When You Really Matter...

One tends to think of themselves when someone mentions time. To be selfish, and say, "When will he/she make time for me!?" You want alone time, and can't seem to get it. They want to go party, and you just ain't wit' it... That's the theme song for an "opposites attract" couple-especially those with children.

Or for those of you on the dating scene... I'm going out with the guys this weekend, or it's girls night out... Yeah but what about ME!? They always make time for others, but never you. Yeah those words and actions are more likely than not, mood killers and ofttimes relationship destroyers.

The imperfect one has a Baby Girl that always asks for time, and you know... she's worth every second of it. There is a time however, when the demand is too great to fill. You can't raise a child to believe that anyone (no, not even daddy) can drop everything, every time, and attend to every request. It is foolish to raise, teach, make anyone to feel or believe that. How many times have you ever heard a mother from the hood say, "What's wrong with you!? Can't you see grown folks talkin'!?" The mothers in the hood will tell their spouses that, let alone their kids, get outta line she dares you!

Then there is the classic non-hood approach, where you ignore them until they tug your pants leg, use a louder voice, and force you to say, "You're being ignored for a reason."

There are those times when there are interruptions that do not get turned away, however. Therefore, in those occasions (children or peers) you have to be the bigger person, and just walk away. For sanity's sake, and for demonstration of what worth is all about, you just have to SHOW all parties involved that your time and effort are of worth.

The world would be more impressed by a demonstration of our faith than by a description of it! ~ via Zig Ziglar Daily Devo

How many people do you see post about faith in a social network, then turn around and brag about things that not only God has deemed inappropriate, but you as a parent would? Come on you know where this is going...

"I love the Lord, Jesus is so good to me!" in one post, then the next post is a picture of a nude, or might as well be nude woman on his/her page. Yes his/hers... Not to mention what the captions might say. Then there are those of us (Christians) that really show our hypocritical sides and paint a prettier (nastier, more evil) picture with words alone. But we are still Christians right? Imperfect or not we say that we believe... but what do we believe, and for how long?

I have witnessed lots of things via the bigger social networks, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. A young lady that I have had the privilege of coaching, and getting to know over the years posted on her wall for all to see, "Hopefully one day your life will be as cool as you make it appear on Facebook."

The imperfect one will play like the BASF of bloggers and be innovative with her quote... Hopefully one day your life will be as true, complete, and honorable as you ATTEMPT to make it in your stories, and on Facebook.

Do you really love that man/woman, do you really love yourself? Do you? Stop lying to yourself, and know that you can't lie to the One that always makes time for you, never lies to you, never makes excuses, and never breaks any promises. The imperfect one doesn't make promises anymore, and he also knows that there is only One that is capable of upholding such a standard and His name is Jesus.

Lord I don't want to be wrong. I don't want to think or hurt, or think of being hurt, but I know that only You can be that One...

Peace, Blessings, and Joy... that real PB&J

Where Can I Find The Right One?

OK the human in the imperfect one says, now he is in favor of the death penalty. Forgive Your imperfect child (me) Lord for allowing the hate in others fuel such an evil thought in Your imperfect child.

Mindless people taunted this little girl, they placed horrible images on various social networks of her. What could a child possibly do to encourage someone to such hatred. You know the imperfect one has seen some kids that are well deserving of correction, but to torment a little girl with an illness and especially a critical one, warrants a critical punishment in this imperfect mind. Lord again forgive Your imperfect child...

In Gods' care rests little Kathleen now, but her family may not rest well for sometime. Please lift them in prayer. Please lift your imperfect brother in prayer. He is in dire need of it.

Tim Allen has a new sitcom called "Last Man Standing." On the show he had a conversation with his (on show) daughter. She said something to the affect of his acts needing to be more loving, and kind, like Gods'. Tim's character said whatever happened to the acts of God that involved the lightning strikes, and the earthquakes to take care of worthless people? Well those were like thoughts of the imperfect one concerning the matter involving little Kathleen!

Abram asked God if he could find enough men that were righteous in the city, if He would spare the city, and GOD could not find one outside of Abram (Abraham)! Only Abram, and his family were spared. Unfortunately everyone in Abram's family, but his nephews wife was spared. Lot's wife looked back and was not spared. Note to self, don't look back when you ask GOD to spare your city (house), and when He says press forward do so, and remember that the one He spares just might be you!



http://news.yahoo.com/video/detroitwxyz-20910802/taunted-girl-dies-from-fatal-disease-27867302.html#crsl=%252Fvideo%252Fdetroitwxyz-20910802%252Ftaunted-girl-dies-from-fatal-disease-27867302.html

Peace, Blessings, and Joy in Christ... that real PB & J

Do You Remember The Best Part?

