Silence is a Lie

Hi Readers! I apologize for not posting for a while. It always seems like yesterday I said I was going to do better...and when I turn around yesterday was almost 2 months. Well, if I'm all forgiven then I'll just move on to writing. As you all know, I recently got my own place and this blog will explain one of the reasons. It's really hard to admit, but I believe that I will feel better once I get this out. I've been doing some studying lately and I found that confession is good...and confession is painful. But what I also learned is that confession heals, delivers, and sets free. And there are some things I want to be totally free from. I found this quote by Yvegeny Yvetushenko, a Russian poet, that I was quite enlightened by. Who would have thought that a black woman from Texas would find something in common with a Russian? Just goes to show that people is just people...no matter what part of the world or what race or gender. Any way, he said " When truth is replaced by silence, then the silence is a lie." I've been silent about the truth...and I'm tired of the lie.
So here I go...revealing another 'secret'. For about the last 10-15 years, my mom has been a hoarder. She buys things...dishes, vases, t.v.'s, dvd players, etc. that she's never used...never even opened. She has plenty of nice things, but no place to display them, because they are all stacked on top of each other. It has been a difficult life... not answering the door when people drop by unexpectedly, and then not answering the phone when they call...knowing that someone's home...never, not ever having friends or family over. My greatest disappointment was when my brother died. We couldn't have anyone over to comfort us, or bring us a meal, or pray with us. There's no place to sit, I couldn't offer them a glass of water, I couldn't promise they wouldn't have something crawling near or on them. We had to have the funeral car meet us at my aunt's house to go to the funeral. That was so hurtful and embarrassing and such a dishonor to my brother's memory.

While living there, I found that I was constantly irritable and agitated. I loathed going to the house after work. It was never home---(home is love, comfort, peace and joy, etc. , and we just didn't have it.)
One thing I came to realize is that people are quick to judge. They think you're being bourgie when you're just trying to protect yourself from embarrassment. If other family members could see the house, I know the first things they are going to say..."why do you live like this? why don't you just clean up?" It wasn't that simple. Many times I wished it was. But, hoarding is a serious illness, not just a bad habit. The person suffers from some sort of mental anguish that tells them that they need to hold on to things.. a lot of things... from useful and practical things to totally useless and impractical, broken, dirty things. There is no reasoning with her...no bargaining..no amount of pleading, no amount of pushing. I've tried all of that. I tried professional help, but she refuses. She doesn't see that she has a problem, it's always someone else that has a problem. As always, the first step to healing is to admit to self that there is a problem.
Because of this, I just couldn't deal with the stress anymore. I got out of the situation for my own self sanity. My family--aunts, uncles and cousins --think I'm the worst daughter for leaving my mom when she is so sick--I feel bad about it, but I've done the best I can do. I tried to help by being compassionate and taking her slowly...but it seems I did more harm than good. So I have totally given the situation to God.
You see, she's not the only one who suffers. My dad, my son and I suffer too. Not just because the house is unsanitary, and there's nowhere to sit, nowhere to cook, no way to have a normal life...but we have to watch her slowly die from the ailments caused by her excessive need for stuff. Yes, breathing debris when you are already asthmatic will have dire effects. So, I can endure the family's disapproval...as hard as that is. The even harder part for me is watching my mom lose her vitality, her spirit...and her life...all because it seems she loves her stuff more than her family...even herself. And as difficult as it is, I feel that it's best for me to walk away and leave her to what she thinks she wants.

The reason I chose to write about this is because it's eating me up inside. I'm praying to God to free me from the effects her hoarding has cause me and my son. Writing and praying about it is a release for me. And who knows, my writing about it just might help somebody else.

simply beautiful
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He's Within Me

"Life is about pressing on despite the fear." Danielle Belton 

Everything that I'll ever need is within me. I can write my own future. I can live out my dreams. I can reach my goals. All that I have to do is BELIEVE. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (PHIL. 4:13). All of my help is from God--and where is God? He's within me!(copyright May 23, 2010. simply beautiful)

For the last four years, I've been working hard at making improvements in my life. During this journey, I have been told "no" more times than I care to even count. But one thing I've learned is that two letter word no longer carries the cold, harsh, incredible finality that I'd once given it, For me, "no" is  now a word that simply suggests try something else,.
Often we make the mistake of taking the word 'no' as a definitive answer, that the subject is finished, the fight is over, the victory is won by someone other than me. Not so. I have everything I need within me to write my own future, to live out my dreams, to right any wrongs, and to reach my goals. Despite fear, anxiety, embarrassment, or the disappointment, I must still press on. Press on pass the haters and the naysayers and all those negative connotations.

