Friday, January 6, 2012

It's Just Life: "...with God all things are possible." St. Mark 10...

It's Just Life: "...with God all things are possible." St. Mark 10...: What do you desire? Do you really desire to lose weight. Do you desire the Lord send you in the arms of a kind and loving mate? Do you desi...

How can we fix this mess?

We ended the age of the baby boomers.  "Anyone who was BORN in the 50's, 60's, 70's... We are the last generation who played in the street. We are the 1st who played video games, the last to record songs off the radio on a cassette tape. We walked over a mile with no worries on being taken... We learned how to program the VCR before anyone else, we played from Atari to Nintendo..We are the generation of Tom and Jerry, Looney Toons, Captain Kangaroo. We traveled in cars w/out seat belts or air-bags, lived without cell phones. We did not have flat screens, surround sound, iPods, Facebook, Twitter, computers or the Internet...But nevertheless we had a GREAT time."

This quote was sent to me by a friend to my inbox. Though it sound grand and makes us smile and feel proud, there is another side that we need to consider.  If we reflect on our past, some of us didn't give our children the tools they needed to raise their children to be sensible, productive, and wise.

We were too busy having fun, engrossed in self aggrandizement.  We forgot from whence we came.  We spent so much time enjoying ourselves and the new freedom we were given from our new civil rights and our new ability to integrate that we forgot the struggles of our ancestors.  We forgot that they didn't want us to read, so many of us rejected education.  We forgot that our families were really all we had, so we rejected familial and community unity.  In many cases, our children grew up but we forgot to raise them and now they have to teach themselves how to raise their children.  We forgot that we weren't allowed to sit in the same restaurants and go to the same theaters, and in many case even walk on the same side of the street so many of us rejected our community stores to shop in theirs.  Our men forgot that they'd be lynched if they even smiled at a woman from another race so they embellished our faults and rejected us for the other that is no longer taboo.  We forgot to teach our children, we forgot to take care of each other, we forgot that what we need to know is hidden in books, we forgot that we were all we had.  We forgot so much, we rejected so much, we neglected so much. 

 When I introduce myself to a group of hard youth I open by apologizing for being a part of the mess, they immediately soften and I have them eating out of my hands.  Think about it, be honest, and look around.  Look around our communities, wherever we are in droves.  We have a very serious problem.   How can we pick the baton back up and begin to pass it to our children?  How can we fix our mess?

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Why do we still have this problem?


Many children in school fail.  For a great many, this failure is avowed and absolute.  Close to forty percent of those who begin high school, drop out before they finish.  For college, the figure is one in three.  Many others fail in fact if not in name.  They complete their  schooling only because we have agreed to push them up through the grades and out of the schools, whether they know anything or not.  There are many more such children than we think.  If we ‘raise our standards’ much higher, as some would have us do, we will find out very soon just how many there are.  Our classrooms will bulge with kids who can’t pass the test to get into the next class.

But there is a more important sense in which almost all children fail:  Except for a handful, who may or may not be good students, they fail to develop more than a tiny part of the tremendous capacity for learning, understanding, and creating with which they were born and of which they made full use during the first two or three years of their lives.  Why do thy fail?  They fail because they are afraid, bored and confused." 
This excerpt was taken verbatim from the "The best selling book that tells why bright children do badly in school." How Children Fail  by John Holt written in 1964.  Not one word was changed in this writing. 
Did you get the year, 1964…1964…1964?  It's 2012, that was 48  years ago!

Now do you agree that we clearly have a problem…,And have obviously had one for a long time?  I have another question.  Why hasn’t it been solved yet? That statement reads like a statement that could easily have been spoken by one of our top educators yesterday…..but according to the copyright date in the book I have on my shelf….it was 1964! 

Realistically, how many of our children will be able to compete in the world of work?  Look around you again….this time with a targeted eye?  How many will be able to succeed based on spirituality, education, confidence, or just sheer ‘gumption’?  How many?  Why do we still have this problem?

It's Your Life

You were gifted this life by the creator.  It is yours to do with whatever you please.  You can choose good or bad.  You have the option to choose life or death.  You are able to decide what you do and what you accomplish.  It is even your option to decide to spend your gift doing absolutely nothing.  You are the only one who can decide to be happy, to be successful, to remain depressed, or to be a failure.  You are in charge of being the victim or the victor.

