Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Engagement Shawl by Scott Burdick

That Secret Place

We are not perfect.  No matter how hard we try to be the simple fact is we are just not perfect.  The bible says, “we all fall short of the glory of God”.  We all have issues, problems, phobias, mess and confusion and it matters not that we are baptized in Jesus name.  We simply are not perfect. We are but human.

Often we are so much in a hurry to accomplish great things for the Lord.  We are the champions of Kingdom building.  We go to school, we train, we prepare.  We suit up and show up for ministry opportunity after ministry opportunity.  We have our laptops and tablets fully charged and a cell phone surgically attached to our ear.  We are busy, busy, busy. We are ready to effect great things for the saints in our churches, on the streets of our neighborhoods, in our communities, cities and towns.  We are holding up the blood stained banner and we are convinced that we have the power to move mountains. After all is it not written that if He be for us who can be against us? We are equipped and we have put on the whole armor of God. All of it on the surface of our ‘outer’ man while our inner man suffers and cries and hurts.

We all have that secret place that nobody knows anything about. That place in the dark where we are naked and fully exposed. That place that holds all of our secrets.  Those secrets that come in many sizes, shapes and descriptions.  Secrets about our sexuality. Secrets about how you really feel about your messed up self. That secret place of loneliness, un-lovedness, unworthiness.  The secret place that holds all of the lies about ourselves that we have held on to for so long that we have begun to believe them as truth.
   
There in that secret place are blessings blocked and we remain in a state of fear that someone is going to find out the truth. That so called truth that really is the enemy whispering over and over that we really are not smart, we are not very attractive, we really are a mess up.  Whispers and jabber that repeats that we really are a failure and everything we touch comes to a lousy conclusion. No matter how much we hear it preached over the pulpit or how often words of encouragement come from our pastors, deacons, sisters and brothers in Christ or our family members we cannot fully grasp or receive it because of that secret place where we sit believing a malignant lie.

We were not saved because we are perfect.  We are saved today because of the simple fact that we are not perfect. We are but human.

©2013, Oakland, California, USA

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Grey blessings: Living and loving life after age 50


I don't know about you but I am embracing my Third Chapter.  That next 25 years after age 50. I am in love with my grey hair, my wrinkles in weird places, my body size, my smile AND my teeth "replacements".  I am loving all that I am, especially my womanliness...my blackness.  

It is a marvelous thing to be this age as we look forward to the many adventures that are left to be experienced. All of those crazy life experiences of yesterday and today just might help somebody make it through.  All of those life experiences have shaped our opinions and have given us reason to support a cause, an agenda that may not always be popular or in that traditional way of thinking.  We dare to be different and can say that we are honestly glad that we are.

Loving the skin we are in and having the freedom to grow and learn and say within our heart of hearts that our faith is just that - OUR faith.  We know that we have a direct connection with God who hears our prayers and sees to our every need.  We know when we are living according to His divine plan for our lives and when we are not. Even if sometimes we don't understand why things gotta be a certain way, we know at the end of the day "...all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 KJV

Blessed beyond measure, we have so much left to give to the world. The word "success" has a whole new definition.  

10 Best Traits of people living rich and "successful" lives (Excerpt from PBS Next Avenue - Daily Roadmap, http://bit.ly/15qhifE )

1. They’ve mastered a lot of life lessons and they want to pass them on. So they look for opportunities to teach and mentor others.2. They’ve pinpointed a few causes they really care about, work at developing deep insights about them and donate their time and energy to them in the belief that they can help change things for the better. They don’t worry about whether they’re impacting a single individual or the world.
3. They are grateful for what they have and take steps to share it.
4. They are seekers and doers who are enthusiastic participants in life — they are fully engagedin work, play and relationships. 
5. They have a hunger to keep learning — information, skills, fresh practices — to foster brain health and become better equipped to stay employed and contribute to society in fresh ways.
6. They have an open heart, build communities around them, forge and cherish connections with people of all ages and help others create nourishing bonds. 
7. They try to learn from their mistakes and take action to heal old wounds, smooth out past relationships and resolve regrets.
8. They think about life’s big questions, focus on being open-eyed and taking action to become more emotionally insightful.
9. They acknowledge difficulty but choose to believe in the possibility of positive outcomes and try to spread the happiness they cultivate.
10. They respect and take care of themselves. They are conscientious about making healthy food choices, exercising regularly and taking measures to reduce stress. They accept that they have a responsibility to cultivate physical and mental well-being and to protect and honor their bodies. Why? To make the most of their own lives and to ease the prospective future burdens on their loved ones.