Do you remember what the best part of the cake was? Did you savor it, and enjoy every morsel, or just remember that it was good?

The imperfect Christian stood by his great-great grandmother's bed side and held her hand as she died. After that day, he was fearful of death! The imperfect Christian thought about it as a youngster on a daily basis. As an adult that fearful memory was refreshed, but this time in fear for his children. The imperfect one as a young newly crowned father, had a dream that his infant son (oldest son and no longer an infant) walked out of a skyscraper window, and fell several stories. The imperfect one scrambled in the dream and forced himself to sleep, and to continue the dream, until he could catch his son before he fell to his death.One of the imperfect ones most frightening events for sure!

Then later in his adult life, and being blessed with a girl, the imperfect Christian was sent a message from an angel to give to his little angel. She woke up one night, screaming, and daddy flew to her rescue! She told her imperfect daddy something that tormented him. She spoke of a horrific death that she dreamed about... her own! The imperfect Christian fought back tears until after he talked with her. He thought about the times he dreamed of himself drowning as a child. By the grace of God he swims very well now, and survived childhood by that same grace. So we speak no such curses about death, when it is our time, it is our time. The Word that the angel gave to this imperfect father, and imperfect Christian was... "baby you don't dream of dying, you live, and dream of living!"

Life vs. Death, Heaven and hell, an eternal living God vs. a lying deceitful devil... Who wins, which do we seek most? You see we give in and let evil take way too much from us. We think about the doctor saying, "You are going to die in six months." We don't hear him say, "You have six months or longer to live!" We don't hear GOD saying, "I have prepared a place for you," or "I am the God of the living." We hear that we are going to die. It numbs you doesn't it? It made the imperfect Christian numb to think about hearing those words, he can't lie. How would we face those words? This is how the imperfect Christian chose to face them... See that pound cake above? The imperfect Christian can normally down a piece of cake like that in a breath! Not today, however! Today it took almost 35 - 40 minutes. He tasted the goodness of God through butter, sugar, flour, milk, eggs, and took his time with it. He felt that cake dissolve around his teeth, melt on his tongue, and hit every taste bud on the way down! It was a wonderful piece of cake, and the best part of that cake, was every part, not just the sweet, but the satisfying of sweet, and hunger, and the joy of having something to enjoy. To think someone cared enough to bake it, and share it with others. Thank You God for sharing first of all Yourself, but also the loved ones I get to appreciate on a daily basis, You are too good to an undeserving wretch like me!

Today the imperfect one wants to strive not just to see his children as good, but see the spirit (Spirit) within them, the full vibrant glow in those brown eyes, on each member. The perfect pink lips, and the wonderful white toothy smiles! The active little and not so little fingers with the dirty nails that show the indoor and outdoor activities. All the way down to those long finger toes with complimenting nails. Today the imperfect one challenges you, to savor each moment, and LIVE!!!


Peace, Blessings, and Joy in Christ... that real PB&J!!!

Dude I Want That...

 

The imperfect one loves two wheeled machines, of any kind. Bicycles, motorcycles, road or dirt in either category. As the imperfect one was looking at some of the advanced technologies online one night, he discovered that the floating wheeled, no spoked, magnetized beauty (pictured above) is back! The floating bike has been given a light kit, to give it a Tron-like feel to it on a site called, "Dude I Want That!" No guys the model is not included, you have to find your own... As a kid the imperfect Christian said that (I want that!) a lot, dude was added later during his days in the San Fernando Valley. At Christmas and on birthdays as a kid, and he says it today even... New 2012 R1, "Dude I want that!" New Trek 2012 Mtn Bike w/ disc brakes... again, "Dude I want that!?" But then the imperfect Christian had a flash back, and remembered a time when he was the only member on a missions trip to Jamaica with African ancestry. His roommate a pastor (Caucasian) from the county adjacent to him helped through his first missions work. The imperfect Christian and the pastor were given time to speak with the children at the local school. The children ranged from kindergarten to fourth grade. The older children worked, or went to different academies. The pastor looked at all of the children and asked them if they knew, and liked Michael Jordan. The children then looked at their teachers, then the other minister (the brown faced non-Jamaican/imperfect Christian), and smiled after he smiled at them, and then they shook their heads as if to say, "Yes." The pastor then said, "Wouldn't it be great to have his autograph on a ball, or a jersey?" They all looked at the imperfect Christian again and smiled and shook there heads again as if to signify saying, ""Dude I want that!" Or as the Jamaican's would say, "Yeah Mahn I'm Feelin' Dat,... Respect!" Pastor followed up with asking them if they thought he (MJ) would remember them in a crowd of ten thousand or more? They all shook their heads (but still smiling) as if to answer, "no." What came next was the "Dude I want that," of all time! Pastor said, something along the lines of:

You know who is even more important than MJ and would remember you? They all shook their attentive little heads again, to say no, and pastor said, "Jesus." The looks on their faces were priceless.

