We release our struggles when we begin to see life as a teacher and a good friend, not a foe.  Otherwise we spend our lives feeling afraid.  Open your eyes.  See the brilliant light all around you.  What brings you joy and fulfillment is God’s plan for your life.  Making critical moves will help God help you live in the light. 

It’s Sunday, give thanks for at least one thing!

Cheers!

The First Decade of the 21st Century
2000 — July, Venus Williams becomes the first black woman to win the Women’s Singles title at Wimbledon since Althea Gibson in 1957 and 1958.

2002 — March 24, Halle Berry becomes the first African-American female to win Academy Award for Best Actress; Denzel Washington becomes the second African-American male to win Best Actor.

2005 — January 26, Condoleezza Rice becomes the first black female secretary of state. What is she doing now? August 29, Hurricane Katrina hits Louisiana and southern Mississippi, devastating New Orleans.

2008 — November 4, United States Senator Barack Hussein Obama becomes the 44th president of the United States.

1990 — February 11, Nelson Mandela is freed after 27 years in prison.

1991 — March 3, Rodney King is brutally beaten in San Fernando Valley by L.A. police officers, sparking riots, an investigation, and subsequent trial.

1992 — April 30, “The Cosby Show“ broadcasts final episode of its eight season run.

1993 — October 7, Toni Morrison becomes the first African-American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Which novel won the prize?

1995 — October 16, the Million Man March, under the leadership of Minister Louis Farrakhan, is held in Washington, D.C.

1982 — November 30, Michael Jackson releases “Thriller”; with sales of $110 million, it becomes the best-selling recording of all time.
1983 — April 12, Harold Washington is elected Mayor of Chicago. Why was his tenure short? Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” wins the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award.

1984 — Jesse Jackson wins one-fourth of the votes cast in the Democratic primaries and caucuses, and one-eighth of the convention delegates in his first presidential bid. What’s his famous slogan?

1989 — March, Frederick Drew Gregory becomes the first African-American to command a space shuttle, the Discovery. Who was the first black woman in space?

Just a little bit of FAITH

Fill your heart with faith, the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.  Knowing and believing that God doesn’t give you a mission without also giving you the power to bring it to fruition.  Cheers.

The ’70s

1972 — November, Barbara Jordan of Houston and Andrew Young of Atlanta become the first blacks elected to Congress from the South since
1898. Find out about other blacks in Congress.

1974 — April 8, Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron hits his 715th home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s longstanding record. Who broke his record? November 12, In the Bronx, Clive “Hercules” Campbell, aka “KoolHerc,” starts using two turntables and chanting rhymes over the beat, forming the basis of rap. What was one of the first rap songs?

1975 — Arthur Ashe becomes the first African-American male to win the British Men’s Singles championship at Wimbledon. Who was the first black woman to win?

1977 — February 3, The eighth and final episode of the mini-series “Roots,” based on Alex Haley’s novel, airs, receiving the highest ratings for a single program.

Research proves that flowers, being dubbed by some “Vitamin F”, help feed our need for serenity, inspiration, wellness, love and optimism. 

Emotional energy: Inspiration and motivation.  We all deserve to find simple ways to create a happy and harmonious feel in our homes by being able to disconnect from the hectic pace of the outside world.  Flowers ease stress of everyday life and help us refocus our emotions on positive emotional energy.  Take time to treat yourself to a floral arrangement and feel the emotional energies start flowing!  It’s an awesome feeling.  Cheers.

Just A Little Love

Starting a new day with the love of my life puts me in a fabulous mood.  Love the morning pillow talk about what we both have planned for the day.  No matter how hectic my day gets, I can always think about the wonderful wake-me-up I had with my partner for life.  There is no place like home & someone to come home to!  Are you looking for love?  It starts with lovin yourelf, the rest will follow. Cheers.

Fifty Years of Black History
The ’60s

1960 — February 1, 1960, four students at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical College in Greensboro, North Carolina, begin a sit-in at Woolworth’s Drug Store. Why?

1962 — October 1, James Meredith becomes the first black student to enroll at the University of Mississippi, escorted by U.S. marshals by order of President John F. Kennedy. Who attempted to block his entrance?

1963 — Sidney Poitier wins Best Actor for “Lilies of the Field.” Check out his other films. August 28, The March on Washington becomes the largest civil rights demonstration in American history, a moment defined by Dr. King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech. (Listen; read it)

1965 — February 21, Malcolm X is assassinated in Harlem by members of the Nation of Islam. Who was his wife?

1968 — April 4, Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. Where did he die?

2009 was a tough year for many of us, yet still we must count our blessing.  After all we made it through another year even if we’re limping into 2010 weighed down by downsizing, foreclosures, health issues, loss of a job or income and any other personal issues or challenges.

All if this means that we must do an even better job of taking care of ourselves and each other.  Remember that no matter what you’re going through, someone else has a worse scenario.  Say a kind word to brighten someone’s day.  Share a little bit of what you have (OK, what you don’t have) with extended family, neighbors, strangers, or even an organization that you can make a difference.

Keep yourself uplifted by looking on the bright side, seeing the cup half full instead of half empty.  Do what you can to stay healthy and fit.  Protect your last good nerve, and share your woes with a professional if you feel just a little bit blue over a long period of time.  Don’t let the challenges of life make you bluer.  Cheers.