WHAT REALLY MATTERS?

**SHARING SOME OF THE THOUGHTS THAT CONSUME MY MIND AS  A WOMAN...A MOTHER WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN THE BLESSING AND PRIVILEGE OF RAISING A BLACK MAN.  I'M CERTAIN THERE ARE MANY MOTHERS WHO SHARE THESE SAME THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS.....


Does it matter....that I got on my knees nightly and prayed for my son before he was born?

Does it matter...that I struggled through a very difficult pregnancy; ended up in intensive care, on a multitude of meds, had an unusually long hospital stay and months of bed rest to ensure that he arrived healthy and strong?

Does it matter...that my husband and I had him in church every Sunday, taught him how to pray and encouraged him to love The Lord at an early age?

Does it matter...that he was hungry to learn all he could about God and excelled at memorizing his bible scriptures before he was knee-high?

Does it matter...that he was taught to be respectful to his elders and to other people that he met along the way?

Does it matter...that he was raised to open doors, say please and thank you and to respect rules and the law?

Does it matter...that he has always been an honest soul and has a giving heart?

Does it matter... that when he's asked to pray, he touches the heart of every person in the room?

Does it matter that he has a brilliant mind and is blessed with many gifts and talents?

Does it matter that he has a family that cares for him (immediate and extended) that has poured immeasurable amounts of love into him?

EVERY one of these things SHOULD matter, because they represent the man he's become and the color of his skin should not dictate his worth.

#themotherofablackman
#blacklivesmatter

                               FATHER HOW CAN I EVER THANK YOU?

FATHER HOW CAN I EVER THANK YOU FOR THE GIFTS YOU'VE GIVEN ME
FOR THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF LIFE AND A LOVING FAMILY.

YOU'VE SET GREAT OPPORTUNITIES BEFORE ME
ALLOWING ME TO SEE THE WORLD, WITH A GIVING HEART AND
A HEALTHY MIND, BOTH WILLING TO BE UNFURLED.

AS THE SUN RISES AND SETS, THERE IS NEWNESS TO BEHOLD
EVERY MOMENT OF THE DAY, THERE ARE TREASURES TO UNFOLD.

YOU  DESIGNED ALL THINGS ON EARTH WITH YOUR
STRONG AND LOVING HANDS
YOUR MOST CHALLENGING CREATION WAS THE
DEVELOPMENT  OF MAN.

MAN WAS CREATED IN YOUR IMAGE AND  THE PLAN YOU HAD IN MIND
WAS THAT HE BE DILIGENT AND FAITHFUL AND HIS HEART LOVING AND KIND.

YOU DESIRE TO GUIDE YOUR CHILDREN TO YOU,THAT WE
KNOW YOU THROUGH AND THROUGH
WE MUST LIVE BY YOUR WRITTEN STANDARDS
YOUR WORD REQUIRES THAT WE DO.

IN MY YOUTH I COULD NOT PROCESS ALL THE GREAT THINGS MEANT FOR ME
AS I GROW AND SEEK YOU DAILY...MY EYES NOW OPEN AND I SEE!

THE TIMES WE NOW LIVE IN ARE TRYING, MANY TURN AWAY FROM YOU
THEY LIVE WITHOUT THE RESPECT AND HONOR THAT YOU ARE GREATLY DUE.

I HEAR AND SEE THINGS THAT ALARM ME AND THEY
CAUSE COMPLETE DISMAY
THAT IS WHEN I CHOOSE TO BE STILL
AND I COME TO YOU AND PRAY.

FATHER, YOU DESERVE MY FULL ATTENTION AND MY GRATITUDE FOR ALL
IN THE BAD TIMES AND THE GOOD TIMES....WHEN I RISE UP AND I FALL.

I NEVER WANT TO TAKE FOR GRANTED ALL THE THINGS YOU FREELY GIVE
I RECOGNIZE WITHOUT A DOUBT, THAT IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU I LIVE!

SOME THINGS I'VE FACED ALONG THIS JOURNEY HAVE CAUSED ME ANGER,
HURT AND PAIN
BUT IN YOUR WORD YOU HAVE COMMANDED THAT I NOT LET
THOSE THINGS REMAIN.

THROUGH MANY TRIALS AND MUCH TEMPTATION MY PURPOSE
HERE ON EARTH IS CLEAR
AND I DESIRE TO SERVE YOU DAILY AND TO ALWAYS KEEP YOU NEAR.