Pastor said:
I love Michael Jordan, but he cashed his check from Nike, and never called to thank me, or see how I was doing once.

To have that kind of ministry, and excite children that much about Jesus, Yes indeed, "Dude I Want That!"

We sang, and talked more, and the children wanted to know if the imperfect Christian liked America. He was puzzled at that question until they explained their inquiry. They were under the impression that most of America is Caucasian, and hated any people of African Ancestry, which they (from youngest to the oldest) were well aware of, included them. The imperfect one read from Ecclesiastes 3, and told them that there was a time and place for everything. Then the imperfect one told them a story about Abraham Lincoln, the president on the penny, that helped to abolish slavery. President Lincoln was a "White" man that saw that other good "White" men and Brown to Black men hated slavery so much that they gave their lives to end it. Therefore, President Lincoln looked to do his part and help end it as well. He didn't hate the people, he hated the hate in his country, the hate that people had toward one another. So he signed the Emancipation Proclaimation Act into order. The kids were amazed as the imperfect Christian passed out pennies to over 400 hundred children. The last question, and greatest question was asked by the youngest member of the group, and their star business major pupil. The little fellow couldn't have been more than about five or six years of age, and he asked the imperfect Christian after receiving his penny, "Is dis real money sir, cahn I get cahndy wid it?" The imperfect one told him that it was indeed real money, but probably not near enough to get candy with, but if he would come to the service that night, he would make certain that he got some candy. That kind of innocence, determination, and love... "Dude I Want That!"

Peace, Blessings, and Joy... that real PB&J

On The Bad List?

Tom Gebo a 6th grader in Spencer, Massachusetts was placed on a bully list at school. His mother Danielle says that his teacher, and all involved in his being placed on the list should be punished. She feels that keeping him in from recess was an unjust punishment, and not an appropriate form of correction. Tom said that he has to report to a teacher after doing anything. If he went to the bathroom, he had to report to his homeroom teacher. Tom admits that he bullied other kids, and now he says that he's being bullied. Tom also said he knows how it feels now, and that bullying is a bad thing...

I would say, lesson learned, and thank you to whatever teacher(s) that took care of this matter, kudos to you!!! We need more teachers that are willing to stand up, and keep order in their class rooms, and care for all of their students!!!

Dr. Ralph Hicks (The District Superintendent) said that he would take care of this matter in whatever way he needed to, and would resolve the matter. Dr. Hicks I think it would be an injustice for you to do anything to your principle or her staff other than to congratulate them on a job well done!

We struggle in the US now with conduct, and with self discipline, simply because good core value, and common sense have been tossed out of the window. Parents have become lazy, and are willing to place blame on anyone other than themselves or their children for disruptions, and downfall. Tough love, understanding, balance, don't cast blame, just do something about what went wrong and do not let the same dog bite you twice! Too much government in America? Perhaps, or could it be too little parenting? Perhaps...

Kids that want to go beyond, usually seek beyond, and find great success. The kids in Hong Kong go to school for a lesser period of time, and have for the most part set higher scores scholastically than our kids. Why? Discipline, drive, determination... Take 3D out of your TV screen, and movie theatre, and apply it to life! Check the videos and be blessed.




Peace, Blessings, & Joy... that real PB&J

One Month To Live

What would you do if the doctor told you that you had only a few more days left?



What would you feel?



The imperfect Christian initially felt fear.


The imperfect Christian had this book (One Month To Live) lying around in front of his closet in the huge clutter called his bedroom. He saw a book that he had picked up from a gracious and generous distributor for free at the International Christian Retail Show (ICRS). It was a book that he had never read, never even touched! Then after years of pretending to be a faithful person, he picked up this book. He read the intro and asked himself, how am I going to take this seriously? I am not dying in a month that I know of due to illness, and if I were, I certainly wouldn't spend it chasing money, be concerned with paying the light bill, or buying groceries. Heck no, bring on the beach! Give me a board, and a bike and turn me loose!!! Well just so happens God answered me immediately on this one. He allowed me to feel that experience to a certain degree through a nightmare. He has since placed others in my life to wake me up as well.




