The Blessing of Unity

With every course that I take there is something that sticks out to me that gets me to thinking. Multicultural alliance is so important. Different people have a way of thinking and do things differently. Cross-cultural communication is so important it helps people to become intuitive and sensitive to others which helps with interacting. Communication helps with understanding others. It’s also should be understood that individualistic and collectivistic cultures differ too especially in a negative sense. I can’t stand when a person want to lump a whole entire group of people together based on a bad experience with one person.

I watched an interview that Phil Anselmo did, he is the former lead singer of Pantera. Some people call him racist because of comments that he made in the past. He spoke of how he was an angry insolent child. He has gotten older and has matured. I know of people who were racist and they later changed. I’m not saying that he ever was. I do know that skinheads and the KKK seek children who are angry and hurt to direct those emotions towards people of different races. Remember the movie American History X?

I saw a post that was so hateful about how the black people of today could never measure up to the black people of the 60s, I agree to a certain extent. The black people of today are strangers to the importance of unity. Not unity within the black community only but across racial lines. Some of the black people of today are tearing down the hard work that was done in the 60s.

There were some things that I did not agree with when Obama was in the office but I did admire how his cabinet was multicultural. He understood the importance of people from every culture. People from all walks of life can offer some sound advice because sometimes the most valuable advice is the kind that isn’t taken. I refuse to let that happen. I don’t want to miss a thing.

I have a post about sisterhood and I consider my few friends as sisters. My friends are of different races. I am black and I don’t have anything against some black women just the ones who makes everything a competition it’s not that serious. We as a people we can sometimes be our own enemies and it is for no reason. For an example if more black women choose to date outside of their race that’s great. What difference does it make if or when people come around? As long as they are doing better. Do you really want to see one another succeed? Or is it about getting into a person’s business to use them as a case study? There was a time when we all thought differently about so many things. So why not extend the courtesy of understanding to others? We know more now then we did ten or even twenty years ago and so on. Come on. And why does everything have to be about whose idea was first George Washington Carver made peanut butter but do you think people think about that when they are eating Skippy or Jif? The first computer was made in 1946 but do you think the people on an apple computer thinks of that. Interracial couples have been around since the time of Moses maybe before then. Which was before all of was born! Self centeredness and self absorbed people just grind my gears!!!

My whole point is nothing positive comes from hate or division even if some don’t want to admit it. Unity stays in my vision.

Love Them Anyway

Now what did Jesus say
Above all to do
Love right
We have to do
It with all of our might
No matter how hard
A person comes against us
We have to trust Jesus
The most painful situation
Can be turned into
A beautiful creation
God says that
All things work together
For the good
Romans 8:28
Once we have finished baking
A cake we can no longer
See the ingredients
That it took to make it
We have to put on our armor
Of righteousness
Suit up
We must put on love daily
Make it a priority to
Trust God
Obey God
And Rest in that
For it is how
We react towards others
That shows our hearts
As Christians
So even through
All the heartache
We must love
Them anyway
Everything will be okay

I Just Don’t Know How to Feel

I feel like the U2 song called Numb
I have a bland demeanor
I just don’t know how to feel
I wrote a post
The other day
Was it God preparing me
I spoke about
The importance of being healthy
Then boom one of my sisters
That is second to me in my family
Became sickly
My sister and I
Have very different personalities
We are not any different
Than any other siblings
She would push me
To the point where
I would scream
Then things would really get ugly
The next thing you know
We stop speaking
To each other
This last time was unique
Because when I spoke
Back to my sister
She had a surgery
That changed everything
It brought on an
Illness that made her so weak
That it robbed
Her of her speech and mobility
My sister told me
That she had a vision
Of all of her sisters
When we were young
In the backyard playing
Then she gave me an apology
She said I’m sorry
That I have been so mean
I love you with all of my heart
Then she started crying
And asked God
Why are You punishing me?
I think about Christianity
Christians are still
Human beings
Is it right
For us to except
People being mean?
I always try
To be forgiving
I feel so torn
Do I stand up
And demand respect
For all the times
She made me upset
Or do I allow
This situation to teach me
To not waste time
On stupid things
Because time is the most
Valuable thing that you can
Share with someone
That you love deeply
I love my sisters
So much I just
Want us to live to be elderly
I just want us to live carefree
I just want us to be happy
Father God in Heaven
Please allow my prayers
To be
My heart can’t take
Anymore agony

