Prayers

it's been a while since i've posted a prayer. maybe because i haven't felt like the people needed one, or maybe because somewhere along the way it became too much to keep up with.
but neither should have happened.

so here i am. because the world definitely needs a prayer tonight.
the rain in DC proves it.
maybe it rains when so many people need to cry but can't.
it's raining.

one of my brothers lost his mom.
one of my friends may lose his.
and a good friend is losing his will to hang on for whatever may come next.

so this prayer is to them - and to those who feel it:

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dear god:

darkness isn't so unfamiliar anymore. and when it's over, as you've shown me over and over, there is sunshine & song & birds.
birds that delight in the sunshine when the rain ends. shouldn't we be able to smile just as bright & sing just as loud, delighting in whatever sunshine it is we have?

so god, i'm praying for sunshine - however you're giving it. however bright or dim. just a piece of light through a cloud will do.
so i listen to the rain, smile, and hang on - because SOMETHING is coming next.

amen.
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prayer requests:
@melo_the_great
@ladyneuro
@mamadiamond2
@Vwayne
@thebrownbarbie
@echi_bon
@pnoty
@mystercarter
dennis karl brown, jr.
@sunyblack
@mswoods03
@ipenhitz
@cga1982
@thekaptainkirk
@roroatl
@msline85
@ms_ladyc
@rev_denique
kanessa
@soon2bmrsaustin
my cousin
@kim0br0wn
@jefro5
@sirandrewk

erykah badu's grandmother & my grandmother had similar teachings.
they told us to pick our friends like we pick our fruit.
so i do.

every once in a while, though, we never get that good feel of a spoiled spot until we bit into them.
and that's fine.
we simply must learn to tell the difference between.
the difference between what is & what isn't.

and then there's a story i like to share:

the chick was running around the farm being chased by the cat - hoping not to get eaten.
the rooster saw what was going on & grabbed the chick and threw him into a pile of cow doo doo to hide him.
the cat ran around and around looking, but couldn't find him.

until...

he saw a feather sticking out of the doo doo.
the cat went over, pulled the chick out, and had his dinner.

moral of the story:
those who get you into shxt aren't always your enemies.
those who get you out of shxt aren't always your friends.

so today i pray:

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dear God:

please allow my circle to be strong. please allow my decisions to be a great as they can be. and please allow me to learn from whatever comes from it all.

amen.
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prayer request list:
@mamadiamond2
@Vwayne
@thebrownbarbie
@echi_bon
@pnoty
@mystercarter
dennis karl brown, jr.
@sunyblack
@mswoods03
@ipenhitz
@cga1982
@thekaptainkirk
@roroatl
@msline85
@ms_ladyc
@rev_denique
kanessa
@soon2bmrsaustin

peace

so i sat down and started writing - attempting to beat the clock so this could be my last letter before the clock strikes.

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dear God:

i'm not sure where to begin but i'm sure you know my intentions are in line.
what i've been taught is that when there is no struggle, there is no progress.

2009 brought many struggles - but the progress hasn't been as abundant.
why?

my mother gets upset when i ask you "why", God.
she said i should never question you. i should never ask you anything about your job.
but i've sat in enough classrooms & spent enough alone time with you to know that you don't mind.
i don't want to be a fool.
i am aware that you tend to look after fools, but i'm a grown man. and although your house has many rooms, i don't plan to move home anytime soon.
and because i've questioned you on my search for knowledge, i am well equipped and even more confident when i get to that struggle.

so why, God?
why the many struggles & not so many progresses.

too many people focus on the destination. they fix their minds on the progress.
they don't take the time to adore the struggle.
as hard as these struggles can be, we must sit back sometimes and know that it will be alright.
we must learn to smile at the rain every once in a while, and not sit back in sadness waiting for the sun.

so i write this letter to you, God.

i write this letter to you for my friends & their families:
@mamadiamond2
@Vwayne
@thebrownbarbie
@echi_bon
@pnoty
@mystercarter
dennis karl brown, jr.
@sunyblack
@mswoods03
@ipenhitz
@cga1982
@thekaptainkirk
@roroatl
@msline85
@ms_ladyc
@rev_denique
kanessa
@soon2bmrsaustin

i write for them because there is no such thing as too much prayer.
and as often as i tell them to keep their face ALWAYS to the sunshine so the shadows may fall behind them, i also want them to know that i am going that extra mile for them.

i want them to know that it's not that first mile that counts.
it's the mile no one asked them to take, but they took it anyway.
i took it anyway.

so tonight, God...
let this letter be my prayer to you from us all.

and i hope you welcome this new year just as much as we will.

