Writing

Happy Birthday! Be Lifted!

Yippee! Be Lifted turned two years old!

When I started my blog I wanted to be true to myself as well as inspire others. In two years I have done so many things wrote poems, talked about marriage, music and most importantly God.

Earlier I had one of my facebook friends message me and tell me to not allow anyone to place me in a box. Which is why I started a blog in the first place on social media it’s hard to express yourself without any drama happening. I have total freedom here on my blog and I love it.

I am excited about the future of my blog because there is more to come. Looking forward to many more years here on Be Lifted.

Go Ahead

It never ceases to amaze me. The moment I share that I enjoy heavy metal a pop quiz always follows with a continuation of questionnaires. How long have you been listening to metal? I was talking about the Red Hot Chili Peppers and the person was like, what is the leader of the band’s name? Like really dude? If it was hip-hop would I be given the third degree? Geez, I didn’t know that listening to certain music came with stipulations.

When some black people find out they swear that I don’t listen to metal. Whatever dude. Black people were the pioneers of rock music, so get over it. I am a black woman who enjoys listening to heavy metal and I am Not alone. I try not to get triggered but I just hate labels. Labels suck!!! Don’t place them on me!
giphy

I have been listening to heavy metal every since I was really young. Pantera, Korn, Arch Enemy, In this moment, new metal and old I am very knowledgeable. My love for music is genuine.

Jimi Hendrix

Good Morning Everyone!!! As we all know, this month is black history month so I want to take the time to talk about Jimi Hendrix. If you talk to any huge guitarist they will tell you that Jimi Hendrix inspired them. Jimi Hendrix was a left handed guitarist, who played his guitar behind his head, and with his teeth.

Often times, I wonder what it was like for Jimi Hendrix coming up during the time that he did? One concert where he played the song “Hey Joe” some gave him a bland applause. People who was able to see him in person were blessed. They was in the presence of greatness and did not realize it.

Jimi Hendrix was only 28 years old when he passed away, the man was way ahead of his time. I have not seen any guitarist who can do what he did!!! I give credit where it’s due and Hendrix was the man!

This Time of Year

I always get sad
Around this time of year
It’s when my mother
Left from here
Let me make myself clear
When it comes to
The death of a love one
You never heal
It’s impossible to get over
Losing someone who
You held so near, so dear
To your heart
There are always
Things that remind you
That they are gone
A picture, a memory, a song
Holidays, birthdays
Every time I reached
An important moment in my life
I would whisper
This is for you mom
I often wonder
How things would be like
If she was here
What advice would
She have given me
To help to endure hardships
She was so strong
She was so courageous
She was a leader
She was a blessing
She was my hero
Which is why all
I ever wanted to do
Was to make her happy
And to see her smile
It’s still impossible
For me to talk about her
Without holding back my tears
Bottled up feelings
Resides inside even though
I live my life
As best as I can
Even after twenty-one years this Saturday
It’s still feels as if
She passed yesterday
This is why I say
If you have lost
A special someone
Don’t allow anyone
To make you feel
As if the grief process has a limit
To heck with that
Never feel bad about
Mourning the one you love
Or for missing them
The pain is for life
Death of a love one
Will always hurt

Half Baked

There once was a lady who I used to associate with who said something so profound. She said that “she was tired of a lot of black mothers sending their sons out into the world half baked expecting girlfriends and wives to finish baking them.” I never forgot her words. She said the words out of frustration due to the problems she was having out of her boyfriend at the time. He was always lying and cheating. The man was just an irresponsible person who cared nothing about his actions or the hurt that he inflicted upon others.

The one thing that I have learned from my criminal mind’s class is that everything starts at home. Most times, the foundation of a serial killer’s dysfunction is unhealthy home life. No, I am not justifying killing, I am pointing out how powerful family is. Jeffrey Dahmer’s mother abandoned him, Charles Manson’s mother rejected him, and the Son of Sam’s birth mother rejected him as well.

The sad thing about the black community is that dysfunction is the “norm” for some people. People have developed a high tolerance for toxic behavior, even finding it entertaining. People can’t complain about what’s going on in the community yet enjoy watching the same situations on television or jam to degrading lyrics to a song on the radio. Sza’s song “The Weekend” is okay to bob your head to until the woman who’s sharing the man is you. Heck!!! Some women are okay with sharing a man and not understanding that they deserve a man who will love them so much that he is faithful. Many young black women come from broken homes, so they weren’t taught about their worth.

