Song for the Soul: "Gift of Acceptance"- India.Arie

Beautiful song performed by India.Arie at the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize Concert.

  

Take a Shower When in the Rain (poem)

It seems that with my every effort to push forward and upward, I feel these opposing forces trying to defeat me.

I am trying as hard as I can to get back on track, but right when the clouds seem to be finally thinning out, and I think I can see a glimpse of the sun, rain clouds move in and I’m stuck without an umbrella.

But luckily enough, after a few moments, my attitude changes and overcomes… 
          And I just decide to use what I have….

                                     
                               This Rain... 

And just take a shower...                        

              

Written 10/5/06

by Phylicia D. Thomas

Inspirational Song of the Day: “You Can’t Hide From Yourself”- Teddy Pendergrass

Taking it to the disco with the Late Great Teddy Pendergrass! He’s speaking the truth, that “You can’t hide from yourself everywhere you go there you are.”

Inspirational Song of Day: "Sometimes" by Bilal

This is one of favorite songs because it reveals true feelings, emotions, and struggles. It poetically and rhythmically portrays the myriads of raw thoughts and dreams. Since we as humans have so many layers. Plus the groove & vocals are amazing!! Very soulful. I love how it ends...

My “Meantime”- Learning TRUST & SURRENDER

I have spent the past week reading “In the Meantime…” by Iyanla Vanzant. This was not the first time that I have picked up this book, but the first time that I have fully completed it. (I have a old pattern of starting things but not finishing them, especially when they force me to have to make changes in my life.) This time it really touched me. It spoke to me! It hit the nail right on the head and I recommend everyone to read it, male or female. Taking time out over the past week to sit, reflect, and center myself helped be get back on track when I was feeling a little lost. Many times when I’m lost, confused and emotional I retreat. Retreating is good, but only for so long, you must always find a way out and through your issues and back into the experience, back in life, but armed with new information. You can never just retreat and give in. There is no growth in doing that.

I learned two key elements that I need to improve in my life. TRUST & SURRENDER. I don’t know why for the life of me, it is so hard for me, each day KNOWING that my life has promise and purpose, while living in that knowing in all areas of my life, but

Inspirational Song from 12/5/10 “This One’s for the Girls” –Martina McBride

I like this song because it talks about the different stages of life that women experience and how to get through the issues and insecurities that go along with them.
       

Life is LOVE…

It’s amazing in our society, how we are mentally conditioned! We are given so many things to focus on other than our true purpose for being blessed with life. Society passes down this “road map” to the American Dream of Success. When on this journey toward what we think will bring us fulfillment, we wear blinders so nothing can distract us from our course. Most times, those blinders block us from seeing what is actually most important.

How can each individual creation of God follow the same map?

Aren’t we all uniquely purposed and placed here to facilitate change, to enhance life as a whole?

What is the one most important element to strive for? The one thing that we naturally desire and are designed to give and share… is LOVE.

Our whole world revolves around love which comes in many forms: Self-love, Romantic Love, Brotherly Love, Family Love/ Kinship, Maternal/ Paternal Love, Love of God/ Nature/ All things. It is demonstrated so beautifully in nature, the love and care that was articulated through Creation how every facet of life is equally provided for. God is Love and we were created from Love to have Love and share Love. It is our greatest gift and the only solution to the emptiness and confusion we often feel. Only Love can fill the void.

Since our society doesn’t always promote the value of Love being most important in life, it is difficult for us to re-program our thinking once we find that the things we strive for on the surface of life still leave us unfulfilled. We must search deeper. “Surface Living” keeps us entertained, distracted, achieving man-made standards and goals, and prevents us from learning how to think and channel a deeper side of ourselves. Imagine how just keeping your television & computer off for one week would allow you time to open your mind and change your life. But in the meantime, we’re chasing vain or selfish goals, money, degrees, jobs, and the highlife and not taking time out for what really counts.

Can you imagine your life without love? Can you imagine what your life would be like if you focused more on attaining and maintaining love? Well, first you must acknowledge that Love starts within you. We must make efforts to truly appreciate, value, accept, and love ourselves first in order to spread love to others. Everything meaningful was created from love. Remember that the only true way to defeat physical death is by what you do in this life that lives on beyond your physical being. Love never dies.

Inspirational Song of The Day: “You Gotta Be”- Des’ree