The “IBM”

So I was watching a very interesting video on YouTube it was about black men who don’t like it when black women swirl. Everyone knows where  I stand on this subject I believe that people should be able to explore their options in peace. It’s about numbers there are not enough black men for every black woman. I don’t know about the other black women but I am not waiting around or going on a scavenger hunt looking for an “IBM”. In case no one knows what IBM means it short for ideal black man. So what is an ideal black man he’s a leader, faithful, honest, loyal….I guess one can throw in his employment, doesn’t have a lot of children, is a great father to the children he does have, educated etc. What made the video interesting is that a black man suggested polygamy as a way to solve the number’s problem and noooooooooo. I don’t know any woman who values herself that would be willing to share a black man…..or any man period.

I don’t hate black men nor do I put them down. I do have a problem with the black men who put black women down. I do believe that black love exists however it’s not for me. I am into various things most of the things black men aren’t if so they are into white women plain and simple. Let’s be real honest for a second most black people have come from broken homes I came from one. I understand that for most people are unstable because they came from dysfunction okay when does it stop? I recognized my issues a long time ago and  I fixed them. Let me give an example when you hear a noise coming from your car don’t you go get it fixed? Okay if a person is broken they need to allow God to fixed them so they don’t go and damage someone else. Anyone who have emotional issues should not get involved with anyone their only pulling someone into their life storm. I’m pulling someone into my peace because life is too short to live any other way.

I guess the reason why  I wrote about this is because I can’t understand why interracial dating is such a huge problem. Growing up I had “One” crush on a black guy I have always been attracted to white men. Anyone who knows me personally know this and  I have dated white men too. Recently I decided that  I am going to do what makes me happy. If I am blessed to see 85 years old  I wanted to have a full life of happiness. The way to be happy is doing things as long as they are within God’s will that make us happy. The only person who we are suppose to live our lives for is God no one else. I pray that people find the one who makes them happy regardless of the person’s color.

Racism and Christianity

Racism-the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.

Prejudice-preconceived opinion that is not based on reason or actual experience

As you can see racism and prejudice means two different things. Here on Be Lifted the things that are thought about are talked about. I would like to compare Christianity to the four food groups fruits, vegetable, bread and meat all are essential we need them to grow. Yes as Christians we are suppose to be filled with love. Still we can not act like things don’t exist we must face them because the people who are aware of racism use it as a crutch. Racism is in the church. Now I don’t race bait I do think we need to face all situations it helps with our maturity level on our Christian walk. One can’t call themselves a Christian and be racist. Yeah I said it. How can we go out and save souls when some of us can’t pass the basic elementary level of Christianity. You can’t claim to love God but hate your neighbor. This is regardless of the race of a person I once heard a person tell me that black people can not be racist or prejudice and I was really? Get the heck out of town.

I am black my mother grew up during a time where she drank from separate water fountains and  attended segregated schools. My mother didn’t bring my sisters and I  up to be racist because racism is taught. Racism is something that is sometimes past down from several generations and yes it is in church too.

I wanted to point out how racism is in the church and what can be done about it. The main question that we must ask ourselves is do we as Christians really know how to love one another if not we must ask God for His help. Being racist and being prejudice is a sign of a person who is spiritually immature. It’s important for us to be honest why do some people attended church with others who look like them? Look we all know that the Word of God can bridge the gaps between any group of people. All people have to do is give God their hearts and He will soften it.

I remember I had a Facebook friend of mine apologize for what her white ancestors did to black people. I quickly told her that she doesn’t have to apologize for something that took place long before she or I were born. It’s with all the guilt and hate it’s hard for racism to go away it keeps getting fed. I know that I may get slammed for what I am about to say but so be it. Some of us must stop giving racist people a reason to hate whether it’s with guilt and the blame game it just needs to stop. Racism needs to be fed to continue so let’s starve it and make it go away. We can do this one step at a time.

John 13:34

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.