Muhammad Rahman
Christine A. Young
Don Enzo
Juanita Headley
Paul Denikin
David Matteo
Nkozia Bethune
Nelson Hawkins, Jr.
Candace Paul
- Entertainment
- August 4, 2020
- 5 views
Movie Review “The Grizzlies “: A Powerful Story about Inuit Youth
This film based on a true story, is about Russ, a young teacher who takes the job no one wants: teaching history in a small Inuit township in northern Canada. This desolate town, isolated from the rest of the world, is extremely poor. Families struggle daily with drug abuse, alcoholism, domestic violence, and a long history of broken promises from “white men”. Understandably, these kids don’t care about attending class, or doing homework – especially when it’s unclear where their next meal will come from, or worse…which one of their classmates will commit suicide. After getting a small taste of how challenging his teaching assignment would be, Russ plans to stay long enough to have his student debt cleared, or as soon as a better opportunity presents itself. So he prepares to leave, until he remembers the confidence he once built playing college Lacrosse. He figures Lacrosse might give these kids a reason to live. The importance of this film The stories of First Nations communities are rarely told. When they are, we often see indigenous people presented as one dimensional “mystical” characters assisting some white character on a journey of self-discovery. I thought this storyline would be similar, but it wasn’t. I’m GLAD it wasn’t. The film focuses much more on Inuit youth and the serious challenges they face. According to the National Institutes of Health, suicide among Inuits are among the highest in the world. There are reportedly 135 suicides per every 100,000 persons. This rate is 10 times higher than the rest of Canada. In short, suicide is an epidemic within the Inuit community. This film takes this hard truth head on by delving deep into the lives of each student to show all the factors that contribute to their sense of hopelessness. What I liked most about the film was the balance and wisdom the Inuit principal brought to the story. Initially, she comes off as somewhat rude and unyielding, but it becomes clear that she is only being protective. From her perspective, teachers like Russ come a dime a dozen. They erroneously believe changing complex and systemic issues will happen now that they are there. Better yet, they think they can change the culture without having to learn it or respect it. Believing that Russ is like all the rest, she pushes back on the Lacrosse initiative. She reminds him that in this community broken promises have dire consequences. He needed to feel the weight of giving these children hope, and what may happen if it is stripped away. This was a good film. This story needs to be told. The Grizzlies is now in select theaters! See HERE: https://www.thegrizzliesmovie.com/see-the-film
Neo Lloyd
- Spiritual Living , Understanding Your Faith
- July 20, 2020
- 4 views
Poem: Man-made love
People are so fickle Picking and choosing what they love. Putting conditions on whom they love. Doing the very opposite of what love is! Why are we so unkind? Why are we so impatient? When did love become so rude? When love doesn’t serve the self, it is rejected! When a multitude of faults stand before this man-made love, they are not covered! Since when does love put a list of conditions on its recipient? Is this the love that was foretold? Is this how the love of many grows cold? Is this how people become lovers of themselves? Whose example of love is this? Where is kindness, patience, and gentleness? Where is humility and selflessness in this cold love? When did love stop enduring all things? So many questions, only one solution. Jesus Christ! Lord, your faithfulness is like a mighty mountain. When man-made love abandons so easily, You will never leave or forsake your beloved. When man-made love puts terms and conditions, You love from everlasting to everlasting. You love first when love is most undeserved. You love when all conditions are undesirable. You love as a matter of life and death. You love with a resurrecting love. You love when nothing else is left. You love when nothing is offered in return. You love perfectly. You love completely. You love with your whole being. YOU ARE LOVE. Neo M. Lloyd @NeoMLloyd [twitter]
- Book Reviews
- July 20, 2020
- 6 views
Book Review: Mudbound