I challenge you to choose well, to live your life to its fullest, to use your gift as a valuable tool for inspiring and helping others.  I challenge you to choose confidence over self doubt.  I invite you to choose optimism over worry.  I encourage you to choose enthusiasm over anxiety.  Use your tongue to speak life to yourself and others.  Move into the mainstream of life.  Know what you want out of life and go for it.  Give up loneliness and build great new healthy relationships.  Get out of the rut of a boring and stressful job and lauch a promising new career or home business for yourself.  Take care of yourself and look as good as you feel.

Make God glad that he gave you the gift of life! 

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Be Thankful

In order to make your dreams come true it is important that you follow your passion. It is also important that you follow your passion having clear goals. Your goals will become a reality if you are willing and ready to work hard with perseverance.

Perseverance is striving and trying with unfailing acts of patient effort. It indicates that continuos toil, exertion, strain, drudgery, travail, and work be applied, activated, practiced, put use, and adjusted. To persevere means that you try and try again. It means that you don’t stop until what you sought and worked for is accomplished. It means that you don’t stop until you are successful. When you try hard enough and long enough and your efforts don’t produce your aim, then perseverance implies that your efforts be adjusted. Try again another way, then another, and another. Practice until whatever it is that you want to accomplish is achieved, until it is completed, until you have reached success.

It is imperative that as you persevere you avoid feeling sorry for yourself when you goals seem as though they aren’t being accomplished. Keep a positive attitude. It is easy for negative thinking to be transformed into self-pity. It is easy to get stuck in self-pity and wallow in it. In order to avoid wallowing in self-pity; don’t focus on the bad. Don’t focus on the things that have not happened yet. When you get caught up in self-pity, you lose your perspective. Don’t focus on those things for which you have no control. Above all, avoid the trap of comparing yourself and your life to others. Don’t focus on how much better someone else appears to be doing.

You can get caught up in the trap of self-pity very quickly and without being conscious of it. If this happens then shift your perspective. Look around you. Think about those things for which you can be grateful. Life can always be worse. Consider the things you have in your life, the things that have gone well for you that you have taken for granted. Think about those things that others would love to have, to be, or to be able to do that you have and are able to do.

Another way to shift your perspective is to do something for someone in need. Visit a sick relative, assist a helpless neighbor, volunteer at a food pantry to feed people who have no food. Take a bag lunch and a blanket to a homeless person living on the street with no shelter from the rain. Visit the hospital and read a story to a child who has no legs, no arms, or who is dyeing from a terminal disease. Think about your blessings, count them and thank God for them one by one.
Just get up and get moving. Put one foot in front of the
The other, then again, and again, and again. Keep doing this until you have built a momentum. You will find that there is no room for self-pity to dwell with you. Soon the debilitating trap will flee and your efforts will be fruitful again.  The following 10 tips will help you keep a positive attitude as you try daily to work hard with perseverance.
  • Smile and find something in your circumstance to laugh about
  • After you have prayed up, thanked God for what good there is in your life, and praised Him for his goodness, get out and mingle with people greeting them courteously. Be enthusiastic. Call a friend or relative, but not to complain about your life, instead to offer encouragement and your help.
  • Think about your goals. Dream, aim high, and engage in thoughts that help you see your success.
  • Don’t make excuses. Adjust your plan, act on it, and work it. Put forth effort.
  • Be focused and single minded as you work. Be dedicated, disciplined and committed. Appreciate what you do, love your work.
  • Strive for excellence but be humble and open-minded about it. Be open to change and don’t be afraid to take risks.
  • Don’t be judgmental of others. Learn to forgive and forget. Develop a loving attitude. Be sympathetic and compassionate to others.
  • Learn to accept adversity and disappointment. Lean to overcome them as you come out feeling stronger. Whether good or bad, let every experience be a learning experience.
  • Be your own critic. Recognize your faults and your mistakes, acknowledge them and strive for self- improvement.
  • Keep your face and focus on God, live each day performing good in which he can appreciate.
For what do you have to be thankful?  How many blessings can you count?

Keeping Good Records

If you are among the growing number of parents who have decided to join the home-school revolution or you are doing it already.  This is a simple reminder of a  few things.  If you are anything me, you need constant reminders.  In the face of busy with children, household chores, husband, teaching reading, math, critical thinking, social studies, science, church activism, community work, home based business, and of course reading God’s word; it is easy to forget what else is important. 