No one wants to stay in a place that is filled with dysfunction, and so people want to leave it behind, which is fine and dandy. Sadly leaving the mess behind will not solve everything toxic problems have a way of effecting many eventually. A messed up community has a way of effect everyone in some way, shape, or form. Like a tsunami, crimes waves doesn’t just affect one area only; it ends up affecting a lot of innocent people — just something to think about.

All parents have to do their part to ensure that their wrong parenting decisions don’t become problematic for others. No matter how old our children get, they are still ours. They are a reflection of us. So whether we spoiled them as a way to compensate for an absentee father and doing so, they developed a feeling of entitlement. Or they are rewarding children constantly for no reason regardless of bad behavior. Every choice has consequences that can reap good or bad harvests.

Somewhere along the way in the past, people have failed their children and have to be honest about it. Some have put things like men or drugs above their children, scarring their children with rejection and abandonment issues and choosing to pick their wants over their children’s needs. It’s wrong to expect children to deal with adult issues and think that they will turn out fine.

Parents are children’s first heroes, don’t ruin it by placing zero value on parenthood. It’s priceless. Being a star to our children is a blessing. So as parents, we must do what it takes to make sure our children are productive people and are not damaged. We should love them enough that we make sure that we are never the reason for them having holes in their hearts. Being human is not an excuse to make hasty decisions that may harm others later. Remember that one life touches another, it’s essential that we raise our children in a way that they are a blessing and not a curse in other people’s lives. Everything starts at home, let’s not send our children out into the world half baked.

When is Enough, Enough?

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said that “there comes a time when silence is a betrayal.” When is enough, enough? When is it best to be silent? When is it time to speak up? I started my blog to talk about the things that people think about but choose not to talk about for whatever reason.

Let me start by saying this; it doesn’t matter if you are a Christian, Muslim, Atheist, Agnostic or Whatever a person believes in!!! It’s a person’s right to believe what they choose!!! My point is that Everyone has been tested about when to speak and when to be silent.

God asked Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to let His People go. God had given Pharaoh many chances before sending many plagues and even the death of his son. However, Pharaoh was still stubborn. God asked Moses to speak. Guess who was attempting to stop Moses from speaking? It was Moses. Moses was afraid of speaking up. There have been many stories in the Bible, where God asked people to speak up.

If God calls on a Christian to speak, they had better do it; unless that Christian wants to end up in the belly of a whale. So no, God does not expect a Christian to be quiet all the time and to turn the other cheek. God has asked people to act, and that included speaking up.

There have been times when I was going to tell people my story, but God told me not to say anything and that my time for sharing my story is coming. How do I know that God told me not to say anything? He gave me confirmation. One of my Facebook friends tagged me in a post the following day of me contemplating on sharing my story. The post said, “Life is meant to be Lived. Fear is not an option when you know you were sent to Fly. Understand your Power; know that you are Greatness.” This lady is on fire for God and did not know what was on my mind. God had her relay a message. God told her to reach out to me. God told her to speak. So you see God has proven His existence to me time and time again.

Earth is not Heaven, so everyone isn’t going to be good, but Earth isn’t hell either we still experience the beauty of flowers, butterflies, blue skies and cool breezes. I understand that there are some people here on Earth who has made our lives to be almost unbearable. But God will have our backs, and He does have us speak. Yes, we are living in a society regardless of who they choose to follow for guidance, who are treacherous. Understand these jealous people who are our enemies study us more than they did for a test in school. Why? Because they see things that we don’t positive things that may threaten them. So they want to attack our character or try to attempt to have others question things. Some of our enemies pretend to know so much about us and know nothing at all. This can and has happened to anyone.

If we encounter or are in the company of people who try to silence us, we have to let them go. I refuse to need deep in scalding hot water and claim that I am shivering to make others happy. No, I am not making people comfortable, so they don’t have to deal with my pain. People who genuinely care won’t expect us to suffer in silence. Life is too short not to speak up to avoid confrontation. Because guess what? At times confrontation is necessary. Escapism is a temptation because it’s an easy fix.

I have had some Christians come after me and judge especially about the kinds of music that I listen to. I have had non-Christians judge me too claiming to be all open-minded and their minds be more narrow than the side of a ruler. Encouraging people to speak but doubt everything they shared with them (behind their backs of course). People don’t feel safe enough to share their stories, especially with people who will claim it isn’t true, which makes them seems like nosy people. Nosy people pretend to care to gain information. So we all have to be careful about sharing our life journey.

