Half The Sky

Half the Sky is a film based on a book written by New York Times Journalist Nicholas D. Kristof and his wife Sheryl WuDunn.  It is a film about the unheard of stories of women and girls who are oppressed based wholly on their gender.  It is a film that offers hope for women and girls around the world from China to Africa, women of all cultures, nationalities, and ages.  I myself have been oppressed so this story touches me to the depths of my heart and soul.  Read the book, see the film, help bring awareness to the subject, have discussions about it, and get involved.  It aired last night and will air tonight at 8 pm central standard time.  Here is the link and thank you!

For the film: Half the Sky
For the book: Half the Sky

JUST A SIDE NOTE:  My sister did a search into our family tree and our distant ancestors are from Sierra Leone which is one of the places where the film was shot.

When You Feel Like Giving Up

When you feel like giving up, when it feels like an impossible situation, think about this.

1 Corinthians 10:13
The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.  And God is faithful.  He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.  When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. --NLT

You can endure because God himself will not allow anything in your life that is too hard for you.  So don't give up.  Don't quit.  God will give you a way out so you can continue.  You might need to take a walk.  You could have a heart to heart talk with a trustworthy friend or family member.  Your life is worth living and there is a purpose for all that you go through.  Things always look better the next day.  Try to surround yourself with positive and reaffirming things to occupy your mind.  Do not meditate on the negative or on things which deplete hope.

God's Open Door

What God opens no man can close; and what God closes no one can open. When God has something for you no man can take it away. If something did not work out the way you wanted, trust God's plan for your life. Here is a verse for those of you who don't understand the reason why something is the way it is:

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. --NLT

Friends with Benefits

What would you say about a friend who would help you out financially if you would agree to being friends with benefits? Doesn't that sound like prostitution? Someone I have known since high school propositioned me to be friends with benefits. I won't mention his name, why, to protect the innocent. I have to say that I'm not surprised. I have always known what kind of person he is based on past experience. If your friends treat you like this then what say your enemies? No, I'm not surprised at all. Taking advantage of your friend when they are down is...fill in the blank. It's like going to the department store and you see something you would like to have but you don't want to pay so high a price for it. So what do you do? You wait. Wait for the price to drop low enough then you buy it. How would you feel if your friend treated you like that?

More of the Same Problems

On 5-24-12, I applied for food stamps, medical, and cash benefits online. On 6-7-12, I had a phone interview with a caseworker. The caseworker informed me that I was eligible for food stamps only and that she was processing the application as we spoke. She said that I should receive a new Link card in the mail in fourteen days. I asked her why did I need a new card instead of using the one in my possession. She said that the card I have is linked to medical and cash benefits and that she needed to process a new card not linked to those other benefits. The card should have arrived by 6-27-12 in the mail and it still has not arrived. I did inform her while on the phone that we needed emergency food stamps. This is the same office I had the same trouble with in December of 2011. Their address is below:


DUPAGE CNTY DHS
146 W ROOSEVELT SUITE 2
VILLA OAKS OFFICE CONCOURSE STE 2
VILLA PARK, IL  60181-3575

Happy Mother's Day!

To all the moms out there Happy Mother's Day! One thing that I have learned is that having a son has taught me to not be selfish. It changed my whole life. Every decision I made was with him in mind. It taught me how to love someone else. I love my son very much. It is hard for me to imagine what my life was like before he came into the world.

Now my son is not a little boy any more. I have watched him grow from a little bitty thing to someone I now have to look up to because he towers over my head. He'll be starting college this fall, my how the years roll by. He has grown into a fine young man. It is a pleasure to call him my son. Just 20 minutes ago he wished me a Happy Mother's Day. Well, it is late and I must get some sleep now. Bonne nuit, that is french for good night.

Serving Two Masters

Money is a master. God is a master. Which ONE will you choose? The Lord laid two verses on my heart. I would like to share them with you. They are ultimately about the choices we make in life that could mean the difference between life and death, literally. All of us should aspire to make the right decision. Also, we often think that our money can save us or protect us but the truth is that God is the one who protects/saves us. Here they are:

Luke 16:13 NLT
"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can not serve both God and money."

Psalm 127:1 NLT
"Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good."