I read the last vignette of Mudbound and broke out into tears. I’ll explain why later in this review. But first, let’s set the scene. Mudbound is set in a small Mississippi town post World War II. Readers are introduced to two rural farming families – one white (the McAllens) and one black (the Jacksons), each with very different perspectives of life. We learn quickly that farming on land that’s prone to flooding is the least of the hardships these families will face. The author, Hillary Jordan, separates the book into three major sections. Within each section, the story switches between the perspectives of each character – Laura, Henry, Jamie, Florence, Hap, and Ronsel. And from each perspective, we learn a bit more about Henry and Jamie’s father, “Pappy”. Overview Henry McAllen buys a rundown farm in rural Mississippi as an investment for his family. He brings along his wife, Laura, who would much prefer to live in a town with running water and the other small comforts we typically take for granted. Nonetheless, she tries her best to be the supporting wife and make the best of it all, with the understanding that this is only temporary – until Henry can make enough money from the farm to move the family into town. However, this family will need a lot of help in this new and challenging environment if they ever want to leave. They heavily rely on Hap and Florence Jackson, their tenant-sharecroppers, to help bring in the cotton crop. Florence winds up assisting with many other things and becomes an invaluable resource to Laura because of her knowledge of basic medical care, managing a home, rearing children, and the ins-and-outs of farming. The McAllens end up hiring Florence to do housework and to be somewhat of a support system for Laura – although it would be a stretch to call them friends. Things were going as well as they could for the Jacksons, who had learned how to navigate overt racism, subtle indignities, and everything else that comes with being black in the Deep South during that time, until Hap takes a bad fall and breaks his leg. As if a prayer had been answered, Hap and Florence Jackson’s son, Ronsel, returns home and helps his father fulfill his obligation to the McAllens. Around the same time, Jamie, Henry McAllen’s very charismatic younger brother, also comes to visit his family and decides to stay a while. In a chance meeting at a grocery store, Ronsel and Jamie discover they both fought in the War and both suffer with some form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Although adjusting to normal life after War is difficult for any solider, Ronsel has the added inconvenience of also being black. What happens next is all because of one thing: Pappy catching a glimpse of Ronsel riding in the front passenger’s seat of his son’s pick-up truck. Review Seeing the “N” word is always jarring for me. It’s used frequently throughout the book. Overall, there’s a fair amount of harsh language, but it would be inauthentic if the book did not…
- Understanding Your Faith
- July 11, 2020
- 44 views
Poem: The Goodness of the Lord
The Goodness of the Lord by Neo M. Lloyd Every pit I could fall into, I fell into. Every mistake I could ever make, I’ve made. Every wrong turn I could have ever taken, I took. Every bad decision I could make, I made. Every backsliding I could do, I did. Every chance I had to follow the ways of death, I followed. Who would I be? Where would I be, If it wasn’t for your goodness, and mercy, and grace? I was that one lost sheep and You went back to find me. I didn’t even know I needed you. I was happily ignorant and downright childish! But You loved me. You gave me Your grace, You gave me your son. Lord Jesus you took a beating that was meant for me. You bore every painful stripe of my rebellion. That vinegar they gave you when you asked for water, Lord, that was my cup! The cup that I deserved. Every drop of Your blood, You sacrificed for my soul. Every tear I am responsible for in that moment.Every time I chose myself over You. Every time I chose my sin over You. Every time I chose people over You. But You chose me over yourself. Right from the beginning You chose to love me, to save me, to die for me! I will never truly understand the depth, height or breath of Your love. What I know is that You chose me!While I was dead in my sin. You loved me, You rescued me. I love You Lord. My God! My Father! My Master! My Everything! Neo M. Lloyd@NeoMLloyd on Twitter
Ann Lenaers
- Spiritual Living
- July 2, 2020
- 3 views
Grief – Love Lost or Gained?