Bottom line confrontation is always going to feel uncomfortable. Sometimes we will have people tell us to be quiet even when the writing is on the wall. If it doesn’t feel right, then we have to speak up. Sometimes being silent is Not the answer, especially in the face of adversary. Confrontation is necessary.

Can’t Nobody Tell It Better Than Me

Diversity of thought allows a person to accept and respect what another person believes as long as it isn’t hurting anyone. I am a Christian, and I am proud of that. When I had no one, I had God. I can give testimony after testimony about what God did to save my children and I. Again; it was not a human. I understand that some people have had situations that occurred in their lives, where they question God. Some people are so angry at God that it has them blind. There are about 7.3 billion people in the world, and 2.3 billion are Christians. So 2.3 billion people are lost? This isn’t slavery time no one is getting beat over the head and forced to believe in Christ. People of different races are Christians. So, all of these people are just blind, and they believe in Christ for no reason? I don’t think so.

I have had things that have occurred in my life, and recently I found something else out. And I am not angry at God about it. God gave us all free will. He doesn’t force us to believe in Him or follow Him. Kind like us wanting people to love us for who we are and not for what we can do. Think about it like this some people don’t believe in God, but they all aren’t going to behave the same. Some will think of others, but a lot won’t even more so. Why? They lack structure, and that’s why they do whatever they want without a care in the world. They lack having a conscience. We can’t blame God for everything and especially not for the people who choose Not to follow Him. Of course, they will do evil things their flesh controls them Not God.

In my opinion, a person can’t allow God if they are full of themselves. The consequence of not following God is an angry person who has an appetite for destruction, which is why I am careful of what I allow into my spirit. Evil is Not Good. Evil likes to hide in the dark. Bad things happen in the dark. We can’t walk in the dark, which is why we turn on a light. But once the light is on, there is no place for evil or darkness to hide. Evil is Not of light. The saying goes, “what’s done in the dark comes out in the light” because bad things can hide in darkness — something to think about.

I am not telling all of my life’s story because it’s Not time yet. I will say this much my “father” hated me, he abused my mother, my sister and I, both of my sons (one is autistic) are by the same man who I was married to, we don’t get along, and I am a single mother. This is just the tip of the iceberg about my life. Some of the things that have happened in my life were bad choices that I made and Not God’s fault. Some of the worst chapters in my life happened when I wasn’t walking right with God. Every life has a story, and so does mine. All I know is that there has to be a God with all I have been through and continue to go through. I have overcome and endured!!! That’s how I know that God is real. Believe what you will, after all, we have free will. I choose to believe what the harm is in believing and having hope? Besides, I will not stop having faith, it’s the one thing that keeps me going When I Am About To Run Out Of Steam!!!

Forgive My Grammar

They’re or their. You’re or your. Prescriptive grammar, misplaced modifier, faulty pronoun reference, and many others, it can sometimes make people question your intellect. However, we all have been guilty of making grammar errors. I write on my blog alone without help, unlike other bloggers. Sometimes I will have a thought and blog about it. A lot of times, I will reread my posts later to check for things that I may have missed.

I’m not above making mistakes in my writing. Heck, I have found errors in newspapers and textbooks, which is why I don’t get pressed about the grammar police.

Steve Vai said something really cool. He said, don’t worry about what other people think about what you do as long as you love it. He further went on to say that if he had listened to people the song “For the Love of God” would not have been. A friend of his told him that it terrible but it turned out to be one of his biggest hits. To all of the grammar police out there, please excuse my errors. You know what I mean!!!
Grammar-Police

