Flow

As 2021 was nearing a close I craved to be near a moving body of water. I was not interested in a pond, nope, I wanted a lake or river that extended for miles and miles. I thought about hitting the highway and going to the Detroit River, but that didn't happen. On New Year's Day I pondered going to take in the Belleville Lake, but again i just didn't make it. Fed up with my ownself I hopped in my car and headed to Ypsilanti's Riverside park to listen to the sounds of the Huron River. 

The sounds of flowing water greeted me immediately and called me closer. I watched and listened as the water flowed soothingly and calmly before encountering obstacles like large tree branches (that had found their way into the water's path). It was fascinating to observe how the water moved differently while moving over, under and around the tree branches and rocks, it was no longer a smooth flow but more of a bubbling climb. After it passed over and around these momentary snags, it slowed around a mini island before continuing on to it's calm journey. As I took this beautiful nature lesson in I was reminded how similar this is to life. We enjoy the happy and easy steps we are able to take day in and month out, however our character is not grafted during those times. When challenges, obstacles or setbacks show up...it is during those times that we learn how to breath and flow through, over and around them that the richness of our character and purpose often begins to manifest. 

Learning, yes learning, to flow in challenging times allows us to see how much the divine is present and needed in our everyday living. The calm waters were quiet and so peaceful. The roar of the water was present under the bridge and where the biggest tree branches existed. Our inner peaceful warrior is born, not in our calm peaceful places but during the learning spaces. As we learn how to be present and flow when faced with challenges we may be surprised to experience our most impactful moments arise. 

Learning to flow is a process of unlearning the habit of always being in hustle or fight mode. Sometimes the universe wants us to simply tune in, show up and follow it's divine nudgings. The more you allow yourself to get acquainted with the not knowing the outcome or forcing the outcome, it becomes a bit easier to tune in to the quiet whispers that are always present within. I hope as you embark on this next 30 days, 6 months, 5 years etc...you will consider what would learning to flow look like for you and how could it serve you? 

Hmmmm...

The Table-Reflections

 

We all come to the table with stuff

Hopes, disappointments, snapshots from InstaBook and a desire to have the good life

The table is our friendships and our relationships

I ask: What is being served at the table? Is it edifying for the body and nourishment for the soul?

Does magic fill you to overflowing and call you to your higher self, your naughty self, your free self, your true self?

Again I ponder: What is being served at the table? Is it edifying for the body and nourishment for the soul?

Does it ground you, balance you, lift you, and walk beside you? Does it give, take and listen with the intention to understand you?

Suddenly I hear...Respect is being served and Love is being served!

I answer: At this table I will sit and at this table heartily I will eat.

Life

Life comes in waves

At times the silence of life is appreciated and at others it can be heartbreakingly loud

Life has a very special and unique way of nudging us awake...through loss, illness, and struggle. We are brought back from the edge of simply drifting through.

TODAY!
This Moment
This View
This Love
This Friendship
This Embrace
This Breath...are all that truly matter
They are simply the most important things

                                                                                                                          Kallista Marie

Being

Well Being is the process of being well

The word "Being" reminds us to continue Be-ing meaning to  journey on and gift yourself moment to moment by...

Being Well
Being Amazing
Being Love
Being Honest
Being Vulnerable
Being Passionate
Being Yourself
Being Scared
Being Silly
Being Courageous
Being Aware
Being a Wife
Being Joyful
Being Open
Being a Lover
Being a Husband
Being Forgiving
Being Supportive
Being a Girlfriend
Being Prosperous
Being a Worshiper
Being a Student
Being a Boyfriend
Being Authentic
Being a great Listener
Being Curious
Being Steadfast
Being at Peace
Being Creative
Being Compassionate
Being a Friend
Being Present
Being Understanding
Being Who God Created You To Be

Strive

Strive to be joyful

Strive to be creative

Strive to be aware

Strive to be teachable

Strive to be helpful

Strive to be healthy

Strive to be who you needed when you were younger

Strive to be a blessing

Strive to be productive

Strive to be consistent

Strive to be authentic

Strive to be honorable

Strive to be the best version of yourself

 

Strive to be open

Strive to be a bit adventurous

Strive to be forgiving

Strive to be inquisitive

Strive to Live not just Exist 
Strive to be involved in something that matters

Strive to be Love

Strive to be Light

Strive to be fully present in this moment 

 

Time To Wake Up!

