Do you remember the song…”Whip Appeal” by Babyface?   Yes, I am dating myself.  However, I was thinking about it tonight while I was mediating on my scriptures for the day Joshua 5:2, Romans 2:29 and Colossians 2:11 all in which talk about circumcision first of the body and then the subconscious mind otherwise known as our hearts.

If you can follow my train of thinking the Word of God has “Whip Appeal”.  Once you begin to really dig your heels into it, it whips everything that does not line up to it right out of you!  You begin to desire it more and after awhile don’t mind that it is whipping the fleshy things right on out.

In truth true freedom begins first in your mind.  Once your mind is renewed… the flesh has no other choice but to submit.

Did you know that God wants to court you?  During a period of not knowing, a wilderness experience; God touches our hearts before he asking for our hands.  As with Abram in Genesis 12:1-3 he tells us what his will for us is before the promise is fulfilled, it is up to us to believe him by faith and follow him.  When we got saved we entered into a courtship with God.  Unlike dating that has expiration deciding to go into courtship with God meant that you saw, with him there was a future beyond what you were experiencing while being unsaved.  In a courtship you build a foundation for a future together a covenant. God courts us.  Don’t get it twisted we do not court him.

God is always giving the advantage. He gave us Jesus, the Holy Spirit and his Word in the form of the Bible.  As we learn more through our personal walks with God; through our courtship we develop more deeply into a relationship.  As we experience more of him our confidence is strengthen.  Though we may have trials and tribulations, God past track record in our lives and what is shown in his word, tell us that he has our back.  All we have to is follow his lead.

To paraphrase God from Jeremiah 29:11 he said it very plainly that he has plans for us, plans to prosper us and not harm us, to give us hope and a future.  And what are the only things God asks us to do in return?  Trust him; obey him, to believe in him by faith and to develop in his love.  Just like when the vows are declared during a wedding ceremony.  His promises to bless us and make our names great prepare us to walk fully and boldly into our covenant with him.

What is the purpose of purpose?  Is it not what motivates us to get up in the morning to pursue things that seem so far off that if only a dream?  For what is a dream?  The stuff of our imaginations slowly peeking at the walls of our containment; slowly taking form in our reality if only we dared to believe… AND step out.  I purpose to dream… BIG what about you?

August 8^th, 2010 – Yesterday, in preparing to go to my church’s general service, I decided to have as my traveling music Byron Cage’s “Faithful to Believe” album. When I arrived on location the song that was pumping through my ear phones was “I Can’t Hold it”; a song that gets me every time in the mood to praise.  After attending a meeting I proceeded to go downstairs to visit with one of my friends in another volunteer department (I serve in the Music Ministry.)  I opted for the elevator versus the stairs.  Two of my friends one an armor bearer for my pastors and another a pastor’s aide waited with me.  When the elevator arrived we were greeted by another one of my friends that is an armor bearer and unknown gentleman.

My friend who is an aide seeing the unknown gentleman assumed he was new armor bearer / vision keeper in training.  She proceeded to confirm this by asking the question if in fact he was.  His response “Yes, I am dedicating my life to Christ today.” The elevator then stopped and he got off.  We all looked at each other for a second in slight confusion.  My friend the aide stated “He must have not understood the question.”  My response was I believe he did.  He was stating what he believed was keeping the vision.  He was dedicating his life to the Lord.

We at that moment arrived at our own floor and all parted ways; I to visit my friend and them to go to their individuals assignments.   When I found my friend, her department members and she were preparing to pray and meet.  I decided to join them in for the prayer.  After the prayer I went upstairs to report to my own department officially and proceeded to do my pre-service duties.  Praise and worship was extra anointed that night and my lady pastor, Taffi L. Dollar really urged us in her opening encouragements to bask in the presence of God a bit longer.

The message itself was excellent and as always an on time one.  When she called for the altar call for those that wanted to get saved, rededicate their lives to Christ, received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (with the evidence of speaking with tongues) or join the church she also instructed us as is customary to ask our neighbors the same four questions.  Low and behold the unknown gentleman who was on the elevator with me earlier was sitting in the next row.