According to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration), 61% of men and 51% of women in the United States report exposure to at least one lifetime traumatic event. Up until the fall of 2013 I would not have fallen into those statistics. In the last roughly 6 1/2 years, that changed dramatically. There is no statistic for what came next. Pictured above are the faces of every traumatic loss I experienced in that time. 3 Suicides. 3 Cancer Deaths. 1 Heart Failure. And as of June 30th this week – 1 Murder. This image does not include casual acquaintances who passed away in that time frame. These are all friends and family I loved dearly. It also does not include close calls, including but not limited to my dad’s near-fatal heart attack or the friend I rushed to the hospital after he swallowed a bottle of sleeping pills. I’m uncertain at this point whether death is following me around with a vengeance like the book of Job or if God has me following death around so I can be there with compassion when tragedy strikes. All I know with certainty is the trauma of loss has become a norm. In Psalm 23 it mentions, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil.” It seems while some get to pass through this valley, I have been camped there for awhile now in a tent where I can offer hugs and condolences. Grieving loss of life is not a subject anyone wants to be an expert in, especially through personal experience. Yet here I am, and the only thing I can do is give that experience purpose. When Steve ended his own life back in August of 2014, it shattered me deeper than I have words to express. Over the next three years I spent every day burying the pain of loss and seeking every desperate way to heal. I didn’t want to let those around me down, and I didn’t feel like many people understood why I was so deeply impacted by him, so I kept it to myself most days. Nobody knew just how deeply I hurt or how each of the other losses kept reopening and deepening the wounds. I loved the few instances where I talked with his family, but they were grieving their loss of him too, and I didn’t want to make it worse for them just so I could feel better. Maybe I did anyway. I don’t know anymore, but I’m sorry if I did. In March of 2017 I finally cried out to Jesus in what you could refer to as a last ditch effort seeking truth after extensive exploration everywhere else. That was the first time the weight lifted, like I could supernaturally breath again. I still had a great deal to work through for myself, but I finally grasped that I couldn’t heal without God. Since accepting Christ into my life, I lost my employer of six years unexpectedly last August from what I will simplify as being sudden heart failure. She had…
- Spotlight
- April 30, 2020
- 1 views
Telling survivor stories of sexual abuse: Interview with author, Robert Uttaro
You’re a Christian author, how important is it that your faith be reflected in the work you produce? My faith is very important to me and so it certainly shows up in my work. I give glory to God because He deserves the glory for anything good I have accomplished. At the same time, there are times when I make the choice to not be explicit about my faith. For me, it is more important for my faith to be reflected in how I teach and how I treat people every day. My wife says, “They will know you are a Christian by your love.” That always resonated with me, so if I can show a glimpse of Jesus’ light, love, compassion and peace to others, then I am blessed.My faith is very important to me and so it certainly shows up in my work. I give glory to God because He deserves the glory for anything good I have accomplished. At the same time, there are times when I make the choice to not be explicit about my faith. For me, it is more important for my faith to be reflected in how I teach and how I treat people every day. My wife says, “They will know you are a Christian by your love.” That always resonated with me, so if I can show a glimpse of Jesus’ light, love, compassion and peace to others, then I am blessed. Tell us about your book! To the Survivors is about my journey as a rape crisis counselor with true stories of sexual violence shared by male and female survivors in their own words. Readers will encounter uncensored written stories, poems, and interviews by these brave individuals who give similarly raw and heartfelt accounts of their victimization and recovery. The book includes issues relating to sexual trauma, depression, suicide, evil, family, hope, healing, and God. To the Survivors shows how horrific and compassionate we can be to each other, but this book is not just for survivors of sexual violence. I believe anyone can benefit from the words in these pages, rape survivor or not. Tell us about the process – how long did it take you to write your book from start to finish? To the Survivors took just under three years to complete. This process was extremely difficult for me to go through, but I am thankful that I did. Many tears were shed throughout the journey, as they still are. I could never have written this book if it weren’t for God and for the vulnerability and trust of the survivors who chose to open up to me. Whenever I speak to writers there’s usually a fascinating back story that led to a career in writing, what’s yours? I did not consider myself a writer and never once tried to write a book until the experience of an intensely vivid dream one morning changed my life. I woke up from this dream and said, “I have to write a book.” I interpreted this dream as a vision from God. I prayed to God, moved from the bed to the computer, opened…
