Follow 'YOUR' Yellow-Brick road

As we bid farewell to the end of yet another year and prepare for the sunrise of a new and glorious 2012, here's another opportunity for you to 'get it right'  or at least come as close to 'right' through action as you possibly can.  Will you continue to listen to voices that don't sound like yours? Will you continue to compromise your value system for 'status quo' and respond to mediocrity or will you honestly take inventory and surrender to the You that needs to live and breathe on the outside?  How long will you continue to hold yourself hostage?

Sure, everyone who claims to love you feels they have your very best interest at heart, when they indirectly/unintentionally and persistently convince you that you're doing just fine with the way things are. Do they honestly know what that 'best' is as it relates to you? Only YOU can recognize the genuine call of your name, your passion, your gift. Most often, those suggestions from others will be inconsistent with what you've been authentically equipped with for the journey. I know, you don't want to take a risk, because you have no idea what's around the corner.  You might be thinking, what if you step out and make a mistake.......then again, what if you step out and succeed? You'll never know either way, unless you step out......so.....Step! Dance, sing, paint, write, speak, sell, travel, just do whatever the call is directing you to do. 

 Yes, that call is God, your truth, your passion, your heart, leading you in the direction of what has been planted inside of you.  It needs to be released or you'll never be at peace....you'll wrestle because there's a growth inside of you, fully mature, that wants to be born.....Release it! It has reached full maturity and it needs to breathe! It needs to continue to grow and it can only do that when it has been given room to spread its wings. 

 Those around you may hear a tune, but it's faint and sure, it's something that you can sing and dance along to, but the true symphony of your life, only YOU can hear and you hear it the loudest.  I hope the sound drowns out everything around you this year until you address it and follow the road that it's leading you to. The compass/longing that is leading you to that place where you'll give birth to what has been growing inside of you all of this time is the only voice you should be listening to - the pull, the tug of that voice in that compass,.....in your spirit.

Today is your day......this is the year.......Step out....risk and gain the reward of receiving the Love that you'll share by giving birth to YOU! You can hear your calling the loudest.....Respond!
May your year be filled with all good things that derive from Love, Peace and a true Awakening of You!  We all have a roadmap for our assigned journeys.  Everyone is not travelling your way....it doesn't mean you don't care about their journey, it simply means that you must be accountable to the life that you were given and bless those as they journey on their assignments.  Roads will merge and then roads move in opposite directions.  Make sure that you are adhering to the compass for YOUR journey and not travelling on the road that doesn't scream your name! It's time for you to 'Follow YOUR yellow-brick road.'

 Happy New Year! -BG

"People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they're not on your road doesn't mean they've gotten lost." -H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Merry Christmas!

May the joy of Christmas remain in your hearts throughout the coming year.  May the spirit of sharing continue to be a part of your everyday living and not only reserved for one day out of the year.  Allow this joy to become the habit that you never wish to break! May this Love continue to be shared freely, with no expectations in return. Giving from the heart is the same as receiving.  Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones and Blessings for a wonderful, healthy and prosperous New Year!

President Barack Obama - A Man of the People

I am grateful each day to wake up knowing that a man with his heart, compassion and intellect leads these United States of America! May God continue to Bless him and his family and protect them from all harm...seen and unseen.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

A Christmas Prayer

God help us to end poverty in our time.

The poverty of having a child with too little to eat and no place to sleep, no air, sunlight and space to breathe, bask and grow.

The poverty of watching your child suffer hunger or get sicker and sicker and not knowing what to do or how to get help because you don’t have another dime or a car, money, or health insurance.

The poverty of working your fingers to the bone every day, taking care of somebody else’s children and neglecting your own, and still not being able to pay your bills.

The poverty of having a job which does not let you afford a stable place to live and being terrified you’ll become homeless and lose your children to foster care.

The poverty of losing your job, running out of unemployment benefits, and no other help in sight.

The poverty of working all your life caring for your own children and having to start all over again caring for the grandchildren you love.

The poverty of earning a college degree, having children, opening a day care center, and taking home $300 a week -- or a month -- if you’re lucky.

The poverty of loneliness and isolation and alienation -- having no one to call or visit, tell you where to get help, assist you in getting it, or care if you’re living or dead.

The poverty of having too much and sharing too little and having the burden of nothing to carry.

The poverty of convenient blindness and deafness and indifference to others.

The poverty of low aim and paltry purpose, of weak will and tiny vision, of big meetings and small actions, of loud talk and sullen grudging service.