I knew that was a sign from God that he wanted me to be the one to ask him personally if he had made a quality decision.  At that moment I turned around and asked, he resoundingly said yes and confirmed that he wanted me to walk him down.  He and I were the first ones to arrive at the altar that evening.  I was so much in a state of utter joy that when I went to go back to my seat, I first went to the wrong row.  After laughing at myself I walked to the correct one and just began to thank God for gentleman making a quality decision and for allowing me to assist him.

True tears of joy just began to fall from my eyes.  An older woman, who I know only by casual fellowshipping, tapped me on the shoulder to hug me.  I was so much on a spiritual high that I just could not almost contain myself; I think I gave her an extra squeeze.  During my trip home I felt as I was floating on cloud nine.  I continued to thank God for bring the gentleman, to my attention and using me to be his escort to the altar.

It’s just amazing how simply by paying attention to your surroundings, not questioning and obeying the voice of the Holy Spirit and doing an act of service can bless you right back in return.  It is almost 24 hours later and I am still on a spiritual high.   I served again this morning at satellite church and was taken out of my comfort zone.  I was asked to sing lead for the last song of the worship set and to minister the altar call song.  In the natural I made a few errors (early start on a song because I was lost in the spirit), however I had said “Ok, I will do it, Lord.”  And he yet again showed out…more souls came to the kingdom!

I believe last night in a sense I to rededicated my life back Lord; and I will continue to give him the glory for each opportunity he presents to me.

Adapted from reenactment done during tour of National Buffalo Soldiers’ Museum in Houston, TX www.buffalosolidermuseum.com - Tyler D. Biggs was born a slave.  His father was a Blacksmith and Muslim.  Of his parents he was the last of four boys.  Due to the value of his father’s skill as a Blacksmith, he was given his own small home that was adjacent to the smith shop.  This caused him to be away from his family days at a time.

Tyler’s birth name was not Tyler but the single letter “D”; for that is how his “master” named his slaves using the alphabet.  His master caught a fancy to his mother and so one day Tyler remembers seeing his father being placed in the back of a wagon and waving to him.  The next day he saw the wagon return, however his father didn’t.  Five new slaves were added to the plantation.

His master went to fight for the Confederates, leaving with all fanfare as any Southern gentleman would going off the defend house and home.  However, he never returned home.  His mama now widowed and without a son to handle the books of the plantation, was at a lost.  This is how Tyler learned how to run a plantation / agricultural business.

One day the Union army came to free “D” and his fellow slaves…that was the day that he began his true journey that lead him to become a Buffalo Soldier named… Tyler D. Biggs.

Watch the following video to learn more about the Buffalo Solders:

Friday July 2^nd, 2010 – I woke up this morning with a new spring in my step.  Today, I am Houston, TX bound for the first time.  I am spending July 4^th weekend with my sweetie and his family.  I packed the night before while being coached (over the phone) by a professional, my sweetie coaches, football.  As he stated, his major boyfriend duty was to make sure I went to bed with enough time to not be cranky in the morning.  Mission accomplished.

Leaving for work, I said my goodbyes to my pets.  My plan was to head for the airport after work.  Auston my dog I could tell sensed I was leaving.  He stayed even closer to me and gave me those sad puppy dog eyes that normally melt my heart.  My cat Tigger on the other hand was more concerned about his next meal.

I was so excited about the day.  I arrived almost 45 minutes early into the office.   This will be my sweetie and my second away trip, as a couple and once again outside of me booking my flights he is planning our entire itinerary. See, for the average person this would not seem to be a big deal.  However for me, there is never anything average.  Professionally I assisted in and planned complex events that hosted from less than 10 or more VIPs to thousands of attendees weekly.  From the venue selection, to the vendors and fine tuning of the guest list, so me having the faith in and ability to trust him completely in the planning of our trips activities, once again tells  and speaks volumes.

With arriving to work early I had time to check in with my sweetie and my sister-friends.  After which, I began tracking the weather conditions out of Houston and my flight.  Well, what I thought was my flight. It turns out I was tracking the wrong flight all day!  However I will get into how I found out about that later.  I didn’t get upset however when I saw that there were delays due to extreme weather conditions (Thunderstorms and flash flooding.)  I just began praying for the passengers and flight crew.  I giggled with my co-workers saying I would be able to finish a book or get some writing done while I waited for my flight to arrive.  Little did I know my attitude through the entire ordeal would be a testimony in it self.