GOD  I KNOW I CAN'T JUDGE OTHERS
FOR THEIR PERSONAL, SPIRITUAL WALK
BUT I  CAN BE AN EXAMPLE BY THE WAY I LIVE AND TALK.

FATHER I'M SO VERY THANKFUL FOR THE GIFTS YOU'VE GIVEN ME
TAKING TIME TO SAY I'M GRATEFUL TRULY SETS MY SPIRIT FREE!



Copyright © 2013 Debora Grandison. All rights reserved.

                                          A CALL FOR HEALING~ Ferguson MO. Nov. 2014

To heal is to restore; to be made healthy, sound and whole
and we will only start to heal when WE ALL step up and take a role.
Anger, destruction, grief and pain are taking a huge toll

and if fear and hate consume our thoughts, they will begin to take control.
We were born to love...to help..to care and when needed, to console
please trust that God will intervene...healing has to be our goal!

DEBORA SPEAKS-FROM-THE-HEART ♥

                                OVERJOYED

Just knowing God is present and the promises He brings
lifts me up and gives me courage... to pray, to worship, praise and sing.

For He covers and protects me, shielding me from the wind and rain
and His love is never-ending, it heals and soothes troubles, grief or pain.

Oh, how grateful I am just knowing how much God truly cares for me
His Word directs me down the right path, His grace and mercy sets me free.

Every time I think about His goodness, every moment I draw near
I'm reminded just much He loves me and He should always be revered.

God is always there when I need Him; through each struggle, trial and storm
He wraps His loving arms around me, while He keeps me safe from harm.

He tells me that if I just trust Him, everything will be alright
but I must never take my eyes off Him, so that He's ALWAYS in my sight.

God speaks to me and gives direction, so when I start to stumble, trip or fall
I listen closely for His voice and He will bring me through it all.

I know that God delivers and that His love fills every void
and that is why my heart is grateful and I'm truly overjoyed! ♥

            WATCH OUT!!!........YOU ARE BEING USED TODAY!!

               
 When reading this title you may say, "WHAT... No one has asked me for anything, how in the world could anyone be using me or take advantage of me without my knowledge??  Well my friend, the term being used, is not always a negative thing. I am referring to being used by God and believe me....that is ALWAYS a good thing!  You aren't always aware of it, but people are watching  your every move...family, friends, co-workers...even those who you've never spoken a word to.

God desires us to be n example to everyone we come in contact with; no matter what the situation brings. We are to act on His behalf and are accountable for our responses and reactions when communicating with others. There are times when other people's actions and attitudes may have a negative impact on our own attitude. We can be in a good mood when we step out of our own environment and into the world and be met by complete and utter chaos...someone gives you a wrong look, you experience an inappropriate traffic move,a harsh word is spoken and POW...IT'S ON!!

God charges us to be cautious when reacting to the negative attitudes and behaviors of others, it's easy to loose our footing and fall prey to being "in the heat of the moment." We are to RISE ABOVE the occasion and to react in a way that will diffuse the situation.  God wants to use you to encourage those individuals who may not give thought or consequence to their actions to think and act differently.  We are called to provide a positive image for others...in spite of difficult circumstances. Being a Godly example to others can be challenging at times...you may think, why should you be responsible for trying to fix someone's unacceptable conduct, when you have your own issues to deal with?  What you may not be able to see in the moment, is that God will use YOU and YOUR positive reactions to a situation to help someone with a negative attitude to recognize the need for change in THEIR life. Their eyes will hopefully be opened to the realization that even through the hurt and the pain that they may experience, God's love brings peace, strength and triumph to ANY situation.

 God uses those who fully believe in Him and know the power of His grace and mercy to be living examples of His love and kindness. When you allow yourself to be used by Him and you exemplify His teaching through your actions towards others...YOU are preparing yourself to experience the miraculous gift of eternal life that God has promised! ♥

                                 WE ARE ALL VISUALLY IMPAIRED

While maneuvering my way through traffic one day, I began to observe the behavior of other drivers around me. I realized at that moment, that I was in the midst of a large number of very impatient and seemingly distracted drivers!! Some people were on their phones, appearing to be fully engaged in conversation; while others seemed to be lost in a song blaring from their stereos. And of course, there was the occasional erratic driver, who weaved in and out of lanes at a far greater speed than legally acceptable, giving no thought or respect to the safety of others.