Sometimes I Wanna

Sometimes I wanna
Just listen to the guitar riffs
Of a song alone
So that I can imagine
How the guitarist
Created it as they hummed
Guitar riffs are something that rock,
Funk and jazz music
All sometimes can share
Sometimes I wanna blare my music
As I intensely cheer
Sometimes I wanna
Listen to the strings playing on a banjo
Tunes of country music with words
Of sadness and heartbreak to it
Sometimes I wanna line dance
And slap leather to the sound of a fiddle
Music brings all kinds of people together
It transcends across
The lines of racial boundaries
Sometimes I wanna relax
And listen to Luther’s smooth, soulful voice
That man could sing anything
He gave R & B true meaning
His legacy will always be
Sometimes I wanna
Hear great Hip Hop music
But not too much of the ones of today
It only makes me ponder
About the artist of yesterday
Boogie Down Production,
Public Enemy and Eric B and Rakim
Made me proud to listen to them
Sometimes I wanna hear an artist
Like Phil Anselmo
And Jonathan Davis screaming
What can I say
I am a metalhead all the way
Sometimes I wanna
Hear rock artist singing
Like Chris Cornell and Jack White
There is nothing like
Listening to Steve Vai
While looking at a starry sky
It’s like I am enjoying the beauty
Of the scenes to a beautiful movie
Forgive me for being a music fan
Who gets bored easily
From hearing the same things daily
Which is good actually
Variety is the spice of life
My taste in music is one of diversity
There is nothing
Like being able to appreciate
Music from every genre
From House to Techno
From Indie Pop to Gospel
From Reggae to classical
Each one has their own particular way
Of telling a story through song
That is uniquely done

Christ Like

The hardest thing in my life ever is my Christian walk. God is love, right? So why is walking with Christ so hard? Well I will tell you first of all it’s Not Christ that is the problem, it’s some of the people. Somewhere along the way, some Christians have gotten things mixed up somehow. What does a Christian’s walk look like? What should a Christian look like? What is Christ-like? I have been questioning this every since I decided to become more serious about my walk with Christ.

First and foremost, no two Christians’ walk is alike because no two people lives are the same. Every person on earth life has a story that can reach and touch certain people. Everyone has sinned. Everyone has won battles and are still fighting certain battles. One thing is for sure, regardless of a person’s life, what a person may have done or who they are, God can still use them. No one knows what God is doing in someone else’s life; remember Job in the Bible? Job “friends,” thought the troubles in his life was his fault, but it wasn’t.

We have to understand that we can know scripture back to front, we can say all the right things with the wrong heart, and it has no value. We have to stay in place of God’s love. God’s love is what leads a man to change to repentance. (Romans 2:4) I had a thought, and I may be wrong, but one of the most serious books in the Bible is Revelation. A lot of pastors don’t teach from it much, but why is it at the very end and not the first book? Chances are if a person read Revelation first, they probably would not want to read the rest of the Bible. Perhaps Revelation comes after all the other Books because every book prepares us and strengthens us for what’s to come.

Social media can be a great thing it gives people the ability to reach others with our opinions and information. However, social media also makes it easier for people to beat each other down. Some Christians become fixated on how they think a Christian walk should look like. We need not to be so quick to judge someone else’s walk when we have no idea what God is doing in that person’s life. Most importantly, no Christian should be afraid to shine a light in a dark place to reach others. No Christian should want only to reach people who look, think like them and have a little group because that’s not Christ like it’s cult-like. Know the difference. I am constantly growing in the Lord. Who am I to judge a person with tattoos, a drug user, or a promiscuous person? Who am I to try to tell Brian “Head” Welch about his walk with Christ? God is using Brian Welch is in a mighty way. I don’t know what God is doing in his life. No one can tell me what God is doing in my life either just because I listen to all kinds of music does not mean that God cannot and isn’t using me. I don’t know what God is doing in my life in the future, but I am ready for Him to use me.

Someone once said if you want to make God laugh tell Him the plans that you have for your life. After all, God knew us before we were born. (Jeremiah 1:5) God directs our paths (Proverbs 3:). To answer all my questions, I don’t know what a Christian walk looks like because I don’t know what God is doing in other people’s lives. If God was that easy to figure out why would we need Him? God ways and thinking are higher than ours. God loves us all and can save us all if we allow Him to. The last thing I ever want to do is be responsible for sending a person to hell because I turn them off from turning to Him based on my actions. If God can change me or anybody else why doubts what God can do in someone else’s life? Isn’t that placing limits on a limitless God we all need to be careful of how we treat other Christians and other people period. We all need to check our hearts constantly and love others always. We may be the only Christ that they see. Let’s help God to win souls and not lose them. God loves everyone. As Brian “Head” Welch said, “God told him to look at the crowd of fans that they were all of His Children and He wanted to save them all”. Didn’t Jesus change the woman at the well and the woman who was caught in adultery? Did Jesus judge the Pharisees about stoning the woman who was caught in adultery?

1 Corinthians 8:1
Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all know. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.