-----

and to those i love dearly & those new friends(followers) of mine:
bring in this new years day the way you intend to spend the days following.

i love you all.
peace.


(photo is from my solo trip to the bahamas. where i found God)

some of us entered the 26th with tears in our eyes, mourning our losses (home, money, family, etc.)
some of us forget yesterday is the one day we set aside to truly love EVERYONE - or try to.
but we can't.

let us use the 26th to learn a lesson about the bags we tend to pack and carry around like state i.d.
p. diddy once said: i knew i was successful the first time i flew with no luggage.

we must learn to enter these new endeavors (days, relationships, jobs, etc.) new.
the bags we began packing at the beginning of the old should be discarded at the end and we must use the time between to shop for bigger, better bags.
let us enter the new with empty luggage.

to play around with a few lines from shug: it must piss God off for someone to possess the ability to progress/move on/start new and not use it properly.

let us move on and get closer to our dreams.
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a friend contacted me a little after midnight to ask me to pray for his family because they just lost an elder (grandmother).
so to him - and whoever else needs it:

let us pray:

dear God:
if i can survive the day i can survive tomorrow.
i will live this day and those to come knowing that it is and was you who created it & because of that i will find something to admire and love. i will drop my bags off at the exit of yesterday and fill the new ones with what you've brought me.

i will keep my smile always to the sunshine so the shadows will always fall behind me.

amen.
-----

peace.

prayer request from:

christopher butler-steward
@thebrownbarbie
@roroatl
@thekaptainkirk
eron riley
andrea smith
ms. michele
@lovelustme

i spent most of the day searching for a flight here & there - not really sure where to go.
my original plan was to be sitting on south beach this weekend, cracking crabs and drinking ruby red grapefruit juice with beautiful people.
but that didn't happen.
i'll find myself in fur-lined hoodies - mobbing the streets of new york.
no big deal.

but my friends are all flying across countries, peeking out of windows at the something much bigger than them.
and i find myself telling them to be the passenger & the pilot.

then the confused look.
"the pilot? why should i be the pilot."

and i tell them they need to be in control at all times.
they need to know what turbulence to expect & when it's safe to move about.
it's the pilot that knows when it's safe to come down for a while and refuel.
and my friends all smile and continue packing.

fresh underwear: √
toothbrush: √
fruit roll-ups: √
condoms (just in case): √
mom's christmas gift: √

and i neglect to tell them the most important part of being a pilot.
but they already know:

always always always stay in touch with the control tower!


so i say this prayer (say it aloud or silently):

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dear God:

it is the turbulence in my life that allows me to appreciate the perfect flights.
i do not love you simply because you have lightened my loads and answered my prayers.
i love you because when i need to get in touch with the control tower - the control tower is always there.
clear skies.
today is going to be a perfect flight.

amen.
-----

peace.


prayer requests made by:

@thebrownbarbie
@sunyblack
@pnoty
Dante
@dontejahmar
@iConicPres
serenewoods

Dear God:

today - more than ever - i found myself staring at a clear sign that I AM WHERE I AM BECAUSE MY THOUGHTS HAVE BROUGHT ME HERE.

so i am now going to change my thoughts.
i am going to change my thoughts because i know my actions are a result of those thoughts and my situation is a direct result of those actions. it's a three point circle for me now.

everything we achieve and everything we fail to achieve are directly linked to out thoughts.

so i'm starting today.
i'm achieving now.

so my prayer today is (repeat silently or aloud):

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dear God -
i am fully aware that the heart and mind are not completely separated
and today i will remove the trash from mind so that what remains is in tune with what's always been in my heart.
i will remove the rearview mirrors and drop the negativity and pointless thoughts some place and never look back.

amen.
-----

peace.