Memoirs of a Black Girl

Did you know that it is a fact that a swarm of fewer than 30 Japanese Giant Hornets have the ability to kill a hive of 30,000 Japanese Honeybees in just less than 3 hours!  See at 4x the size of the Honeybee, its larger cousin the Giant Hornet is its greatest enemy.  The Hornet kills the Bees so they can feed on their larvae to provide for their own offspring.

You may be thinking to yourself, why is Lela telling me this? Well, I was born and spent most of my life in New York City; an urban metropolis where much of our green space is regulated to well sculpted public parks.  I have also lived in apartment buildings for just as long.  Though most of the buildings I grew up in had courtyards, they were filled with cement or deemed not safe for kids to play in; especially unsupervised.  With my recent move to Texas I have been confronted with so much green space that at times it leaves me in complete awe.

I love all of God’s creation in nature; the many different colors and textures that can appear in a landscape; the animals that make the great outdoors their home.  I must stress however that I said the animals making the great outdoors their home and not my home theirs!

Recently when I was doing research on the pollination process done by bees, wasps and hornets, I learned something very interesting.  See, the husband and I have planted three young citrus trees in our backyard; a tangerine, an orange and a lemon.  These three trees have attracted pollinating insects.  The lemon tree, the most because it has begun to flower and bear fruit.  Before I extended the all out war I begun when I relocated on bugs staying out of my home to that of the surrounding perimeter (otherwise known as the backyard), I wanted to understand their purpose first before I began spraying.

In my finding I learned so much including the difference between bees, wasps and hornets and how they all serve in the greater scheme of things.  To my dismay we have wasps and hornets and not bees.  So I will be keeping a safe distance from my painfully stinging flying neighbors.  Like me, it may come as a shock to some; that their purpose is not to sting people to death as I refer to the wasps and hornets.

All kidding aside and getting back to explaining the process of pollination; Wikipedia defines it as follows…”Pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred in the reproduction of plants, thereby enabling fertilization and sexual reproduction.”

In laymen terms, without the aid of this family of insects, much of the flora foods we eat would not be able to reproduce. No bees (and their near cousins) no fruit.  I happen to love fruit and vegetables and so, I and my tiny winged friends must learn how to co-exist with each other.

Another interesting fact I learned about the Japanese Honeybee is that if the hive sense a Giant Hornet is attempting to invade or scout their home; they will allow it in.  However, upon entry they will surround it and suffocate it to death.  They have adapted this defense technique over time.  It is understood that some of them may die in the process.  However the ultimate goal is to save the colony from impending destruction.

I read one account about farmers wishing to introduce European Honeybees to the Asian terrain and the Honeybees being slaughtered because unlike the native Japanese Honeybees the European ones did not have the same evolved defensive skills.

In closing, as I shared, the hornets and wasps that are in my backyard that seem to have been molesting my young citrus trees really do have a purpose.  Without them, my trees would not be able to bear fruit.

Now, the fire ants out there that is whole another story…

Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 New King James Version (NKJV)

Everything Has Its Time

3 To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

² A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
³ A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
⁴ A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
⁵ A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
⁶ A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
⁷ A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
⁸ A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.

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Janelle’s closing rap…

“Yeah, Let’s flip it
I don’t think they understand what I’m trying to say
I asked a question like this
Are we a lost generation of our people?
Add us to equations but they’ll never make us equal.
She who writes the movie owns the script and the sequel.
So why ain’t the stealing of my rights made illegal?
They keep us underground working hard for the greedy,
But when it’s time pay they turn around and call us needy.
My crown too heavy like the Queen Nefertiti
Gimme back my pyramid, I’m trying to free Kansas City.
Mixing masterminds like your name Bernie Grundman.
Well I’m gonna keep leading like a young Harriet Tubman
You can take my wings but I’m still goin’ fly
And even when you edit me the booty don’t lie
Yeah, keep singing and I’mma keep writing songs
I’m tired of Marvin asking me, “What’s Going On?
March to the streets ‘cuz I’m willing and I’m able
Categorize me, I defy every label
And while you’re selling dope, we’re gonna keep selling hope
We rising up now, you gotta deal you gotta cope
Will you be electric sheep?
Electric ladies, will you sleep?
Or will you preach?”