When I got off from work I had two options from Penn Station to get to the JFK connector station; the subway or the LIRR.  I decided after getting some sage advice from a co-worker to not take the LIRR.  Instead I took the less crowded and less expensive E train (subway) to catch the AirTrain to JFK International Airport, NY Mass Transit’s greener alternative to get the world famous portal to the world.  My total commuter cost to JFK was $7.50 ($2.50 for the subway and $5.00 for the AirTrain fare.)

Walking to the E train, talk about perfect timing the train arrived just as I was going through the turnstile.  The complete ride was an experience.  After only one stop I was able to get a seat.  By that one stop I knew for a fact that I was on a train with a host of characters.  From the African American young man dressed as Edward Scissorhands with his reflecting contacts, sporting two cell phones, to the little Hispanic girl that instinctively used my shoulder as a pillow; I told her mother I didn’t mind.   As a child I remember doing the same thing myself while on long train ride J

When I arrived to my destination Supthin Blvd; I was already pumped because I knew I would have some stories to write about.  Getting on the AirTrain I checked “my flight” again.  The report was showing the plane was getting ready to taxi leaving Houston for New York.  I called my sweetie who was picking me up from airport to tell him the status and he was still shocked at how calm I was and the fact I was giggling, though it looked there was almost 4 hour delay.  I was just really enjoying myself.  The AirTrain takes you for a full loop around JFK and I was taking in the beauty of the airport and its terminals.

When I reached my terminal, I again found joy just ridding the moving walkway.  The inner kid in me wanted to ride it again on the opposite side.  I didn’t though.  I took a picture at the top of the escalator before going into check in and when I got my boarding pass was kind of shocked to see my ticket said my flight was leaving on time.  The funny thing is that actually ignored it and checked my bag, however was led to look up at the flight board and back at my boarding pass and was pleasantly surprised to see my flight was leaving on time.  I had arrived to the airport within 90 minutes of departure.  My exact words were “Glory to God!”

After calling my sweetie to give him the update and my sister-friends, I sat back and marveled at God.  Though I had made the error in tracking the wrong flight, he still showed me favor.  My entire flight was wonderfully smooth.  I know that is a testimony to how I maintained my attitude and through the power of prayer done by my intercessors.  The flight time was cut from 3 hours and 50 minutes to just 2 hours and a half.  I arrived in Houston almost an entire hour early.

Lately folks have been telling me they believe and see that I am slimming down and have a new found glow.  Some have asked “Girl what is your secret?” To tell you the truth… I believe the biggest change I have made to help me lose weight is increasing my Praise and Worship time.

I am an energetic Praise Warrior.   I feel truly blessed and honored to have the opportunity to serve as a member of my local church’s Music Ministry and as part of an awesome team that ministers/sings at our local area satellite churches.

He Treats Her Like a Lady

/ / Chapter 2  //

Three years earlier and a week before Valentine’s Day; Alex had just left her house to catch the train to work, when she was hit by a walking vision.  A vision that stopped her completely in her tracks and caused her to audibly plead the blood of Jesus over what she saw; praying for the memory of it to be speedily cast from her mind.

A vision of her long-time boyfriend, who she had rekindled three months prior her relationship with; a man who she thought was the love her life in the throes of passion with another man.

See Pierre after relocating from New York to Florida six-months earlier, had taken a job running deliveries for a local chain of night clubs in South Miami.  What he had not told her was that one of the clubs owners who was openly gay had been hitting on him and that he had begun to have dreams of accepting his propositions.  Propositions of buying him lavish gifts and paying off his debts. Debts he had accumulated after Alex had cut him off financially after changing jobs herself and taking a pay cut to pursue a career in the non-profit sector fulltime.

So, the vision should not have shocked her.  The signs had been there throughout their relationship however she cared to ignore that she may have been in a relationship for more than six years with a man that had more secrets than she cared to know.  She had thought her ignorance was bliss, but because a growing relationship with God her higher power; all that was in the dark was about to suddenly come to the light.

Alex prayers, “Heavenly Father, let this not be true! I cast down this vision in the mighty name of Jesus and I plead the blood over this situation now, Amen!”

Feeling uneasy for the last few days, she had not heard from Pierre in almost a week and had known he was driving an extended cross country trip from the East Coast to the West Coast on business.  His vocation as a truck driver sometimes made it difficult for them to connect, but almost a week was not normal.