- Entertainment
- April 29, 2020
- 5 views
Movie Review: “Parasite” and the complexities of poverty
I wasn’t sure what to expect from “Parasite“. I hadn’t heard much about this film, so I was definitely taking a chance with my coins (movie tickets are expensive)! After the opening credits, I had even less hope! I saw subtitles. Had I known I would be reading subtitles for two hours I would’ve PASSED. via GIPHY However, after the first 10 minutes it didn’t matter… The movie was THAT GOOD! via GIPHY Background The film is set in Seoul, Korea and follows two families from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds. We’re introduced to the Kims – a working-class Korean family, living in a cramped basement apartment in what appears to be a less desirable part of the city. It’s clear from the daughter, Ki-jung, trying to find the best spot in order to access a neighbor’s wi-fi signal, to the father, Ki-taek, folding a stack of pizza boxes, that this family is struggling to make ends meet and will probably take any odd job for money. So, when the son, Ki-woo, learns of a tutoring job offered by the “well-to-do” Park family, he jumps at the opportunity. Once he’s hired, one-by-one, the Kims manage to slyly maneuver their way into the Park household, by taking on the roles of assistant, driver, and housekeeper – all while the Parks are completely unaware they’re related. Substance At first blush, it’s easy to write the Kims off as scammers, liars, manipulators, and hustlers, or (as the title suggests) parasites latching on to a host. But…that’s the easy take. It’s much harder to see the Kims as a close-knit family who developed these character flaws as a means of survival, just to have a small bit of comfort. This film tackles the very real challenges and hard choices the working poor battle daily. For instance, social stigmas or the woes of navigating unexpected life events, all while trying to maintain consistent employment. One scene depicts this well. After a heavy rainfall, the Kims’ basement apartment floods. They manage to wade through the water and salvage a few remaining items, then quickly evacuate with others to a nearby shelter. The next day, they must put the personal problem of losing everything they’ve ever owned, aside. Mrs. Park needs all her employees to set-up the backyard for her son’s extravagant birthday party. Real Life If you’re thinking this is merely creative writing and rational people would take a day off to sort out their affairs, you’d be wrong. A Pew Research study found many workers never take days off out of fear of losing their job. In fact, the United States has some of the most egregious stories of people working through hardships. A New York Times article reported that 45 percent of Americans have no paid sick leave. Consequently, they work through significant personal challenges – like going to work while undergoing cancer treatments, being extremely ill, or in one troubling case, working while passing kidney stones. Throughout “Parasite” you get the sense that the Parks have a particular disdain for common people. The Parks often gossip among themselves about their employees or use them for free “therapy “sessions, but…
David Chandler
- Understanding Your Faith
- April 22, 2020
- 1 views
A short take on “Judge Not”
During the years I have been a believer, I have heard the phrase “Don’t Judge”. So many members of the professing Christian world has uttered this on a number of occasions. They do not want anyone confronting them about their sin. What does the Bible actually say concerning this topic? Matthew 7:1–“Judge not that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. Let’s look at what the Lord Jesus Christ said about “judging”: John 7:24. “Judge not according to appearance, but judge RIGHTEOUS judgment” The context is clear. The Lord did not say NOT to judge at all, but not to judge hypocritically, or judge righteously, according to scripture. The postmodern Christian world does not like this. In fact, it is used as a premise for their unrighteous lifestyle and strange belief systems. No one wants to be held accountable for anything. We are living in an age where Aleister Crowley’s “Do what thou wilt” mantra reigns supreme. There are no absolutes. Right and wrong are subjective to each individual’s perspective. This goes totally against what the Bible says. God deals in absolutes. It is either heaven or hell. Either you are saved or you are not. Jesus said, you cannot serve TWO masters. Either you will LOVE the one and hate the other. Elijah, the Prophet said. “Why halt ye between two opinions? If God be God, serve Him, but if Baal be Baal, serve him?” 1st Kings 18:21. (Paraphrase mine). We need to make a choice on who we will serve. We cannot straddle the fence. There is only one way that leads to life. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh to the Father but by me.” Jesus is the Way! D.C.