Nuff said.  

Saturday, September 14, 2013


Featured painting:   The Dance by Becky Kinkaid


Just For Today             

Just for today I am going to take faith by the horns and live my life in freedom without worry of what I should eat, what I should wear or how am I going to get from point A to point B.  Just for today.

Just for today I am going to live in the moment. I will not project into a future that has not yet happened and re-live a past that is already gone. I am going to trust His faithfulness and live and breathe confidently that what He says is true….”I will never leave you or forsake you”.  Just for today.

Just for today I am going to believe that I have all the money I need in my bank account.  I am going to sincerely believe that God is indeed the supplier of all my needs. As He clothes the lilies of the field in fine arraignment so does He clothe me!  Just for today.

Just for today I am going to believe that I am on assignment as directed by God and not directed by my own wishes and desires. I am believing that I am anointed and divinely inspired to uplift and encourage the downtrodden. I have the words in my mouth that will lose the chains of the captive and give sight to those blinded by the cares of this world.  Just for today.

Just for today I am going to fully understand and appreciate His love, His grace, His mercy. Because of these things I am able to give Him honor and give Him all of the glory fore I am nothing without Him. Just for today.

Just for today I am going to look at things through the spirit and not through my flesh.  I will be grateful for the power of the Holy Ghost. I understand that FEAR is indeed false evidence appearing real.  Just for today.

And maybe tomorrow I will say it again …
Just for today.
The day after that I will say it again …
Just for today.
Then the day after that I will sweetly repeat
All that I have is
Just for today.

Living Out Loud for Jesus.
©2013, USA
Debi Mason, Spoken Word Ministries, 7/11/2013 



Thursday, September 5, 2013


"So You Want to Be a Writer"
Here is a poem by a prolific and powerful writer, Charles Bukowski.  “His poem is sharp, caustic, merciless. All that, and yet it manages to get down to what it really means to be a writer.”  So, if you read this poem and can honestly say after, “yep!” you have given yourself permission to be what you have probably always known you are, a writer.  Write on? Write on.

So You Want to Be a Writer
By Charles Bukowski

if it doesn't come bursting out of you
in spite of everything,
don't do it.
unless it comes unasked out of your
heart and your mind and your mouth
and your gut,
don't do it.
if you have to sit for hours
staring at your computer screen
or hunched over your
typewriter
searching for words,
don't do it.
if you're doing it for money or
fame,
don't do it.
if you have to sit there and
rewrite it again and again,
don't do it.
if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,
don't do it.
if you're trying to write like somebody
else,
forget about it.
if you have to wait for it to roar out of
you,
then wait patiently.
if it never does roar out of you,
do something else.

if you first have to read it to your wife
or your girlfriend or your boyfriend
or your parents or to anybody at all,
you're not ready.

don't be like so many writers,
don't be like so many thousands of
people who call themselves writers,
don't be dull and boring and
pretentious, don't be consumed with self-
love.
the libraries of the world have
yawned themselves to
sleep
over your kind.
don't add to that.
don't do it.
unless it comes out of
your soul like a rocket,
unless being still would
drive you to madness or
suicide or murder,
don't do it.
unless the sun inside you is
burning your gut,
don't do it.

when it is truly time,
and if you have been chosen,
it will do it by
itself and it will keep on doing it
until you die or it dies in you.

there is no other way.

and there never was.


Friday, July 26, 2013

Being a Christian is more than something you claim



Pastor Jeremiah Steepek (pictured) transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service....only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food....NO ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit n the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.
As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation........"We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek"....The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation.....The homeless man sitting in the back stood up.....and started walking down the aisle.....the clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him....he walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment....then he recited
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning...many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame.... he then said....Today I see a gathering of people......not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples...when will YOU decide to become disciples? He then dismissed service until next week.......Being a Christian is more than something you claim. I'ts something you live by and share with others.
Unknown

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Freedom


We who believe in freedom cannot rest…the song goes.  We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it's done.  The struggle has not ended it has only just begun.

A woman whose voice must be heard. 
A woman whose cry is a silent scream.  