Complete lyrics: http://www.directlyrics.com/janelle-monae-queen-lyrics.html

This past Sunday as my husband and I were leaving our home to do a few errands; we were confronted with a not so cute scene on our front porch.  It was a still and lifeless baby sparrow.  Evidently, the poor little thing had attempted to fly.  Instead, it fell beak first from its nest and landed where we found it.

After the initial shock, of our discovery we prepared to remove it.  As we worked together to picked it up and put it away, I thought about the powerful statement the little bird had made with its actions.

Even though, it had clearly failed at its first attempt at flight; instead of deciding to stay in its most likely comfy nest it desired to fly.  That baby sparrow had more FAITH in its abilities than most people.  He put his FAITH to work.  The baby sparrow was willing to die, trying rather than stay in its comfort zone.

James 2:14-26 (NKJV)

Faith Without Works Is Dead

¹⁴ What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your ^[a]works, and I will show you my faith by my^[b] works. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! ²⁰ But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?^[c] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? ²² Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? ²³ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”^[d] And he was called the friend of God. ²⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

²⁵ Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

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I love music.  It never ceases to amaze me how I can be led to a song that speaks so much about my situation or a period of my life.  Recently I found a song by Chrisette Michelle called “Notebook”.

As a writer, the title of the song intrigued me.  However, the lyrics when I heard them and read them, spoke to my soul.  I can honestly say, the song describes the feelings I felt during that delicate moment when my affection for my husband was developing from a friend into a deep romantic love.

The other day during my walking workout; I had an encounter with nature. This experience inspired me to write the following poem “Who Is Buzzing Around Your Dreams?”.

Truth be told, I had thought I saw an eagle soaring in the sky above me, when actually it was a Turkey Buzzard / Turkey Vulture. I discovered its true identity during my return lap and under closer inspection… I looked down and saw a family of them and a Black Vulture resting underneath a tree.

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Who Is Buzzing Around Your Dreams

Be careful of the company that you keep when you are birthing dreams.  Make sure you are soaring with the eagles rather than circling with buzzards.

Buzzards… are dream killers, naysayers, the down low haters and Inter-Me…

Your Own Thoughts vs Those of the KING.

Buzzards… who are they?

They are those that used to have hope, but rather let Slothfulness win vs Diligence.

Buzzards… who are they?

They are the crabs in the bucket trying to pull you down with them in their misery.

FEAR now resides in their hearts where BELIEF used to be.

These buzzards circulate among eagles in the skies flying low enough to smell the scent of defeat.

From a distance, their vast wingspan and coloring can deceive you into believing they are eagles…

Yet, as soon as you swoon, they will swoop in and feed on what could’ve been…

And  your dreams will look as if they had been just memories.

So … be careful of the company you keep when you are birthing dreams.

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Question…”How many times have you asked GOD to USE you in prayer? Yet, when HE actually calls you into service you run from HIS heavenly urging like a draft dodger… CHECK your HEART is it MOTIVES DRIVEN or SPIRIT LED?”

Definition: USE (Verb) – Take, hold, or deploy (something) as a means of accomplishing a purpose or achieving a result; employ.

The other day the above inquiry was one of my Facebook statuses. It was as much a question to me as it was to my network.  After recently relocating to Houston, I was confronted with having to ask myself this exact question on a number of topics:  From experiencing and learning how to live a balanced life 24/7 with my husband; for the first 9 months of our marriage we lived in two different states, to where we would worship on Sunday.

See, I am genesis member of my local church back home, served/and still presently serve in volunteer leadership and for a time was employed full-time by the ministry.  So, the idea of attending a different house of worship was not appealing to me.  God would have it though that there is a satellite affiliate to my home church facilitated by a loving couple in my new city. However due to the distance and my current position as a non-driver we have ended up splitting our actual presence between the satellite location and a church plant affiliated with the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and pastured by one of my husband’s co-workers at the school he teaches and coaches.

At this church, my husband had been flourishing and being stretched spiritually in servant hood. In many ways, he told me it reminded him of his own home church back in Albany where he had been nurtured and baptized.  Seeing this and hearing the powerful word and experiencing a period of just abandoned worship softened my heart towards the fact we were not attending “my church”.

I began to hear more clearly what God had been trying to tell me all along since my move; in this transition period he was shifting my heart back to him.  He was telling me to abandon my will FULLY back to him and let myself be used (just as I had been praying to him to do) where he had planted me for this season.  He was telling me to trust in him.  Just believe what he has in store for me is greater than what I could have ever imagined for myself.  At that point, I broke down and cried and repented for walking in selfness.