Bonita Shelby
- Health & Wellness
- April 22, 2020
- 2 views
Conventional, Organic, or Both?
Why Eat Organic? This post focuses on fruits and veggies only, to not overwhelm. However, the following short article speaks of all foods and is worth reading for a general point of view. 6 Reasons You Should Eat Organic + The Top Organic Produce You Should Buy My Top Three Reasons for Eating Organic: No GMOs (a whole ‘nother topic) and less toxic chemical load/pesticides overall, so there’s no chemical taste; and generally tastes authentic…better It’s similar to the quality my body remembers eating as a young girl and younger woman. (Hint: It didn’t need to be labeled Organic.) It does my body good and I can tell that my body appreciates it. (Your Body Speaks, Are You Listening?) How to get started? Link over to get your lists…✓Dirty Dozen of Conventional fruits and veggies…replace these with Organic first ✓Clean Fifteen of Conventional fruits and veggies…continue purchasing these until you want all OrganicWhether you decide to jump both feet in and purchase all Organic or whether you decide to replace the Conventional/Dirty Dozen with Organic and continue purchasing Conventional/Clean Fifteen right now, you will be on a better path than ignoring and continuing to eat all Conventional. I encourage you to ease on down the road to Organic and do your body good!Next Level Self Care to Empower YOU! Real, Good Food is one of the 7 Pillars of Next Level Self Care. P.S. This is a good time to start, it seems there are more Organic fruits & veggies available now. Look for the ‘9’ number &/or word Organic on the label which identifies it. Expect great things and do them by GOD’s grace and for His glory!
Negetee Hawkins
- Opinion
- April 10, 2020
- 1 views
COVID-19 and the connection to Revelations
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over a fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:8) There are some believers who say we are currently living through the Book of Revelation; there are others who say the events in Revelation are still future. I am one who believes we are still awaiting for the Prophecies of the book of revelation to be fulfilled in future times. When the Pale horse and its rider are released, it will culminate with sickness and disease on a global scale. We know the judgements revolve around sickness and disease , because of the color of horse that is ridden and specifically, its rider which name is Death. When we see or hear the word “Pale”, we tend to think of something or someone who lacks color due to some form of sickness or disease. The background or etymology of the word (pale) is defined as such : early 14c., of human skin or complexion, “of a whitish appearance, bloodless,pallid,” from Old French paile “pale, light-colored” The underlining text of the New Testament is Greek. The Greek word used here in Revelation 6:8 for Pale is Khlo-ros according Strong’s Concordance5515; it is defined as pale or green. To be pale can result from the lack of sunlight. But in the reference used here in the book of Revelation and it’s conjunction with “death” , it is to emphasized that this color (pale or green) is due to some form of sickness or disease. Jesus stated that before the end of the world, we would see an increase of wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines and pestilences. “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall befamines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diverse places. (Matthew 24:7) The key word here is Pestilences; it is defined as a deadly or virulentepidemic disease. The fact that the word is pluralized should be startling. What Jesus is saying here, is that there will be a rise in infectiousdiseases in various places around the world simultaneously. From the time Jesus made these predictions two thousand years ago unto today, there has been an influx of infectious diseases over time. So many that it is hard to keep up with the numbers. The main thing to remember here is what Jesus specifically said. “These are the beginning of sorrows”. Sorrows has a tendency of increasing with frequency and magnitude (effectiveness) over a period of time. Much like a woman who is giving birth and her contractions are increasing with magnitude and frequency as the baby is ready to breach the birth canal. Let me also point out How the rider of the pale horse is also given a sword to destroy a fourth of mankind. If we have a combination of pestilence and a sword, the only other explanation would be the weaponization of sickness and disease. In other words,…