The imperfect Christian placed his fro covered noggin on his pillow in hopes of a warm, peaceful slumber only to find himself restless and tossing and turning! Into the night came a horrific vision of his aunt asking him about a spot on his leg. It's appearance was like, and pardon my graphic discription, a nubby nipple. It grew rapidly before our eyes, and my aunt being a critical care nurse said, "That is bad! The way it's growing means that it's probably in your blood stream and you do not have long to live, a couple of weeks at the most." Now of course this is a dream, and the imperfect one has never heard of a growth growing from the size of your pupil to the size of a plum in just a few minutes, but it seemed so real!!! I was initially horrified, literally scared to death! I then turned bitter. I was angry that this was happening to me. Then stage three saw me being angry enough to do something about it!!! The imperfect one that was once filled with fear, and then bitterness, was now filled with strength from the Holy One. The imperfect Christian took this news as a wake up call and said, "I will not go out like a coward, I refuse to let satan still another second of my joy! I will honor and glorify Christ even to the death!"




You ever get that, "I'll show them!" mentality? That's what I felt. I woke up that morning and started a diary, and asked a couple of friends to ask me about my experience when my month was up, and I have a story, man do I have a story. Why because it didn't end at the dream, He spoke to me through another compassionate heart, when I was wide awake. This has been some ride, and the imperfect Christian has work to do. Pray for a brotha, and if you need prayer, please do not hesitate to hit me back here in a comment!

Good-bye Microwave Society, Hello iGeneration

Well good people the time has come to say good-bye to another generation. Look over our past. Some ate raw veggies, and raw meat. Minds straight please. Then there was the open pit, and open flame. On to the woodstove, and then to electric, and gas stoves. However, there came a time when not even those were sufficient, and not speedy enough! So, then came the microwave! "We've got to move these microwave ovens!" Well how much has the custom delivery changed that Mr. Sumner, and Mr. Knopfler spoke of?

The day of the microwave and waiting has changed from waiting on the nuke to get it ready to already "hot and ready." Drive up get it, and get out!

You do not have to go to a store to get music, or video, it is digitally at your finger tips! My little girl at 4 years of age thought that LP's were big CD's! Too funny...

You Tube makes an instant celebrity out of your kid, or perhaps out of you, once your kid tapes you with his/her new cell phone and the latest right now technology. Yes we are coming to an age where your word is not your bond, but your You Tube is!

Until the next time... Love, Peace, and Hair Grease... do something with those waves, and curls!

Sing A Song

You know it's not the same when some key ingredients are missing. You have songs throughout the house, the little one buzzes through and sings in her melodic little voice, an older one sings to an audience of One in his room, and the other sings aqua pella into the shower head.

If you take one of those away it's just not the same. So in honor of my favorite little singers, and one of my favorite bands of all time:

"When you feel down and out, Sing a song, it'll make your day... Here's a time to shout, Sing a song, it'll make a way..." Sing a Song, Sing a Soooooong!

The joy of being carefree!

Daddy's Girl Part 2

This is the imperfect Christians little HAM! Will perhaps be the imperfect Christians perfect lil' Mia Hamm, but they will cheer my little ones name this go round. She has an opportunity to play soccer this fall, and daddy is way stoked! But you know what blesses me even more? The look that is not for anyone else but daddy. The bashful look when she drops her head on my shoulder when I hug her and give her sugar in the morning before her mother drives off with her and takes her to school. Oh tug at a brothers heart strings! My best friend has two girls I can only imagine how ruined I would be with two! I pray that one day I can get that candid shot of my little girl and our morning embrace before I blink and she's grown. I love you baby girl, with all I my heart... Daddy loves you!

Daddy's Girl

This is an imperfect Christian picture of his perfect playtime with his perfect little girl. This is why I live a better life from day to day! Thank you God!!! Nuff said.

Angel In My Morning

I was awakened again this morning by a feisty little girl that loves to crawl into a warm bed. The set back is that she likes to snuggle as close as she can get, and then she draws out every bit of body heat that you once had, and kicks the blankets off of you. So, you have a tremendous drop in body temp, and she is closer to you than your drawers, so you can’t move for fear of crushing her. Oh did I mention the fact that if you move to the edge of the bed she follows you? That’s right good dads you know what I’m talking about. If you roll to the right you face plant in the floor, and if you roll to the left you hear, “Daddy you’re squeeching me!” You put her back in her bed about twenty times per night, and tell her, “no,” but she comes back anyway. She is the only one that I have a hard time pulling pranks on. Girls are so emotional sometimes! Well good people, a good Saturday morning breakfast blog to ya! The life of an imperfect Christian with the cutest little girl in his life at 7am on Saturday morning, and she like he, is looking for cartoons. Yeah I still dig the toons just not as early! Well she is a joy, a jewel in the crown, and nowhere near the nuisance that her old man was when he was little. In fact here’s the perfect time for my childhood prank story:

I Can't Feel My Face...