In the sad echoing confirmation that indeed the legal system was never truly intended to protect our liberties, our rights nor our freedoms; I am pondering these truths....

I must acknowledge that God is my strength, my way maker, my peace in the midst of the storm and my life's architect.

Education is one of the necessary keys to true freedom and abundant living.

We as a people must learn to heal ourselves of and move past the pain born of social injustices and the deeply embedded history inflicted wounds we have had to bear.  

I must look to the heavens, from where my true help comes from.

Only as WE re-think, rebuild and truly establish solid families and a sense of community, will change take place.  

For far too long we have been force fed bold lies that have poisoned and stripped us of our royal heritage.  We in turn, willingly shared this way of thinking and living with our children.  These bold lies and half truths have created a distrust and formed self destructive mind sets among our beloved brothers and sisters....it is BEYOND TIME.

Time to Wake Up, Rise Up and STAND for something life altering.   Understanding that a house divided can not stand and STAND WE MUST!

How to Effectively Lead

To Serve or Not to Serve, now that is a great question.

Over the years I have dreamed about being much more involved in my community; feeding the hungry and helping young people connect the dots to their future.  Sadly, this remained a desire without much action to bring it to fruition.  I've watched and admired people being passionate about serving and it seemed to just be in their DNA.  How irritating to be too darn lazy to serve others; which can help heal you of loneliness, depression and give you a better quality of life.  However, the other day I had an AHA MOMENT!

I attended a great panel discussion at Eastern Michigan University, "Redefining Our Identity: I Am A Black Man".  This forum was a free event and open to the public hosted by some very bright future leaders and community changers.  I came in a little late, rushing there straight from work.  I took a seat near the back, just in case it did not hold my attention and I wanted to duck out real quiet like (I mean one must be prepared..right?).  As I settled in and listened, I was somewhat surprised at the overwhelming amount of EMU students(young ladies and young men) who felt this was important enough to attend.  They actually had to bring in more chairs a few times because it was standing room only.  The energy was positive, the speaker was engaging, the questions and comments were thought provoking and funny.  I felt such a sense of pride in these young people!!  All the negative comments and imagery  that is portrayed in the media can be very disheartening.  If only the world could be healed of the racial viruses that have plagued us for far too long; perhaps then they could see, truly hear and appreciate THIS wonderful dialogue and we could collectively be the CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE.  

As i greeted them after it was over, shook hands and such, I was spiritually full and so very glad I had decided to come.  Driving home is when that AHA MOMENT occurred.  As I reflected on those students discussing a range of topics from Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin (both young men far too close in age to those sitting all around me) to the fear of not wanting to die and being harrassed by law enforcement.  And in spite of the fear, pain and even anger...they still hope and with extreme clarity, spoke of wanting harmony, a better understanding between the diverse people in our country, more love displayed and support given among each other.  It was a powerful discussion and it made me realize that this is truly what it means TO SERVE.   

Many want to be large and in charge

yet don't have a heart to serve

We Serve to help

We Serve to heal

We Serve to give hope

We Serve to learn

We Serve to strengthen, encourage and uplift others

We Serve to enhance and pour much needed love into our communities

We Serve, so that we may one day know how to Effectively Lead!

Loving Yourself so You can Show your Neighbor Love ♥

Be Kind to Yourself, Forgive Yourself and Encourage Yourself..for when you are Kind to Yourself, You can then show Kindness to others.

When You forgive your small imperfections, you are better able to forgive those of others.