After praying she was able to somehow stumble into work, the day seemed to drag.  Alex had attempted to text and call Pierre more times than she would care to tell during the day.  Finally, when almost everyone had left the office Alex still plugging away at a project hears her phone awaken from its deafening silence.  She glances down and sees it’s a text from him.  She almost doesn’t want to read it knowing in her heart that it will confirm all her fears, but she does.  It reads “Something happened…”

An excerpt from “He Treats Her Like a Lady” a new short story still in the works  …

Lela Jefferson, © 2010 All rights reserved.

– www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

He Treats Her Like a Lady

/ / Chapter 1  //

She sits and stares pondering how she could had forgotten how it felt to be treated as she should, like a lady only after so short of a time.  He asks her if she is ok, because her face had contorted while she was lost in thought.   She tells him she is fine.  Her mind had only wandered away for a moment.

She stares down at her left ring finger again and then into his eyes and smiles.  Inwardly thanking God for loving her so much to bring him back into her life.  And now he has pledged himself to her.  She is now his wife.  Just a few moments ago they said their vows and sipped from the communion cup, confirming before God and all those that they love to honor and cherish each other for the rest of their lives.

She is now Mrs. Alexia Uhuru St. Claire, married to the man of her dreams and her prayers.  It all quickly comes back to her as she comes out of her daze; they are seated at the bride and groom’s table at their wedding reception.  Family and friends are hitting their champagne flutes, giving the ceremonial signal that they would like to see the newlyweds kiss.  Her husband, wow it still sounds weird even in her own head to comprehend that Charles is now her husband.  He leans towards her and kisses her softly on the lips.  He pulls away just a bit and lingers just before moving to her ear to mouth the words “I love you”.  Alexia, sighs again before saying the same to him.

An excerpt from “He Treats Her Like a Lady” a new short story still in the works  …

Lela Jefferson, © 2010 All rights reserved.

– www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

May 3^rd, 2010 - This past weekend I was whisked away to upstate New York by my beau in celebration of one of his best friends’ birthday. It would a couples’ romantic weekend touring the gorges, waterfalls and vineyards of the Finger Lakes region of our home state of New York.  Two couples one truck and a true desire to learn more about the upper regions of the state that had been home for all of us for most of our lives.

In this two-part piece, I plan to summarize to you my readers the highlights of my trip.  Share with you and hopefully expel the myth about unfriendly New Yorkers and expand your view beyond New York’s downstate city features i.e. skyscrapers, the subway and crowds.

Personally before this trip I had not been beyond White Plains in Westchester County when it came to exploring the towns and cities of New York State.  Born and raised in New York City.  Most of my travel has been done out of state and the country.  So, when my beau presented this opportunity to me as a treat, I jumped at it.

Our extended weekend began on Friday night with a drive to Albany, from Brooklyn, NY.  After a good night’s rest we headed over to his friend’s home for an early breakfast cooked by his fiancée.

Meeting our guides to the NY’s Finger Lakes Falls & Gorges

After breakfast and dropping off my beau’s rental vehicle we all piled into his friend’s truck for the three and a half hour drive towards our first tourist stop Ithaca, NY.  Having had driven through downtown Ithaca, I can now see why so many of my friends that went to school upstate in this region (Ithaca is the home to Cornell University and Ithaca College) decided to stay after graduation.  The sheer beauty of the picturesque tree lined streets and buildings mostly no taller than six stories, in the city’s center is enough to take your breath away.

After making a pit stop at Starbucks, we met up with our guide Alan and Caren our driver of the “Experience! The Finger Lakes“, www.experiencefingerlakes.com ) touring company.    Though we were 45 minutes late, they both met us with the hospitality and genuine warmth that set the tone for an amazing three hour tour.  Our touring van was clean and inviting.  Each of us were given a visitor’s bag filled with pamphlets of local area attractions including further information about the falls and gorges we would be hiking.  We were offered healthy snacks and given souvenir water bottles pre-filled to take with us.

Alan during the ride to our first gorge gave us an introductory geology lesson on how the Finger Lakes region had been created in the wake of cut ways and deposits left from the massive glaciers that used to cover all of New York State.  Here is a fun factoid. Did you know that even New York City; before it was flatten for the creation of the street grid (The Commissioner’s Plan for 1811) that we are so familiar with today complete with East to West numbered streets and horizontal avenues was in fact home to valleys, streams and forests? Well it was.  So when I think of the Finger Lakes region I can imagine how downstate looked like before the industrial age man got a hold of it.

