by Deborah Brown
While relaxing in a shady area of our backyard, I observed a squirrel digging in the ground. Suddenly, it stops digging, races across the opposite side of the yard, and leaps onto the top of our next door neighbor’s fence. Then without hesitating, the squirrel leaps off the fence, into the air, landing on a small flimsy tree branch, causing it to bow. Read the rest of this entry »
by Jazzmyne Davis
Beauty is more than a sunset
Or the stars in a dark black pitch sky
It is more than the thick layers of fog
that covers a mountain’s surface, like a blanket
Or a pine tree covered with snow
Or the spiral patterns in the center of a sunflower
And a cactus standing in the middle of a simmering hot desert
The eye can only see what we allow it to see
And we are only captivated by what we see with our eyes
But if we could see past what only the flesh can contain
We would see that the most beautiful thing is when the body stops
and the spirit is free to connect with our father in heaven
by Deborah Brown
Remember when you were a kid daydreaming about becoming a teenager, time appeared to stand still. You couldn’t wait to turn sixteen. At sixteen, you were going to learn how to drive, enjoy hanging out with your peers, and welcome a tiny glimmer of independence. Now that you’re sixteen, you can’t wait to turn eighteen and then twenty-one. At age twenty-one you’re finally recognized as an adult. You’re young, ambitious, energetic, and finally independent. Your expectations for your life are high and you feel as if you can conquer the world. Read the rest of this entry »
by Deborah Brown
Do you feel as if you need a navigation system to guide you through the many choices you need to make in life? How do you know if you’re making the right choices? Something as simple as grocery shopping can become an ordeal. Take buying cereal as one example. There are several brands of the same product. How do you know which one to buy? You’ve grown weary of eating the same cereal and decided that it’s time for a change. You desire a cereal that’s healthy and taste good. You stop by the grocery store and proceed to the cereal isle. You’re amazed by the vast variety of cereal neatly arrange by brand names. You stand there pondering over which cereal to buy. After several minutes of staring at cereal boxes you’re frustrated and pick the cereal that appears to be healthy. Later you discover that cereal you chose isn’t healthy because of its high sugar content. Read the rest of this entry »
by Deborah Brown
Today, we’re faced with perilous times. A stagnant economy, high unemployment, record number of home foreclosures, and a gridlocked government. I asked myself what happen? How did we get this bad? What led us down this treacherous path? Was it greed, love of money or have we lost sight of God our creator?
After all we’re reminded every day to put our trust in God. It’s printed on our United States currency. Take the time now and look. You’ll notice the words: IN GOD WE TRUST. Right now, you’re probably wondering why and when these words appeared on our currency. Read the rest of this entry »
First, I would like to express my condolence to every family that lost a loved one to suicide. Professionally and personally, I know how painful it is to lose a loved one, no matter what the cause or reason.
After several years of research, training, and professional experience on the topic of depression and suicide, I am still appalled by the high number of teenagers, young adults, and senior citizens struggling with depression who go unnoticed before committing suicide.
According to a fact sheet on “national statistics” compiled by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, “More than 33,000 people in the United States die by suicide every year.” Read the rest of this entry »
As a young boy growing up in the forties and fifties, storytelling was a common way for older folks to teach younger children different lessons about life and morals. One of the most popular storytelling or fables that adults and school teachers often referred to was Aesop.
While growing up, I didn’t know very much about Aesop except the fact that most stories were frequently prefaced by Aesop’s Fables. As a young boy not knowing that a fable was the same as storytelling, I thought his name was Aesop Fable. Before grade school, I recalled Daddy telling me several stories as his way of teaching me how to examine both sides of an issue.
Once when I was feeling unsure about my athletic ability to compete with a playmate, Daddy told me the story about the “Rabbit and the Turtle.” He described in his own vernacular how the turtle won a race against the over confident rabbit. The rabbit was so sure he could out run the turtle, he took a nap before finishing the race, and when he awakens, the turtle had won the race, because he refused to give up. At least, that was the way Daddy told me the story. According to the recorded version, it was one of Aesop’s Fables, The Tortoise and the Hare, told slightly differently, but just as effective. Read the rest of this entry »
What does your sex life reveal about your relationship and personality? Are you a lover or a player? Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love, but what does it mean for people who confuse love and love making or having sex.
Amid the flowers, candy, perfume, poems, and love songs, there also exists the sad reality of many struggling through the anxiety of romance and heartbreak. Read the rest of this entry »
by Deborah Brown
We are one month into a New Year and numerous folks have already experimented with their New Year’s resolution. However, with regards to resolutions, one word comes to mind: pruning. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines pruning as “To cut off or remove dead or living parts or branches of (a plant, shrub, or tree) to improve shape or growth.”
I love gardening and have a hibiscus plant in my backyard. Each winter, after it has been hit by frost, its lush green leaves and hearty branches would wither and turn brown. So each spring, I would prune away the dead branches to encourage new growth. It would grow taller, stronger, and produce more vibrant red blooms than the previous year.
Is the current economic crisis destroying the structure of the American family?
Throughout the history of America, the family as a social system has served as a primary unit for meeting the basic needs for love, acceptance, approval, warmth, security, protection, and spiritual guidance. As one of the most basic institutions of a democracy, the family must continue to function as:
It is within the family structure that most individuals develop a sense of a self-identity. The family is the foundation of true democracy and continues to be one of the best institutions for producing responsible and productive citizens. Read the rest of this entry »