When you encourage Yourself, you can then Passionately Encourage others.

#LovingYourselfSoYouCanShowYourNeighborLove♥

God shouldn't JUST be our weekend lover...

Some truths are too uncomfortable to think, let alone admit.  Our on again off again relationship with God tends to be one of those areas, am I the only one?  As I sat thinking and writing, God shared this with me and I definately needed to hear it....

When you are silent and distant from me Monday-Saturday, come Sunday morning you will not be spending time with a treasured friend.  You will sadly be sitting in the midst of a stranger, pining for a spiritual embrace, feeling none and not understanding why.  It won't be the Usher's fault, nor the Sunday School Teacher.  You can't blame the Praise Dancers or the Choir, not even the Pastor!  Your faith walk is a journey of a spiritual nature, not an emotional one.  It requires One on One time with God in order to grow deeper and more fulfilling.  God does not want to be nor should He be, just our weekend lover.  His deepest desire is to have a divinely passionate on-going love affair with each of us because He cares for us!  Discover how wonderfully different life can be when our routine Sunday Services become lovely continuations of precious moments spent in His presence Monday-Saturday.  God is inviting you and me to spend quality time with Him and establish real intimacy (our hearts yearn for it).  Then our coming together on Sunday Mornings will be far more than two strangers trying to force a love affair.

Get and Do more of what you Really Really Want!

It's the most wonderful time of the year, loved ones are near, homes all aglow with festive lights, holiday decor and music are everywhere and the hearts of others are filled with giving and good cheer. You would think with all this warm and fuzzy stuff abounding, crime and sadness would be at an all time low, right?  But even with all that we see, hear and do this time of year, many of us are still not at peace and where there is no peace you will (too often) find people more prone to chaos and carrying pieces (if you get my meaning).

Perhaps, just maybe if in the midst of this magical season, we could get a glimpse of what we are (at our core) really yearning for we could then truly work for and grasp peace.  Most (perhaps not all) of us really really want a few basic things: Joy, to be heard, to be understood, to be really loved for who WE ARE, recognition for our talents, to matter, to be relevant, to be proud of the people that we are on a daily basis and have those who matter to us be proud of us and our accomplishments and to have GOOD CREDIT (lol lol had to throw that in).  We also want to be at peace with our thoughts and our choices, therein lies true bliss like joy.  That being said, we often strive to have and do stuff that fills in the gaps of these things, we spend money without much thought on a variety of people and things, we put on airs, we do all sorts of things that we THINK will make us feel and be Successful.  There is nothing wrong with trying daily to improve on you and be a better you than you were yesterday but life was meant to be more and when we slow down and ask ourselves (and listen to the answer) what am I really really yearning for and in response to your soul's answer begin to Get and Do more of what we really really yearn for we will find ourselves right in the middle of a much more enriched, truly successful and God pleasing life.  

Happy and Joyous Holidays to You all....therefore go forth, each and every one of you, Get and Do more of what you Really Really Want!

Be And Change the World!

Be Aware,
Be Guarded,
Be Wise,

Be Generous
Be Forgiving
Be Fully Present
Be Inspired
Be Compassionate
Be Understanding
Be Loving and Change The World!

In Honor of President Nelson Mandela

His people needed a leader

He gave them a champion

You Are!

You are the glue
Your love never changes
And your compassions are new every morning
You are amazing and perfect in all your ways

Yes!! You are the glue
That not only seals and fills me
But restores me everyday!
You are the lover of my soul

Jesus You Are! 

Movin' On

Movin’ on at times is not my desire but a necessity

My mind wants to cling to the memories, not realizing they are hindering me

As I experience joy it is surely sprinkled with a little pain

But how much is clearly up to me

As sand rushes gently thru my hands

I experience it in the here and now

Why wonder why it tickles my senses or try to hold what has no desire to be held?

