Purse Taken

Softly he whispered, “mama” in my ear.
That name put me at ease and stirred in me no fear.
It was a name used by the younger to subdue the older.
I yielded and accepted the tug on my shoulder.

But I soon realized my purse from my shoulder, was ripped.

This time I’d left my purse unzipped.
Perhaps he wondered what treasures lay in its deep folds
And what pleasures he could have if my purse was his to hold.

Perhaps he had found its pink lining enticing,

Exotic, erotic, hypnotic, inviting.
But what was there to gain by his stealing?
The few dollars tucked away in a corner weren't revealing.

Did he want to ramble through my purse’s contents, as if to ramble through my panty drawer?

Or was he really after my address and the keys to my door?
Was he trying to gain an understanding of the things I held so near?
Or did he only want some change to buy himself a beer?

My purse meant so little to him than it meant to me.
My purse carried acknowledgement of my identity
And held within it access cards to my every resource.

Who or what would be there for me as recourse?

Would my purse be returned to me intact?

Did I have any hope to ever get it back?
Oh, the misery that did take hold,
The day I lost my power and my control.

What You See

I am not her, the one you used to know:
And yet your mind does make it so.
Her image lingers.  It's her you see,
Even though you now look at me.

Your vision is distorted by what you've seen in the past.
It's unknown how long this illusion will last.
Now you react to a perception that rests only in your mind.
Whatever you hold, you have; and whatever you seek, you find.

The eye sees what the mind conceives,
Which is based upon what the heart believes.
Where is truth?

Plant the Seed for your Need

I've gone to churches where I see the one taking up the offering say, "Name your seed when you place your offering here."   Either they are ignorant to the principles of sowing and reaping or they are participating in deception, trying to profit off of the needs of the congregation.  You can call a corn seed a watermelon seed all you want, if you plant it you will get corn.  The seed is under commandment by God to reproduce after its kind.

Money becomes the seed of the ground in which it is placed.  If you place your money in the basket of this ministry, it becomes a ministry seed and it will reap ministry.  The ministry in which you placed it will reap a harvest.  Perhaps your own ministry will prosper.  It is a ministry seed!  You can pray for a someone to minister to your loved ones, just realize that a ministry seed only produces ministry.

If you need a car, you need to sow transportation seed.  If you have a car, give someone a ride.  If you ride the bus, pay someone's fare.  If you go through a toll, pay for the car behind you.  That's transportation seed.

If you need a house, shelter others where you are now.  Give to a homeless shelter, participate on a Habitat for Humanity project, take in a stray animal, give to an orphanage or to a home for battered women.  Plant shelter seeds.

If you need a husband, your contributions to a ministry won't help you.  Show yourself friendly.  Manage your budget.  Have self-respect.  Be virtuous.  Plant (good) husband seed.

If you need a promotion on your job, be to work on time.  Have good attendance.  Do your work with excellence.  Offer suggestions for improvement. Show initiative to increase your knowledge.  Be a team player.  Look out for your boss.  That's job promotion seed.

Look at your need, then plant the seed to meet that need.

Your Fruit

As fruit identifies the tree,
So it is for you and me.
The fruit of your womb carry your name.
They can bring you praise or they can bring you shame.

Up Front and In Charge

What does it mean to be upfront? 

By definition it means to be the first in line, the first to receive, or a position of privilege. At a banquet, perhaps you'd be the one sitting at the head table, with the best dinner set and served the best food.  In the not too distant past, white Americans were "upfront."  They sat at the front of the bus, entered through the front door, were given higher paying jobs, and better schools and books.  By definition, someone upfront would be the one in a position of leadership, the one who called the shots and who made the decisions in which all others would follow.  By definition, someone upfront would be the spokesperson.  In a jury, that would be the foreman, the one who spoke for the group.  Politically, it would be your congressman who represents you, his district or state.  By definition, someone up front would be someone in a position of superiority in some shape, form or fashion.  It would be someone considered better, more fir or stronger than others.  That strength may come in the form of physical might, battle strategy, weaponry, or psychological advantage.  Often those who perceive themselves in a position of strength use their strength to take over, control or oppress others.  As the world says, "only the strong survive."

 Yet man's thoughts are not God's thoughts and man's ways are not God's ways.  Man makes his decisions based on the satisfaction of his lusts and carnal desires.  The very imagination of man is evil continuously.  The thoughts and ways of man are opposed to God.  But there was one man who knew the thoughts and ways of God.  This was His Son, Jesus.  He is truly a man up front and in charge. (Eph. 1:18-23)  This man who is up front and in charge was raised from the dead.  God raises dead men.  He casts down prideful men.
While the world says, "only the strong survive," God says the weak survive because the strong lay down his life for the salvation of the weak.  The strong bear the infirmity of the weak.  Christ bore the sin of the world.

So what does it truly mean to be upfront?

To be upfront means to be sent to the frontline of the infantry, to be the frontline of defense, to be sent to face the adversary face to face.  To be upfront means to be expendable, to give or risk your life for another.  It means to put aside your needs, wants, desires, hopes, dreams and aspirations to help another.  To be upfront doesn't make you the spokesperson, it makes you God's messenger, and you speak only what you hear God saying, without adding to and without taking away.  To be upfront doesn't place you as head, it brings you under submission.