battle Cry: The Art of A Hell No!

Honestly, I've currently done some stupid things I am not proud of, yet, I maintain. I move with cautious sensibility in the race I've been given with wisdom and endurance because I know that the race is not given to the swift. I arm myself with power from on high and dress myself in the weapons of warfare, yet, I do this with focus and steady breathing because I understand the battle is not give to the strong. I take with me power of mind, bruises of my body, and the restoration of my soul, because a three-fold cord is not easily broken. I'm walking in the freedom of my mind because the truth has set me free. So, I ask you what should we do from now on?

Our minds are not destiny-oriented and are not in the habit of appreciating greatness. It's necessary to give the mind to destiny. It's not uncommon for ALL OF US to act according to our desires. Hell, sometimes we NEED A RELEASE (for lack of a better statement). However, we shouldn't fall victim to the pressures of our bodies. We are the drivers of these vehicles called "bodies" and can steer in paths of greatness by the map of a simple idea:

We need to agree to live in wisdom and avoid stupidity at all cost. As people, being pre-disposition to stupidity, (which some use as re-enforcement to function in a foolish frame-of-mind ) should say, NO MORE!!!

No more dumb relationships!
No more saying, yes when no is meant!
No more critical and judgmental thoughts!
No more self-esteem problems!

Let's just say, Hell No!

Stupidity is an awful disease and like any other disease it comes to infect. In this case, it comes to infect your joy. This is why Hell No! is important! Hell No! is a therapeutic and forceful expression which removes foolishness before infection. How? When Hell No! is spoken it looses remedy in stupid situation and severs stupidity at its foundation; our minds!!! However, if you want to make this more effective... replace Hell No! with the name of Jesus.

The Gift of Goodbye

All structures are unstable. Life ultimately ends and so we all must face the truth that all things in connection with this life is owned by no one, not even the air you breath for it can be taken away this very second. Once the mind can conceive all structures are unstable, then we have met the birth of true enlightenment and have begun the process of ending the dependency on life.

Yes! We are so dependent of life! The very foundation of peace, it seems, is determined by events and situations and happenings in our lives. Good and bad days seem to be dictated by events and not by the peace of knowing that life happens on autopilot and freely flows towards a metaphysical destination orchestrated by God, meaning a bad and good day [and your stress] is structured SOLELY through the error of your perception and not by what's happening. What's happening? Exactly what's suppose to happen. What's happening? The is-ness of life.

Where you are right now God circled on a map for you. Something you can't change. An awesome way to plan for the future is to place all energy into the moment at hand. Should we plan and aim for something great? Yes, of course because humanity cannot operate without time; however, never let a goal dictate the totality of being; of who you are… you're more than a goal, you ARE life.

So, say good-bye to your dependency on the structures in life. Eliminate the tags your place on people, the judgment you render, the criticisms you invoke.

Say good-bye to those relationship you hold on to. Guess what? You're the only one holding on. It's been over for a while now. It's o.k. to let it go.

Say good-bye to self-hate. Who cares that you don't like your nose? Your feet? Your weight? Your height? No matter what you think of yourself the thought is not who your are, good or bad, you're worth much more than any adjective. Any descriptive word. Any label. Investigate the more and less will be alleviated.

Say good-bye to identifying. The best way to find the truth in life is to leave it nameless.

Know this: whatever you call it. That's not what it is. "The finger pointing to the moon, is not the moon." What you believe is, is NOT and is much deeper than you can ever fathom.

Furthermore, say good-bye to your bad days, change your perception. Look at the day as a necessary place in this chapter of your life. Don't perceive the day as bad, know the day is God's.