The poverty of believing in nothing, standing for nothing, sharing nothing, sacrificing nothing, struggling with others for nothing.

The poverty of pride and ingratitude for God’s gifts of life and children and family and freedom and home and country and not wanting for others what you want for yourself.

The poverty of greed for more and more and more, ignoring, blaming, and exploiting the needy, and taking from the weak to please the strong.

The poverty of addiction to more and more things; drugs, drink, work, self, violence, power, fleeting fame, and an unjust status quo.

The poverty of fear which keeps you from doing the thing you think is right.

The poverty of convenient ignorance about the needs of those around you and of despair and cynicism.

God help us end poverty in our time, in all its faces and places, young and old, rural, urban, suburban and small town too, and in every color of humans You have made everywhere.

God help us to end poverty in our time in all its guises -- inside and out -- physical and spiritual, so that all our and Your children may live the lives that you intend.

 Marian Wright-Edelman, President - Children's Defense Fund

U.S. Flag Comes Down And Iraq War Is Officially Over

Gen. Lloyd Austin, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, and Command Sgt. Maj. Joseph Allen "case the colors" at the ceremony in Baghdad marking the official end of the U.S. military mission in Iraq. Read Article:  http://www.npr.org/2011/12/15/143791674/u-s-flag-comes-down-and-iraq-war-is-officially-over

Be Magnificent!

Why are you choosing to be second best, less than, not quite and almost there? Simply choose to be the magnificent being you were created to be.  You come from a source of pure beauty, magnificence and love.  Reach the  heights of your soul's longings.  Don't decide that because your goals have not yet manifested themselves, that it will never happen.  Continue to put in the work, dream and be inspired.  Be your Magnificent Self......and remember, that you come from a source of Love and Magnificence.....Your goal should be......... always  transcending to that greater, higher place .............Be Magnificent!!!

Happy Holidays from 'The First Family' 2011

President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle, Sasha, Malia and a host of elves.

Today's message is in the music.....'Keep Your Head to the Sky'....listen:

Master told me one day
I’d find peace in every way
But in search for the clue
Wrong things I was bound to do

Keep my head to the sky
For the clouds to tell me why
As I grew, and with strength
Master kept me as I repent
And he said

Keep your head to the sky......Keep your head to the sky

Even on a rainy day.......

Today is rainy, cold and not as pretty as a day filled with beaming sunshine. Yet.....it is still a day filled with opportunity and expectancy for 'all good things.' Even on a rainy day, you can find pleasure in the simple things......reading a book, listening to music, sharing a cup of tea/coffee with a great friend or simply just 'being' and listening to the rain.  Yes, even on a rainy day, you can be thankful that you were able to place your feet on the floor this morning and stretch your body and move into a day where your value is appreciated.

Even on a rainy day....the rain sounds wonderful falling on the rooftops and splashing against the windowpane.  A washing away,.....a cleansing......a renewing and a reminder to complete those unfinished tasks.....yes....Even on a rainy day.....it's still another beautiful day!

A rainy day compels you to get those 'inside things' taken care of....not necessarily in the world of inside work, but the inside work of the soul.  Allow the rain to motivate you to wash away sadness, despair, depression, doom and gloom.  Recharge while the raindrops are falling.....Propel yourself into a new, dry arena of possibilities. Dry the tears, if they're falling......you can do all of this.......'even on a rainy day.'

Sonny Rollins Receives Kennedy Center Honors!

Sonny Rollins Receives Kennedy Center Honors!

 

Sonny Rollins was one of five individuals who have been selected to receive the Kennedy Center Honors of 2011.

 Along with fellow recipients singer Barbara Cook, singer and songwriter Neil Diamond, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and actress Meryl Streep, Rollins was honored at the 34th annual national celebration of the arts on December 4."I am deeply appreciative of this great honor," said Mr. Rollins, "In honoring me, the Kennedy Center honors jazz, America's classical music. For that, I am very grateful."

I am personally, very excited about this honor and extremely happy for Mr. Rollins.  To read the entire article, continue here to Jazz Times: http://jazztimes.com/articles/29041-sonny-rollins-honored-by-kennedy-center-and-president-obama

World Aids Day.....Goal: Zero! The fight is NOT over -

As I appear through the eyes of a friend...........

Sunlight for the dreary day.......

The Melody of Your Life

The tune remains familiar                                              
I love the highs and even lows,                          
I love the way the melody captures
my heart and endlessly
flows.