Open your hand allowing freedom..ahhh this is true love

Clutching is possessiveness and no good comes from it

Movin’ on as I love myself and the life I’m choosing

I’m letting go of the if’s and why’s and holding to the right here and now of what is

Remembering the soul has no rainbows if the eyes shed no tears

 

More Adventurous Than a Hollywood Story!

"Romantic Love is simply an extension of

Your Love Affair with Yourself"

    Blissful Harmony

Love is a continuous journey of extensive self discovery.  We are always living, loving and learning who we are, where we are and evolving into who we are becoming in the present moment (this evolution never ceases).  Love shows us that we can give far more of ourselves than we ever thought, expose much more of our true selves than is comfortable and can receive priceless lessons and experiences than you ever expected. 

“We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time."

                                           T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets

“Bottom line is, even if you see 'em coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So what are we, helpless? Puppets? No. The big moments are gonna come. You can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are.”

Joss Whedon

Love is not the music pounding picture painted for us in Hollywood Movies, nor is it a Fairytale.  Love is however, very rich in Vitamins A, C and D (Adventure, Compromise and Discovery).  Love is not all flowers, cuddle time, candlelite and massages.  Love is actually more like a personal trainer, designed specifically with you in mind, sent to bend you and stretch you far beyond the limitations that you were NOT EVEN AWARE EXISTED! 

Love Is by far so much deeper, more valuable and More Adventurous Than any Hollywood Story!!!

Visit us on The Book!

Hello Friends,

I wanted to stop in and personally thank each and every one of you for visiting, reading, enjoying and sharing "A Little Birdie Told Me" Blog!  It has been and continues to be Pure Bliss to write the words, share the laughter and pictures with you.

This blog was designed to spread Love, Joy, Peace, Wisdom, Laughter, A Different Point of View, Beauty and so much more.  I want to invite you to visit us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Little-Birdie-Told-Me/304571449651395.  Visit us on FaceBook, like the page and share it with your family and friends.  Staying connected and inspiring positive change one heart at a time is our goal!

Again we invite you to Visit us on The Book!

Recipe For A Strong Family

Recipe For A Strong Family

 3 3/4 Cups Brown Sugar
(For Natural Sweetness)

10 Cups Heaven
(That's where Faith, Hope and Love comes from)

3 Cups Dreams
(There lies the future)

20 (1 carat diamonds)
(For Clarity of Vision)

4 1/2 Tablespoons Cast Iron
(For Strength and Endurance)

A Family That Prays Together..Stays Together

©T.T. Taharaja

Love is....

LOVE is an amazing force!  It heals, restores, gives hope, gives life, does not judge, forgives and comforts....but yet is simple and pure! Love wants the absolute best for each of us and is willing to Bomb our mental house if it is dysfunctional, dormant or unproductive. 

Love is an action word that INSPIRES us to Dream and to reconstruct our way of thinking, so that how we have been conditioned to believe and think (which unfortunately many times is not conducive to the ability to transform our dreams into reality) can evolve.  Love is that force that encourages and supports us to do the necessary mental work when we finally realize it is indeed time to regenerate our minds (the damaging and hindering way of thinking can be wiped out and rebuilt to be a LIMITLESS way of thinking).  Only then can we embark on and fully welcome the LIFE we were actually Born to Live, which is an EXCEPTIONAL and ABUNDANTLY ADVENTUROUS life!!! 

Forgiven

 

Forgiveness is giving love when there is no reason...

 

What is planted in the heart, takes root in the soul....

 

In the quietness of the dawn, shines a new day,

a new beginning and new compassions

 

Forgiveness washes over me like a healing oil, a balm in Gilead

 

In humility I admit my wrongs, no other way to move forward

 

Thankful for the opportunity to forgive and be forgiven

For out of this act love can prosper and friendship can take root and grow

 

His Spirit and His word light the right path

A path clear of yesterday's obstacles and paved with a

sense of wonder, awe and an open heart

 

The Beauty of a New Dawn is simply Wonderful!