Hear me now, she is tired of looking at a tear stained face with eyes that tell the tale of giving up….or giving in.  That was somebody’s child that died over in the avenues last night.  That was somebody’s potential that lay in the streets for hours as the police tape was strung and the memorial of teddy bears and candles and flowers was sprung. 

We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it’s done. 

Black woman, mother, daughter once strong and proud now weary of the cold and bitter place.  That child slipped from your grasp….lost under the veil of darkness the senseless hatred and anger and lost hope.  

Promises unfulfilled.
Black on black crime.  
Youth versus youth. 
The slavery of the times.  
We who believe in freedom are fighting the real civil war on these streets that breed a spirit of tragedy.  

Babies are still being born to babies…
Mothers ill equipped and unprepared for what life brings today.  
Hunger, poverty unchurched-ness. 
The spirit of lack and want. 

Where once was the crack house is now the meeting corner - 
Standing at attention in the uniform of the day….
Standing waiting for something to happen…
Shoot now question later.

Learning the sweet talk at an early age.
But Jesus she is only 13!  
Waiting for that baby daddy to show up with a 50 count diaper pack to fulfill his commitment until his memorial is sprung.

We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it’s done


Debi Mason
Spoken Word Ministries

© Oakland, CA, USA, 2012

Monday, June 17, 2013


My Third Chapter Assignment:

Live simply.
Dream big.
Be grateful.
Give love.
Laugh lots.

On Turning 60 Three Years Ago

Another year has flown by at what seems like record speed. Believe me, I am oh so grateful for these years of my life. Like so many of us, I should not be here to tell the story nor to give the praise. It is still amazing to me that I was saved by the Lord’s favor and generous grace upon my life. He truly did not have to do it but he did and I can say that I am experiencing a love like no other at this hour.

These are some hard times for some. The economy is in the dumpster and as I grow older the world seems to be so full uncertainty. I would be lying if I said that there were not days that I have to turn it all off because, if I let it, ABC, NBC, CNN and CBS would truly be happy to rob me of my joy. It is just too much. I see the pictures of hunger, and lack and just about every mental illness imaginable and I have to shake my head and lift up a praise and say that I am grateful that I know a man and his name is Jesus. Funny, but as the years pass, I don't seem to feel that I am helpless to do anything about it any more. All of this bad news miraculously is positioning me on my knees to pray for those that don't know the risen Lord. I know that prayer is indeed the answer to all things so for complete strangers I pray that chains be broken, burdens lifted, eyes opened, minds regulated, ears cleared, grace granted and for anointing to fall.

Everyday more and more people, young and old, are running to the alter and begging for answers and wondering in the depths of their spirits what it is that they must do to be saved. The desire for salvation is great and the call to worship is loud. If I have one birthday desire this year it is that all Saints around the world will recognize that they are beacons of light shinning as examples to the lost in a very dark world. We are His emissaries, ambassadors and we speak boldly of His love, His grace and mercy. We must stand with fellow believers and proclaim the truth of the Word and vow to never be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.


So on this birthday, I know that somebody is watching to see how I make it through these times when nothing of this world is giving up any answers to the whys and how comes of life. To tell you the truth, I have come of age to know exactly what is meant by " Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." I would be lying here as well if I said that I don't have concerns and that everything is tremendously wonderful in my life right now. But as I stand on the truth of the Word of God. I look around and I can't help but pray and by doing so my prayer life is strengthened and lengthened. And because my prayer life has been refreshed, my faith has been increased and my gratitude is sincere.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Ode to a once great love affair



What do you do when someone you knew dies?
So much left unsaid.
Unforgiveness.
Never knew
The weight of it
The time and space of it
until death came calling.

One more day
Surely he wouldn’t just go
Like that anyway.
Unfinished business.
Words left unsaid…
Even after all these years ..
Damn, this makes me feel empty.

What do you do when someone you knew dies?
Stolen kisses …
And I still hate rainy days.
Can’t  tell a soul -
Or can I?
The cut was deep
The pain sharp
Me breathless and hopeless
Unloved and unlovable.

What do you do when someone you knew dies?
That great love -
An affair long ended
Afraid to love or to be loved – again?
Never knew the weight of it
The time and space of it
Until death came calling.

Am I finally being released?
Is that the emptiness I feel?
The heavy stone gone
Once fragmented and disconnected
Stepping lighter and brighter now -
Free
What do you do when someone you knew dies?
You forgive and move on.

(c) 2013, Debi Mason, USA