I dance and hum its melody
The key is perfect, measured with precision,
no need for transposing nor ad- libbing....
it's perfect, as is.

That tune - yes, I remember
the sounds are like a soft snowfall, gentle raindrops,
sometimes a chilly night, a warm summer day...
It feels the way it sounds.

I remember the words, the sights, the sounds,
the tones, the chord changes
The tune remains familiar, hoping that
it never fades away.......

The tune is indeed familiar,
It's the rhythm of the Life and the Love
that you've left with me,
I play it often and hear it deep
within my soul.....
An endless melody.

The tune - the song of your life,
I'm in love with this melody,
it's stuck in my head and
carved into my heart.....
Your Life's Melody.

When I see a flower bloom,
I hear the melody.
The sound of the birds singing,
I hear the melody.
Fresh air and sometimes, baked bread
this music ...this melody;
The rhythm during a rainfall,
Drip, Drop....three, four.

The melody, the sound,
the rhythm...
My heartbeat keeps the rhythm
to the melody that plays forever
of your Life.... in mine; Your Life's Melody.

copyright© 2011 Brenda Gale

Thanksgiving Blessings!

Let us remember that, as much as has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds. ~ Theodore Roosevelt

I Live.......

The day is beautiful and life is good. During this season, the grass is not as green, yet my feet are still above the ground and on this grass. The air has a chill, yet the sun shines brightly, so I breathe and I don't complain.  The days now seem shorter, but nothing has changed about the span of time.  The day is still beautiful and life is still good.  I'm thankful.....I'm experiencing.....I'm recalling, remembering and  planning.....I live.....I live.....I choose and I Live!

copyright© 2011 Brenda Gale


(Painting artist Unknown) -orangebaobabafricaart

Thankful...............

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends
,For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have a Great Weekend!

The universal language of .....Music!

R.I.P. Champ ~ Joe Frazier, a former heavyweight champion and boxing legend, died Monday night after a battle with liver cancer. Prayers and condolences to his Family & Friends....

Frazier, who died Monday night after a brief battle with liver cancer at the age of 67, will forever be linked to Ali. But no one in boxing would ever dream of anointing Ali as The Greatest unless he, too, was linked to Smokin' Joe.  Full story: http://espn.go.com/boxing/story/_/id/7206261/joe-frazier-former-heavyweight-champion-dead-67

This keeps a smile on my face.....

That's right.......Barack Obama, President of these United States of America....God Bless Him and his family!

This is what Love looks like.......

President Obama with his youngest daughter, Sasha.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

  Duck- Blackfoot tribe.                                                                                      

Diana Ross on the set of 'Mahogany' 1975....I love this photo shot by Gianni Lami - Vintage Black Glamour

Soar into your destiny.......Choose, Respond and Change!

Every human has four endowments:  self-awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination.  This gives us the ultimate human freedom: the power to Choose, to Respond and to Change. - Stephen R. Covey

That's right....YOU have the POWER to Change based on your choices and responses.  If you don't like the way things are going in your life.....only YOU have that power to make a difference and make a change.  Your response to how comfortable or uncomfortable you are will  be the evidence of the changes that you create in your environment....in your Life.

Don't allow a new year to unfold and  find you doing the 'same things' hoping for 'different results'....Not gonna happen.  It's like 'garbage in-garbage out'........Seeds planted will bring forth a harvest of like-kind, so plant(plan) what you desire to achieve....in every single area of your life. Choose, Respond....Change.

YOU have the POWER to make the Change! It's time for you to SOAR!

The Power of Faith

     Faith is not about magic, neither is it about simply 'hoping'.......Faith is about Believing! "Blessed are those who have faith who cannot see." It's quite easy to believe in love when you're always surrounded by kindness; it's not so easy when you're confronted with the judgments and the attacks of the world.
     Faith is an aspect of consciousness.  We either have faith in the love that is eternally true or faith in the illusions of the ego.  In that sense, there is no such thing as a faithless person.  If you have faith in the reality of disaster, then disaster will be real for you.  If you have faith in a reality of love that lies beyond a disaster, then you become an opening for its transformation.  Faith is a kind of positive denial: we don't deny that something is happening in the physical world.  We simply have faith that this reality is but mere illusion before the love of God. We deny the ultimate reality of the world itself.
     I've witnessed that many tend to have greater faith in the limitations of the world than in the limitlessness of God's power.  This is where your thinking should be transformed....you can't depend and rely on what this world has to offer or you'll always limit your reach.
     Faith means we're always standing open to the possibility of miracles, knowing that when we stand on the ground of love, within the space of holiness, then all material forces are automatically programmed to work on our behalf.  We don't have to do anything new so much as become someone new in order to fundamentally change our lives.  As we humble ourselves and step back with our ego, allowing God to lead the way, miracles occur naturally.  No stress, no strain.  If you notice, this entails transforming the way you are thinking and viewing......How are you believing? If you're wavering, you don't have Faith.....You must conceive first and strongly believe that an event will come to pass.....that's Faith!