I almost feel bad for the little fella on the left. I actually feel worse for my grand kids, if I am blessed to have some. They will have to endure second generation torment from their father, and grandfather!

My kids are very compassionate, and all of them have big hearts. If someone is feeling down, or under the weather, my kids will do what they can to help lift their spirits and perk them up. Well on Monday night Smiley was sitting in front of the TV messing with some Legos or something, just hanging out. He and his brother had played Need For Speed Go Fast, Crash, and Somethin' or Nother Edition, and at this point it was just time to unwind before bed. We had a big road trip that Tuesday, and he was just chillaxin.' I went into the bedroom put on my long Black silky shorts to get comfy, then went to the bathroom, and said with no hesitation, "Hey the right one came out pretty easy." I had struggled with my contacts for a couple of days at that point, and was getting more frustrated with each day.

Smiley amazed said, "You got it out already dad?"

It had taken me about 3 days to get them out with the last attempt.

I paused for a second and then belted out a grunt from the center of my belly, and then literally screamed! My son just looked up with a deep look of concern. I stumbled out of the bathroom with eyes wide open, and feeling threw the air like I had lost my way...

Smiley sat with his mouth gaping open, and his eyes fixed on my left eye, that had no pupil, just a red spot running from where it used to be. He was frozen in fear. He was truly paralyzed and just sat there! I fell through the kitchen laughing and he finally got up caught his breath and said, while gently placing his hand on my shoulder, "Dad please don't ever do that to me again, I almost wet myself." He was smiling at the time, but his heart was really racing, it was priceless!

OK anyone else with great stories on what pranks they've pulled on their kids are welcomed to comment. Or even better, if you had one of your parents pull one over on you, please share...

Peace and I'm out... Tomorrow at 1pm starts my 3 day extravaganza!

911 To Be A Better Dad

Imagine you are a man desiring to be the best father that you can be. You're picking up your cell, dialing a number that you wished you'd never seen. You know on the other end of the line is a woman that hates you to the core. A woman that would stop at nothing to make you miserable! The phone is ringing and you hand it to your 13 year old son. That woman on the other end is his mother. She answers the phone, and begins to talk with her son. Her son that is with his father for the summer that has 3 states separating their states. Five states involved in the travel. Fives states away that she chose, leaving without warning, and not giving the slightest hint to her son's father, and to this day still continues to try and put division between father and son.

The little fella is 13 as I had mentioned before, and as an imperfect Christian I look back to my days at thirteen to try and understand what he's thinking and going through. I grew out of being a mama's boy round about this age. I didn't want my mother knowing what I was into everyday. The little guy is not quite there yet. I was into sports and hanging out with my friends at his age, he is into computer games and confined to an apartment all day. I hit the streets and learned them well. I was getting more interested in the opposite sex and he is now, yikes! I would have my first relationship way too early not long after this stage, and I do not want that for him. I learned about a lot of things at 13 and 15 that were tremendous eye openers! Of course my situation was much different. I was in a single parent home, and in Los Angeles. He is split between being in the rural set, and the burbs.


Meanwhile back at the imperfect Christian Ranch...the little fella saw the police at his dads house, and he has understood the consequences involved when a little boy cries wolf! (see previous blog) Well this young fella knows that he has an imperfect father and a perfect Heavenly Father. His earthly imperfect Christian dad is trying to emphasize the importance of being real, and eliminating the drama. The imperfect Christian broke it down in an imperfect Christian way, but gave him the perfect Word, Gods' Word!


His mother and imperfect Christian dad have the privilege to call three times a week. The imperfect one gets his 3 each week when he is with his mother and vice versa. His mother called on Monday July 6, 2009, and the imperfect one had him call back within the 24 hour time period on Tuesday July 7th round 7:38pm. This takes us back to the phone ringing... Hello says his mother, he replies with a hardy "Hi Mom." Sunny D is in the new rental van out in the drive readying to take the kids (which is Mac Daddied) to Sister Ne`'s house to show the van to Ne`'s family. Sunny calls into the house, "Hey is he coming or what?!" I said yeah just give him a few he's talking with his mother. When I get back into the living room the volume is very loud on the phone. Therefore, the imperfect Christian dad asked if the perfect imperfect Christian son had put it on speaker phone, and imperfect Christian son said no. Just a few seconds after asking him that question, his mother said, did you take your medicine today? Ace our son replies, not yet. She said why not, did your dad remind you to take it? Dad only knows of an inhaler, and nothing else, but will after this call. She asked how his breathing was, and then made a statement that had me shaking my head. "If your father is not taking care of his responsibilities and getting you your medicine then you need to call 911!" I just shook my head and sat down. I got on my laptop, and checked my email preparing for my conference call to better my ministry. Class would for me would follow 5 minutes after Ace's phone call. She let him talk to his sister, and her husband, and then she returned to the phone. He grew a little defensive when she asked him again how he felt. He said I am fine, and was a little stern. She was a little uneasy with that, you could tell she grew angry by the sound of her voice. Before she got off of the phone she said, I love you son, and then stressed again to "call 911" if your father doesn't fullfil his obligations and get you to the emergency room. She asked him if he still had his phone and he lied and said yes ma'am. I can only wonder what will be said, or come about when he tells her that I took his phone upon the night of his texting them and not telling me that he was sick when he seemed to be in fine shape! He had played all day, and was ready to play with Boogman until the Boog said he was showering and getting ready to watch a movie. At that point he began to text how miserable he was and that he day was horrible! Didn't tell me or any of the rest of my family at all, at any point in the day!