That weekend when we attended service again at this church I was asked to lead worship.  For anyone that knows me personally, they know the ministry that I have consistently served under is Music.  In the midst of the time of ministering to the audience of One / Jesus, I felt a washed with his love.  The entire next week afterward; however, I had mixed emotions.  I knew the flood gates of my soul were about to burst.  I had been given the opportunity again to assist in my gifting.

My husband came home one night to tell me that his co-worker/the pastor wanted to talk to me, and he had given him my number.  Truthfully speaking I wanted to punch him just for a split second.  Why? Because I was dodging God’s call to serve where I was; the little girl in me wanted to serve where I wanted to serve.

In my private time, he was so gentle but yet firm with me; telling me over and over again, showing me in his word why I should trust him in this situation.  When the pastor called me finally that week, and we spoke; he truly blessed me.  He told me that he could see the maturity of my worship how instead of just singing a solo I wanted to be used to lead the people into a time of praise and worship.  He also told me that he understood that I was only there for a season.  However he felt led to use me if I should be willing each time I was in attendance.  I agreed, and we ended our conversation.  I knew with my agreement I needed to make sure I was prepared to minister whenever called…

“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” Mark 13:32 NLT

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Last week Monday was April 1^st or in the US what we commonly call April Fool’s Day.  A day filled with trickery, half truths and cloaked in deceit. This year as most I decided not to participate.  However, I was surprised by some of the believable posts on Social Media Networks done by my friends and family members.

One of them actually moved me to act and made me want to start or in a sense change the direction of a series of articles I had started last fall called “Enough is ENOUGH – My Testimony of God’s Grace”.

See, one of my teenage nieces posted that she had tattooed her boyfriend’s name on her body.  Her defensive responses back to everyone’s outraged comments made all of us think she had done this stupid stunt.  Some of which led us to believe that her boyfriend had not even reciprocated her act of devotion by placing her name on his body.

After walking away from the computer, and praying in tongues for a while, I decided to share this new development with my husband (her new uncle.)   He proceeded to talk me down from off the prominence of going totally bonkers on her and just at the time when I had come to my senses, I had a flashback.  My Ex had tried to talk me into doing the same thing she was saying she had done willingly!  He had wanted me to put his name on my body, now mind you I was about 3-4 years older than her, yet still young and naïve.

This tattoo would have been on my upper thigh as to say I was “his property”; if it had ever to been seen by anyone else.  I didn’t believe him asking me to do it was cute at the time or even desirable. So, I did call his bluff and asked him where would he put my name on his body?  He already had a few tattoos; two that did not make any sense to me when I learned later he was a “Gone Till November” (referencing Wyclef Jean’s song by the same title) guy.  The clown had his real first name, and the animated character of his street alias sprawled on his arms.  His response to my inquiry was to back pedal.  That there was no need for all that; he knew and I knew I was his girl and he my man. In the end, the subject never came up again; it died.  Just like our relationship.

Now, if I had decided to have gotten that tattoo. I being married obviously, not to him would have had to explain to my husband why I have another person’s name tattooed on my body.  Many times when we are young we make decisions based on our emotions that we believe will remain the same beyond the temporary feelings of pleasure we are experienced in the moment.  Yet, no matter our age, our actions always have consequences.  If we do not anticipate the cost in the beginning, we may feel grief in the end.

In my case, if I had not taken the split second to think or even ask the question about reciprocation, to this time (unless I had it removed) I would be sporting “What’s his name” brand on my body.

However, going back to my niece, in the end I think it was learned that she hadn’t gotten the tattoo.  Yet, for her to bring it up made me think she has been thinking about it. And just for that prompted me to share this story…

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Saturday marked 9 months since I said “I Do” to my husband and almost a month since my relocation to Texas to be with him.  3 years, 2 months, and 13 days since we began our courtship…

It feels as if I have known him forever. Actually, it has been more than half my life.  The last time I saw him before we re-connected in early 2009; I was a young girl-woman heading out into the world with fire in my eyes.  I was ready to change the world.

Now I am a married woman.  Still with fire in my eyes, yet now with a new purpose… God’s.  It’s still my desire to change the world, but only if He gets the credit in the end.

Alicia Keys – “This Girl is On Fire” is my husband’s latest theme song for me