Believe in the 'Power of Faith'.....it's Real.......Reach out, reach up and move forward in Faith, never wavering! (some excerpts taken from the gift of change)

This song should be a daily hymn.........Use the sunshine in your heart to ease the pain.

Vision

Expand your vision! Vision is the gift of seeing clearly what may be. Vision expands our horizons. The more we see, the more we can achieve; the grander our vision, the more glorious our accomplishment. The courage to follow our dreams is the first step toward destiny. Step out.....expand.....Become MORE and never less! - (Nothing happens unless first a dream. - Carl Sandburg)

As a Man Thinketh

 Mind is the Master-power that molds and makes, and Man is Mind, and ever more he takes the Tool of Thought, and shaping what he wills, brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills-He thinks in secret and it comes to pass; Environment is but his looking-glass.  - James Allen

Motivation.....Do you really want it?

Do you honestly want what you're singing, praying, getting excited about? Do you want it or is the idea of having it your motivation?  What's your sincere motivation behind some of those goals? Why haven't you taken the first or second step towards its completion.  That business that you've envisioned, have you even drawn up a business plan?  If you're offering a service, have you even secured one customer who is satisfied and excited about what you're offering? Let's get real......what's your motivation?

We are motivated to the degree that the decisions we make are our decisions.  To be honest with ourselves, to sincerely know what we really want, is the true key to Motivation.  We are always in a position to choose and simply decide. We can decide to do something and we can also decide not to do something.  The choice is ours.....and choice is so very powerful.

So again.....what's your motivation? Are you serious about it? Have you started? Why haven't you? Do you really want what you want?  Ask yourself why you go to work each morning or whatever it is you do.....there is some motivating factor behind those decisions.  If that motivation isn't fueled by some type of passion or love......you won't really be motivated to achieve your best, so.......again.....do you really want what you want?  Understand why you do the things you do and you might start doing something different or doing that same thing differently.  Blessings on your journey!

Opportunity

We develop opportunity by applying persistence to the possibilities.  Opportunity is all around us.  If we seek it, we will most assuredly find it.  If the door of opportunity is closed, we must knock on it-and keep on knocking until it opens.  Don't give up the first or even the second time.  If you truly believe deep within that your answer exists (and it does) you must persist. Stay the course, apply persistence and remain Faithful.

Preparation is also crucial once that opportunity presents itself, so prepare!

[Opportunity rarely knocks on your door.  Knock rather on opportunity's door if you ardently wish to enter. - B.C. Forges]

Gaining the Advantage through Time

We gain the advantage in any situation through one medium: Time.  We gain the advantage by doing things before they need to be done - positioning ourselves ahead of time in the best place.  Those who think ahead of the approaching action will have the advantage.  They will be the winners.

Don't procrastinate! You must learn to move fearlessly and immediately into your vision......capture the advantage and seize the moment.  Don't live with the regret of seeing your vision come to pass by the efforts of someone else moving into 'action' and taking the 'advantage' from you.  Time.....position yourself ahead.....plan and gain the 'Advantage.'

[The best time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining. - John F. Kennedy]

Thousands Gather for MLK Dedication - Celebrating the Dream!

Thousands of people gathered at dawn Sunday to give the new Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial a proper dedication on the National Mall after its opening in August.  Full Story: http://www.npr.org/2011/10/16/141396014/thousands-gather-for-mlk-dedication
Virtual Tour of the site:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CaYN1TJLCG0#!

What Awakens You

What does it take to get your creative juices flowing? Start paying attention to the people, places and things that spark creativity, joy, laughter and learning to be expressed from within you. There must be a song, a poem, or something that needs to be released from inside of you, but you can't seem to motivate yourself to sing, dance, write or whatever it is that's dying to be expressed outside of you.  Find that place.......keep company with that person.....surround yourself with an ideal atmosphere, that sound.....that touch.  Dig deep inside and go there.  There is beauty inside of you begging to express itself and you are holding it hostage.  Go to the beautiful place that allows you the freedom to breathe deeply and think clearly. Spend time in that special place or with that special person and dig deep.....Create. Release that beauty and then bring it back and share with the world. Identify what brings about that natural, loving flow. Get in the zone and allow those gifts and your individual expression of spirit to be displayed! Discover 'What Awakens You'.....................