So good parents no one thing, he saw the police, he has been told about the importance of urgent care, and when to use 911 (for emergencies!) and he knows that he is loved. He also sees that he does not live with an imperfect Christian that is trying to kill him, and if he would not call 911 without his mothers permission when with her, why would he have to be responsible for doing it when staying with his imperfect Christian dad. If the house is burning down, if he feels like he is going to die (truly die) and not just feel bad, then he needs to call 911.

Love your children, teach them in the way of the Lord, and be there for them. Communicate!

Peace, Blessings, and Joy... that real PB&J!!!

I Can't Breathe!

I have heard two people within the last month say, "I can't breathe!" I said it back in January when I had pneumonia. It's like drowning, you want to get to the surface, but the surface seems so far above you. You want to get to the surface, but there is a tremendous weight that is holding you down. Your chest feels heavy, your extremities are weak, you just feel like giving up! The struggle is too great, so what do you do?

Yes we all need our "own" time from time to time. No one likes to be smothered. There are times when I am grateful to have a good looking woman trail me, or have my kids on my heels, and at others, I just need to chill. Let that Ox have a few days off, give him some meadow to roam in as long as he's roaming alone. He can't have calves if you don't make him mad enough to go through the fence, or if you don't open the gate and push him out, give him some room. And again on the other hand, sometimes he needs to be shadowed, makes him feel important. Mama is the same way fellas! When the yoke is on it should be light, not tight! Then the burden will be easy when you work together in the Lord!

Ready for the soap opera? How many husbands put their wives out of their home, and leave them hanging? For those women, I have a little Madea anx built up in me! If you helped turn that house into a home, then you should be entitled to your share. If you deserve to be put out, then he should at least give you ample time, and help you even if you are totally wrong! To each their own, but somethings just do not make sense! People should be more civil.

I have had more friends divorce this year, or speak of divorce, than I have heard of through my entire years as an adult! Why all of a sudden this surge in die-vision? Well it's not all of a sudden, it's just that I am noticing it now, and more people viewed me as good imperfect Christian husband. My wife is saying wow, if you only knew! Well the lack of vision, the lack of appointment, and focus as one have all gone away! If you are married you cannot look at your future, and future agendas with just your eyes, and one set of eyes in mind! You cannot look through the one set of physical eyes, but instead you must look through the spiritual set that is now a trifocaled univision! WHAT? Yes a trifocaled univision...Three sets acting as one! Each spouse must look at the greater vision that God has given them. That vision must connect with your partners vision, to ultimately bring forth the ultimate vision, and that is how to please God as a UNION! You see this Union is not just between you and spouse! You put two pieces of toast together and hold one piece up, what does the other piece do? It falls to the floor or the plate. If you put some adhesive (smooth jelly, or some spicy mustard depending on the sandwich LOL) on them what happens!? They stay together. You are one slice, and he is home slice! God is the adhesive in case some of my imperfect Brothers and Sisters are slower than I am. This is why the Word says to be "equally yoked." You can't go one way, and have your partner going another. When we do this good people we drag or get dragged! So what is your vision?

And it shall come to pass in the last days, God declares, that I will pour out of My Spirit upon all mankind, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy [telling forth the divine counsels] and your young men shall see visions (divinely granted appearances), and your old men shall dream [divinely suggested] dreams.
Yes, and on My menservants also and on My maidservants in those days I will pour out of My Spirit, and they shall prophesy [telling forth the divine counsels and]predicting future events pertaining especially to God's kingdom]. (Acts 2:16-18 Amplified Version)