The Falls (Taughannock, Buttermilk, and Ithaca Falls)

As the official pamphlet for Taughannock Falls state park reads “Water has shaped the natural landscape of the park.”  The park includes a 215-foot vertical waterfall that is actually taller than Niagra’s and a ¾ mile gorge, woodlands and a swimming beach.  Since we took our trip in early May, the temperature was just right for walking the trails. It was neither too hot nor too cold.

Our first trail took us upwards along the shoreline of the creek that is feed by the falls.  The water is so crisp that it is easy to see the rock bed underneath its flow.  Though visitors are clearly told not to walk the shallow waters (via the signage that is posted alongside the trail), because of possibility of slipping; many ignore the warnings and venture out to stand in its downward flow.

As for our crew, not one of us decided to nor wanted to take the risk so we did not have to be scolded by Alan.  The complete trail took us across a stone bridge to the falls’ base where we stopped for a group photo.  I stood there by myself for a moment to gaze at the awesome wonder of watching the mist rise from the where the water fell in its natural pool.

Taking a few more shots we turned around and walked back to the van.  Before leaving the park for our next stop Buttermilk Falls (another state park); Alan had Caren drive us to the top of the falls.  We stood at the falls’ overlooking area and were amazed to see how tall they actually were.  Birds of prey circled above our heads; making their homes in the trees that dotted the landscape.  The entire scene in its self was very serene.

Returning back to the van for the drive to the top of Buttermilk Falls from Taughannock Falls was about less than 20 minutes.  As a treat for completing the hike Alan gave us each a piece delicious locally made dark chocolate. Our group had opted to walk down the Buttermilk Falls rather than up them.  In hindsight I believe that was a wise executive decision made by our spokeswoman, my beau’s friend’s fiancée.

The Buttermilk Falls unlike Taughannock is more sloping.  “Dropping from 1,000 to 400 feet above sea level, the park surrounds Buttermilk Creek as it plunges through a gorge down the eastern slope of the Caygua Valley at the southern edge of the City of Ithaca.” – adapted from the park’s official pamphlet.

Much like most of the trails of the Finger Lakes region created for visitors’ usage; the trail alongside the Buttermilks Falls was left rough enough for us to experience the falls without the inference of fencing or even a handrail.

An interesting highlight of this hike was we experienced firsthand a rockslide that confirmed that we were in fact at the mercy of Mother Nature.  No one was hurt however it reassured our respect for our surrounding. So of course due to my history of natural clumsiness, I used my beau as my anchor as I gingerly walked down the trail.  A perfect excuse for me to also hold his hand for most of our walk down it; the trail’s name we took was Gorge Trail.

When we reached the base of the falls, we were reunited with Caren and the van.  Before we entered Alan told us that he had more treats and surprises for us.  Upon looking at our seats we noticed that the group photo that he had taken of our party by the base of Taughannock Falls with his camera Caren had developed.  The photo was framed in a keepsake frame, one for each couple to commensurate our trip!  Our second treat was in fact more locally made goodies a selection of ice cream sandwiches and frozen treats to select from.  I opted for an ice cream sandwich; the vanilla ice cream was sandwiched between two large chocolate chip cookies, yum is all I have to say to that.

Our last stop on our tour of waterfalls was Ithaca Falls.  Located near downtown Ithaca, I must say out of the three falls we experienced to me it was the most beautiful at first glance.  The locals fish in its waters and skip rocks in its currents.

After taking more photos we all returned back to the van for our return drive back into the center of Ithaca to park company with Alan and Caren.  After saying our warm goodbyes; our group returned to the truck to drive the hour and half trip further upstate to Penn Yah County the home of Finger Lakes regions many vineyards and to check into our hotel.

To learn more about the state parks and facilities of NY’s Finger Lakes region, visit www.nysparks.com or reserve your own tour with “Experience! The Finger Lakes” by going to www.experiencefingerlakes.com or calling 607-233-4818

To be continued… I welcome your comments!

Lela Jefferson, © 2010 All rights reserved.

– www.memoirsofablackgirl.com