What are you aiming for?

 In the words of Diana Ross in 'Theme from Mahogany'...."Do you know where you're going to...do you like the things that life is showing you....where are you going to, do you know?" - Don't just say you're aiming high....you must have something 'specific' that you're aiming for, otherwise you'll wander around and just settle for anything, any job, house, partner, meal, condition of health...... just anything....so Focus on what you really want and then go for it. Do you have a vision? If you have a map/plan, your chances are much better at arriving at your planned/focused destination.  Plan and focus.....Aim and proceed with enthusiasm towards your specific goal.  

(We are often told to aim high in life, but we must aim at what we would hit instead. A general purpose is not enough. The arrow shot from the bow does not wander around to see what it can hit on its way, but flies straight to the mark. ~Og Mandino)

Prayer for Self-Love

     Today, Creator of the Universe, we ask that you help us to accept ourselves just the way we are, without judgement.  Help us to accept our mind the way it is, with all our emotions, our hopes and dreams, our personality, our unique way of being.  Help us to accept our body just the way it is, with all its beauty and perfection.  Let the love we have for ourselves be so strong that we never again reject ourselves or sabotage our happiness, freedom and love.
     From now on, let every action, every reaction, every thought, every emotion, be based on Love.  Help us to increase our self-love until the entire vision of our life is transformed, from fear and drama to love and joy.  Let the power of our self-love be strong enough to break all the lies we were programmed to believe -- all the lies that tell us we are not good enough, or strong enough, or intelligent enough, that we cannot make it.  Let the power of our self-love be so strong that we no longer need to live our life according to other people's opinions.  Let us trust ourselves completely to make the choices we must make for ourselves.  With our self-love, we are no longer afraid to face any responsibility in our life or face any problems and resolve them as they rise.  Whatever we want to accomplish, let it be done with power of our self-love.  Amen  (the mastery of love)

Stevie Wonder Leads Birthday Tribute to Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lowery, Legendary Civil and Human Rights Leader....tonight 10/9/11@6PM- Atlanta Symphony Hall, Woodruff Arts Center. 

Weekend Arts Agenda: Ground Floor (Atlanta)

Local arts nonprofit Dashboard Co-Op is taking over Edgewood Ave. for a single night with Ground Floor. Utilizing vacant spaces adjacent to the intersection of Edgewood and Boulevard (like the former location of much-missed restaurant Dynamic Dish), the exhibition will feature site-specific installations, video, sculptures, and more from up-and-coming artists like Nikita Gale, Nathan Sharratt, Justin Rabideau, and others. More details from Dashboard.


Nikita Gale will exhibit as part of Dashboard's Ground Floor
Creative Loafing Full Story:  http://clatl.com/culturesurfing/archives/2011/10/07/weekend-arts-agenda-ground-floor#more

Steve Jobs, Apple co-founder and former CEO, has died at the age of 56.

Apple has posted this statement on its website: Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.  Complete story: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/05/steve-jobs-dead_n_997223.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Survival rates are climbing, thanks to greater awareness, but you can still learn more. Start here.......Don't forget to schedule your mammogram!

Breast Cancer Pictures: Symptoms, Lumps, Tests, and Treatments

www.webmd.com

WebMD's overview covers the breast cancer experience, including symptoms, tests, treatments, recovery, and prevention. Pictures show breast structure and tumors.

Monday, October 03, 2011 | 12:48 PM

Happy 19th Anniversary, President & Mrs. Obama!

By Charli Penn and Dreux Dougall

VIEW GALLERY

It’s a fine day for Black love. America’s most cherished couple, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, are celebrating 19 years of marital bliss today. Now that's what we're talking about!

On October 3rd, 1992, university lecturer Barack Obama and lawyer Michelle Obama became one before their closest friends and family in a lovely wedding ceremony at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

Like many do when their anniversary falls on a Monday, the couple celebrated early on Saturday night at Restaurant Eve in Alexandria, Va.

The First Couple’s undying love and rock-solid marriage inspire us daily. Today we’re paying tribute to their union with a look back at their beautiful love story.

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