God declares that He will pour our His Spirit first of all, so whom is it that we should be waiting for? Our spouse? No, no! You first lady of the house are a prophetess! You young man of the house shall be a visionary, and you aged and experienced shall dream, and see the next generation do greater things, you are the pathfinders, and the trailblazers, the pioneers! Wow, that almost sounded like an ad for a used car lot! At any rate, I ask as the imperfect Christian, why is it that you imperfect brothers and sisters are not moving? You are not moving for fear of failing! You have heard it a million times...you only fail, when you fail to try! But we (conviction poured on the imperfect one first) are afraid of what someone might say, we are afraid of the spouse being displeased, we are afraid of what society will do with us! If you have to separate then do so! How many people have or could do this:

Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband. 11 But even if she does depart, let her remain unmarried or be reconciled to her husband. (1Corinthians 7:10 & 11 NKJV) OK is this the chauvinist God again, or does this apply to men as well? Well in ancient customs the man had to put his wife away, and the woman was not to leave. But again I use an old cliche` "Absence or Distance makes the heart grow fonder..."

Can we seek the civility in Christ and be reconciled to one another just as He reconciled us to God the Father? He redeemed us, but for what? So, we could slap Him in the face and say thanks but no thanks! I don't know what weight you are dealing with, I don't know what sea it is that you are drowning in, but I know the Lifeguard that can save you.

Oh and try some PB&J for that toast up there! Peace, Blessings, and Joy my imperfect brothers and sisters!

Independence?

Well good people the imperfect one here to speak on Independence! I said that I would with my total being celebrate our independence as a nation truly when America had a person of African descendants as our Commander and Chief. Well on November 4th of 2008 I celebrated independence for all of my ancestry. The Scotsman, the German, the Portuguese, and the Blackfoot and Cherokee celebrated a true melting pot society when President Obama was sworn in! I continued the celebrating on into January and had folks celebrating with me on the 20th of January in 2009!

July 4th of 2009 has passed and I am still celebrating. My taxes have decreased personally, gas prices have lowered, and even most grocery prices seem better. We still have greater freedoms than most countries that I know of. We have a rental truck that everyone seems to enjoy, I got my Tacoma home, and now the Impala is in the shop of our choice! We are free to enjoy insurance that helps get you moving again. We are free to celebrate spending time with family and having prayer with friends and family. We are free to speak our minds and help others. I wish to exercise my freedom tonight! I do not want any father that tries and truly cares for his kids to go through what it is that I have gone through, or will have to go through for a few more years to follow.

I am a man trying to raise his children to be integritous. My endeavor is to raise good imperfect Christians that can think for themselves and celebrate their imperfections independently. I have attempted to raise all of my children to seek after God, and mature into adults that will be people after His own heart! This weekend has been a struggle, but praise God aluta continua... the struggle continues! Some cannot endure the struggle, and to this point I have and I shall!!! Thank you Sister Ne, for making me study my Latin with more fervency.

In this land of Independence, I have had to seek justice in the fine judicial system. I have a court order for partial joint custody of my youngest son. This order says that neither party cannot badmouth one or the other. It doesn't say that I am disallowed to tell the truth. It was amended in 2004, just before we bought our house, because I spanked him. I went from every other week to every second and fourth weekend with visitation. I was disallowed to spank him for lying and being lazy enough to soil his underwear, but his mother's new husband could spank him for critiquing his sister's artwork and saying that it wasn't good. Spanked by a man that teaches him that being smug is a cool thing! During that time period she moved to Illinois and took my youngest over 900 miles away from me. This is the same son that she wanted to keep me from since the very beginning. His mother wanted to keep me from him until that is she had no place to keep him herself. Because we both worked a night shift and her father was retiring and would not allow our son in his house during the day or the night his mother threatened me with a lawsuit. She said that if I didn't provide a sitter she would get an attorney and go to court. I think she was a little bit shocked when I didn't seek a sitter, but instead kept him myself during the daytime hours! I had family keep him during the night while we worked. No help from her, nothing just my watching him from 8am to 4:30pm so she could sleep. The she would then bring him back to me around 9:30pm and I would take him to my mothers house. He would cry at the door when I would leave because he wanted me to stay and play with him more. My mother watched him for the most part and my uncle's wife kept him for awhile as well. But on his mothers side the same pattern continued, and none of her family stepped up. That was then and this is now, but the drama continues.

We went to my Uncle Juan's house yesterday for the traditional BBQ. The kids ate, they swam, they rode dirtbikes and fourwheelers, and everyone was having a great time. The adults sat and held the usual comedic conversations, and laughed hardily. The kids ran like wildfire, and enjoyed one another. No arguments, no malicious acts from jealous siblings, just a great time. We all left from L.A. (Lower Altapass) and headed into metropolis of Scrubville for fireworks. We parked the trucks behind the hospital and watched the red, white, and boom from atop the hospital drive. We had a few brownies left and of course everyone wanted at the very least one more bite, so onto phase 2 of the brownie eating. The fireworks show overall not to shabby, but the grand finale a bit of a let down. Each vehicle gathered their own kids and dispersed.