'No' is never the final answer when you have a promise from God. But the enemy wants you to think that it is.  When you're told 'no' that's the very time to pick up, dust off and go to war. There's an old gospel song that says, "take me back, take me back dear Lord where I first believed. So go back to the drawing board, go back to school, go back to your business plans, but go back because you believe. .

I want to thank Danielle Belton, The Black Snob, for her quote. She's inspired me to get back to my passion of writing. I see that I've been wrestling with things for too long. I've wasted too much time because I'd been brainwashed, hoodwinked, and bamboozled into 'stinking thinking'. But, I've come out of it now. And I'm ready to move forward. And you can too!

Good people, believe in God, believe in you and chase your dreams!

simply beautiful.


Check out Danielle Belton's award winning blog www.blacksnob.com

simply beautiful

Who is she? 5 foot three and 1/2 inches, my weight ain't your bidness! thank you, black hair (with a little gray mixed in for wisdom, mind you), pretty brown eyes, high cheekbones, small pouty lips, healthy hips and thighs, sweet disposition, wicked sense of humor, kinda smart too--definitely a smart mouth, anyway--works hard, goes to church often...real often, single mother...looking for a brother who will love her for who she is....
She is who? a child of God who is talked about, lied on, and made to think she don't matter to no one. She is on the outside looking in...because she doesn't quite fit in. People know her face but no one really takes the time to know her. Not even her own family. They say she's nothing. She's sexually promiscuous....that she's sneaky and bares watching. How can one who is celibate be promiscuous? Dear family, mum and dad... Don't you know me by now? Can't you see inside of me? I'm not who you think that I am....
I'm simply beautiful.

My People

The night is beautiful
so the faces of my people.

The stars are beautiful
so the eyes of my people.

Beautiful also is the sun
Beautiful also are the souls of my people.

Langston Hughes


poetry for the soul contributed by simply beautiful.

HIV/Aids Awareness in the Black Community

Today is National Black HIV/Aids Awareness Day. This topic is close to my heart for several reasons. There are many brothers and sisters who live with the virus. I make it a point to place something on my blog that will bring awareness that HIV/Aids is still rampant in the African-American community, because we don't hear this on the news. But please, make it a point to keep yourself updated on the lastest information. HIV/Aids is not going away. It can...if we educate ourselves, love and protect ourselves and one another.

Great websites to gain knowledge are www.BlackAids.org and www.ledgemagazine.com.


Get tested.
Know your status.
Protect yourself and your partner.

simply beautiful
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In Loving Memory

His life began: April 25, 1914 Departed this life for the next: November 9, 2009

Mr. Joe Columbus ...he's my "Big Daddy" (grandfather)

He's been the patriarch of the family--the oldest surviving son of Joe and Manerva. He lived all 95 of his years in the same area where he was born. Matter of fact, his father was born there too. Although most of his 9 brothers and sisters moved away from the area, he never did. He raised 13 children plus some of his grandchildren, nieces and nephews and helped his wife care for her elderly step-daddy. He never attended school beyond 3rd grade--and yet he was a smart man.
Big Daddy, you told me a few years ago that you were ready because all your friends had passed on. The love of your life, Katie Mae had passed. Your cousins, brothers and sisters, save your baby sister, were all gone too. And you said you were ready. There was no one left in your age group with whom you could relate. Well Big Daddy, you are finally home....rest in peace.

A Mother's Prayer

Being a single mom, I'm reminded each time I look into my child's face that I need to pray for him. This generation faces so much---so many things that I didn't have to contend with when I was his age and younger. The world has changed so much. Moms, let us remember that we are to always cover our children. Yes, it's important to give them shelter, food, clothing...to tend to their medical needs, their wants and even their desires. But the most awesome thing we can do for our child(ren) is to pray. I found this prayer on the internet and I tweeked it to my liking. It's simple and to the point. Borrow it, change it as needed and pray it as often as you like.

Heavenly Father,
I need your help today.
Please help me to care for the child(ren) You've sent into my life,
I want to help them develop the special gifts You've given them.
As mom, I want to free them to follow their own paths--
and not feel as though I am trying to live my life thru them.
Help me to embrace without clutching,
to support without suffocating,
to correct without crushing.
And help me to live joyfully and playfully,
so they can see Your life in me
Allow me to shine with Your Light so that
they may find their way to you.

Amen.