 The amplified sounds of horns, motorcycles and oversized trucks was overwhelming. It was like a symphony of chaos on concrete!!  As the traffic came to a stop at an electric signal, a sudden calm took over and my eyes were drawn to a woman making her way across the street with the assistance of a cane. I realized that she was blind.  At first, it seemed as if she was making her way across the busy intersection with a level of confidence by the swiftness in her step,but as she approached the curb, her gait slowed dramatically, as if she had reached unfamiliar territory and she became more dependent upon the tool (the white cane) that was required to move her in the right direction.  With each step, she tapped the pavement to ensure that the path was firm and clear of any obstacles that could potentially harm or cause injury and could keep her from getting to her destination.

 As I observed this woman, striving to make her way to her destination unscathed, I thought about the journey that we are ALL on in this life. When it comes to reaching OUR destination in life, we are blind to some of the steps that God desires for us to take. We often weave in and out of confidence when we approach spots that are seemingly unfamiliar on the path. We each have been provided with tools to get us where we need to be.  Those tools are: The Bible, prayer, fellowship, worship, praise and love.  These tools as well as a host of others, will prepare us for uneven terrain, potholes, high curbs, rough pavement and the distractions that the enemy uses to keep us from living the life that God desires for us.

The Bible is our roadmap to the plan that God has for us. Prayer is our guide to keep us on track and give us strength to stay on the right path. Speaking to God through prayer is vital...developing that personal relationship with HIM and finding comfort in your prayer time with HIM. Fellowship helps us to be blessed and to be a blessing to others...we were not designed to go this journey alone...iron sharpens iron and our faith is strengthened by hearing other people's testimonies AND by sharing our own!  Worship and praise are also an important part of our journey...it allows us to tell God just how much He means to us...how grateful we for all of the things He has done for us...How much we love Him!  The greatest tool (gift) that God gives us is the power and ability to love...when we walk in love, it takes off the blinders of anger, hatred and the inability to forgive, that cause us to loose our footing and our direction.

 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith and not by sight." We should be like the woman who was blind, we must walk in confidence along the parts of the path that are familiar, but when we hit those spots that are unfamiliar, we must rely on the tools that God provided to get us to our destination...safe and sound!  ♥

                            IS BEAUTY REALLY ONLY SKIN DEEP??

My husband and I were waiting for our food one morning in a restaurant that we were trying for the first time.  We took our time to peruse the menu that contained a variety of interesting meal choices.  When the group of patrons seated next to us began receiving their food, we took note of the array of delightful looking dishes placed on their table and wondered if WE had made the right selections.

While trying to determine if one their dishes happened to be one I had ordered, I made eye contact with one of the women in the group.  I Immediately attempted to assure her that my staring was strictly due to whether I made the right choice and nothing else, so I blurted out, “This is our first visit here and I’m just noticing how good the food looks, have you been here before?" She responded with, “Oh yes and everything here is delicious, you will enjoy whatever items you selected!"  I smiled and said thank you as my eyes briefly connected with everyone seated at the table.  There appeared to be a mutual understanding of my inquiry about the food, based on the smiles beaming from most of their faces.

It was then that I noticed that one member of the group did not seem to share an appreciation for our short, but pleasant conversation. She was a very attractive woman, dressed in upscale attire and donned with finely detailed jewelry.  Our eyes locked and she peered at me as if I had just come between her and one of her most prized possessions.  Her gorgeous face was skewed by a frown and her eyes were filled with emotion that gave an impression of  both resentment and mistrust!!  Where could THAT be coming from?  We had never met before.  Why would our first encounter be so negative?

This experience made me think about how careful we need to be with the image that we present to others.  Here was a beautiful woman who possessed great potential in her ability to connect and relate to others... after all, being easy on the eyes is half the battle, right??  Our outward appearance can give an illusion of what our attitude and spirit should convey to those we meet.  God created many beautiful things on this earth.  His creations stem from the oceans and mountains to the sunrises and sunsets.

 We are one of God’s greatest creations, because he designed us to be a living example of Him and to draw others closer to Him.
We must sync our outward beauty with our internal beauty that was woven into us through God’s inspiration and creation.  We were fearfully and wonderfully made and our attitude and actions towards others, give praise and honor to God.
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. (‭Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭14‬ KJV)

 When we prepare ourselves to leave the house and we take a look in the mirror, we must make sure that our inner beauty compliments our outer appearance and that both attributes illuminate us with the light in which God desires. ♥