The imperfect one got home and started to settle in when his phone buzzed. I was headed to the restroom and did not recognize the number so I waited for a voicemail. I walked back into the room, and listened to the voicemail. It was my youngest son's, mother's husband (mouthful huh)? He had left a message telling me that my son had texted them and notified them that he was unable to breathe. Rather than call his trac fone back to listen for signs of his not being able to breathe they texted. His mother's husband instructed me to go immediately to the emergency room! He said that AJ could get breathing treatments there, and they could administer meds to him for allergies as well. He finished his instructional message with a threatening I will be calling back to check on him. I did what I normally do, and I ignored his ignorance like a Rottweiler ignores a toothless Chihuahua. I awaited his call, and never heard from him. Instead I received a call from the Mitchell County Dispatch.

Dispatch called and at first did not identify themselves. The dispatcher said, who am I speaking with. I said you called me who do you want to speak with? He said is this the imperfect Christian? I said it is, who am I speaking with please. At that point he told me his name and said I am Deputy Dawg with the Mitchell County Dispatch, I am calling because your son's mother called and wanted to know how he was, and said that he had texted her and told her that he couldn't breathe. I told him that AJ was fine, and that I was responsible enough to get him medical attention if he needed it. I know how to dial 911, and that I was merely minutes away from Scrubville hospital, or I knew my way to Memorial Mercenary Hospital if he needed serious care. He said may I verify your address so I can formally file the complaint, I gave it to him and asked if he needed me to call the phone number back to him as well. He said no sir you have a goodnight. I said thank you, and you as well, but now that you have called please file in your complaint that my phone works that I know the number for 911, and that I am a grown man able to communicate, therefore capable of being responsible enough to get my son medical attention if he needs it, and that his mother can take care of things with him on her time.

The drama didn't stop there. A Deputy Sheriff named McClinton in all black attire came by and asked me which house was 43. I told him that my house was. Officer McClinton said that he was on a DSS call and needed to check on the minor. I called for AJ, and he got his shoes, and came to the door. I had locked myself out and couldn't get in so I called through the kitchen window. Officer McClinton was a blessing however, he did not lead AJ with a question, but simply just asked him if he was OK. AJ said, "I am good." Officer McClinton said you feeling OK then, and AJ said, "Yes sir." Officer McClinton said that's all I came for. Officer McClinton said, "Ok hoss you have a goodnight, and wished me a goodnight as well. He said if we can do anything for you just call. I said yeah you can have her handle things on her end and let me live my life and take care of things on mine. He looked a little upset with my saying that and stepped back toward me. I told him that I wasn't upset with him, but I was not pleased with the non-sense by any means, I knew that he was just doing his job. Officer McClinton then said, "I only ask one question of each parent, put yourself in their shoes, if it was you wouldn't you want to know?" Quite naturally my answer was, "Of course!" I would want to know for sure but would be more mature and rational with obtaining my information, but now you put my shoes on for a few good people. Would you want your other children freaked out every other day with an officer of the law showing up at your doorstep just because some crack pot accused you of being a bad parent when time and time again you prove that you are not!? Shoe on the other foot would you want your child with the other parent to be scared or brainwashed into believing that he was leaving his real family to go live with people that wanted nothing but bad for him, and were trying to kill him and couldn't take care of him? Would you appreciate a woman that would entice a DSS worker to believe that because your spouse was Caucasian that she didn't care for your Afro (Black) children!? Well that was part of the questioning years ago that might oldest son endured from a DSS worker. DSS workers that admitted to spanking their own children, and doing the exact same thing that I had done, but did not lose time with their children. The same DSS worker was caught in a lie in court and not punished in the least way. Those images have been burned, and have become permanent fixtures in my mind ever since the events took place. Eventually my son will see the truths in this matter but until then I am asking when Lord!?

We have been down this road before, and may have to endure it again, but my endeavor is to see that we not only survive it, but help other true, caring fathers so that this does not happen to them. Better yet so that no child is left in the dark or led into confusion.

Peace, Blessings, and Joy in Christ...the real PB&J

And yet again...

Yet again a super weekend!!! This crew of youngsters make my day, and complete my life. I am the imperfect Christian so God is above all even when I do not act like it, but these guys are my joy!

God blesses me with so much, and I do not deserve any of it. I do not deserve to be saved from a devils hell, but He made the way so that I could. So that all could. I want to be on track for my little ones.

My simple prayer Lord God save my kids from a generational curse! Allow them even in my flaws learn how to cope, and deal with lifes most difficult situations, and how to smile and glorify You in everything. Amen.