“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
-Harriet Tubman
Harriet’s dream was freedom. She made it a reality for herself and made sure that others experienced her dream as well. She was a dreamer. Martin was a dreamer. His dream echoes every February. It serves as a reminder of how far we have come and how far we have to go. You are a dreamer. You have the strength and fortitude to execute your vision. What do you dream about? How close are you to making your dreams a reality? What’s stopping you? Who’s helping you? You have what it takes. You’ve seen it. Now is the time to bring your dreams to fruition.
There are a lot of things that come to mind when you mention the word, “civil.” Civil Rights. Civil War. Civil Union. Civil Liberties. When I hear the word, “civil” I think of being courteous and polite. Then, I think of civil unions. It’s funny how the right to love is political. Who you love and how you love has been a source of contention for centuries. Yet, the very word “civil” means to be polite. Are we civil in our marriages? Are we civil in our politics? Are we civil in how we exercise our freedoms? Are we civil in how we practice our beliefs? Are we civil in how we express our love for each other? The root word of civilization is civil, and yet we struggle with basic rights and social interactions. What would happen if during this Christmas season, we actually practiced what we preached? What if we were civil in all of our human interactions? Food for thought.
Proverbs 15:22 (NIV) Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
Do you make decisions by yourself? Do you run your ideas by anyone? Most of us seem great in our own mind. We have great ideas. We are great people and of course, our flaws and our shortcomings are justified. There is a reason why companies have a board of directors. There is a reason why our supreme court has multiple judges. There is wisdom in the counsel of many. There is a reason churches have deacons and elders. Wisdom comes from many sources, but it has to be sought. Do you seek to be wise? Seek wise counsel.
Do it for the culture! Growing up in New Orleans, I learned a lot about Caribbean, French, African, and Spanish culture. New Orleans is a melting pot of everything. The architecture, the food, the music all have hints of previous communities that settled in the city. Culture has a lot to do with influence. If someone wanted to study your culture, what would they say would be your primary influence? Do you have a strong sense of self and community? What traditions do you have? What do you believe? What do you practice? What have you produced? What does your cultural legacy look like?
I've never been a fan of cheerleaders. Not them personally, but the big bows, the pom poms, the big smiles, the high voices...it all seemed a bit fake to me. I couldn't understand how you could just turn on that much cheer, that fast. Ah, but then I learned that sometimes you have to smile to keep from crying. You have to make yourself focus on the goodness of God to truly have a cheerful heart and a spirit of thanksgiving. I've learned that when you count your blessings they outnumber your woes. I've learned that cheer is contagious. I've learned that God loves a cheerful giver. I've learned that I have more than I need, so giving shouldn't be hard. In the words of Lil Duval, "I've got a lot to be smilin' for." And if you think about it, you do too.
Life is all about choices. The choices we make. The choices we don't make. Life has a way of letting us know whether or not we made the right or the wrong choice. The wisdom of our choices are rarely seen in the moment. However, the preparation and who we consult prior to making a decision typically determines if we make the right choice. Seek wise counsel. Make good choices.
God has a way of getting you exactly where he wants you to be. We see delay as denial. God sees it as providence. There are no short cuts. God’s plan is perfect. He knew about every setback. He knew about all the devastating things that take us by surprise. He knew about the divorce and the diagnosis. He knew about that death and that accident. Don’t get stuck in development and preparation. It was all to prepare you for your divine purpose. He plans to use it not only for your good, but to catapult you into your destiny.