1. Some states have declared specific home school statues while others have not.  While your children are completing their assignments, here is one for you.  What are specific home-school laws in your state?  Know your rights, make the site where you found them one of your favorites, and print out a copy for your record.  Remember keep a hard copy of what is important.  You never know when you will need it.


2. It is important that you keep good records if in fact legal matters occur. These include:
* A statement of assurance form from the local school district verifying that your home-school program/private education, provides responsible instruction as specified by state law.
* Note: each state is different and if not mandatory in some states.
* Check your state’s education statues usually available at the state board of education.
* Some states require instead a non-public school registration form.
* Most updated forms now have a home-school option box for homeschooling parents to check.

3. If your child has attended or is attending a public or private school, go to the school and get a transfer. Do not just pull him or her out of school. Leave a clean paper trail.

4. Construct a typed letter stating that your children are taught appropriately in all required subject areas. Make sure the letter is signed and notarized.

5. A copy of each child’s birth certificate or notarized record of birth.

6. A copy of each child’s social security card.

7. A copy of each child’s updated medical records.

8. If you opt out of immunizations, state your reasons in a letter and get it notarized. Note: Some states required an updated medical in preschool, kindergarten, 5th grade, 9th, and upon entering college.

9. Keep a list of each subject your child studies and a brief overview of the subject.

10. Document your child’s educational schedule and learning outcomes. What did they learn, master, and achieve?

Keep a file with these articles for each child. Keep it safe. Lock it in a safe if you have to. Above all…
Do it responsibly or don’t do it at all!

Benefits of Home School

        Very often, parents who home-school are shunned and considered completely nuts.  In case that has happened to you,  this information comfort you and help you re-believe that yes, you are doing the right thing.  Who knows better what is best for their child besides a responsible and nurturing parent.
          I have coached parents who home-school their children.  Most  parents for which I have consulted aim to home-school responsibly.  However, their are some whose responsibility aim, falls short of their target.  This articles describes common benefits of responsible homeschooling as well as tips in which a parent who decides to home-school should aim.
          Parents report that the benefits of responsible home-school surpasses all educational experiences.  In this day and time, a great benefit to home-school is a parent’s ability to protect their  children from the negative influences they may encounter outside the home.  With the rise of violence in urban schools these days, this benefit probably surpasses all others.  Parents want their children safe.   Home-schooling parents report that the transfer of their own familial values and belief to their children is the most beneficial of their experiences.  Parents report that the ability to address their children’s questions regarding common and  everyday challenges and joys of life is a plus.
            Another benefit is the time taken to address  various other subjects and  building intimate and meaningful relationships with their children.  Most parents appreciate the ability to control what is learned and how is.  Many children find school boring, children who are responsibly home schooled are usually inept to the idea of boredom.  They are better able to entertain themselves with a good book, they usually watch movies more critically, and they usually have no problem creating activities which combat boredom.
            Homeschooling affords parents the opportunity to tailor teaching and learning to suit their child’s particular learning styles. Research shows that teaching one-on-one is the most effective means of imparting knowledge from teacher to student.   It allows parents the ability to provide their children with in-depth and personal attention which is beneficial when faced with subjects and concepts for which they struggle.  Thus, children usually excel in these areas faster than if they were taught in a classroom setting.  Alleviating the typical constraints of a traditional classroom during teaching and learning  has been beneficial to may students entering post-secondary program.  From my experience at coaching families who conduct responsible homeschool programs, these are the areas of content that are usually lacking. However, I say if you can do it, do it, but do it right, and do it consistently.

Why is it Still the Same?

I wrote this on April 22, 2008 when I was principal of Asa Philip Randolph Alternative High School.  It is 2012 and nothing has changed on the streets of Chicago.  Our children are still killing each other.  They have been desensitized and have no regard for human life.  In 2011, the number of deaths among high school students  have risen.   I find it shameful that this reflection still applies today. 

"I live in the south suburban area of Chicago.  I work on the south side of Chicago.  The two areas are 20 minutes apart and not different in any way.  It sickens me to have to admit that this video clip resembles the life of many young people with whom I know and service.  I was trying to get away from it but am now in its midst all over again.  All I want to do is write.   I hate to turn the news on at night for fear I will see a face of another young person gunned down or beat to death by his or her peers.  I leave work early everyday in order to pick up my twins to comfort my own heart.  …and who really cares?


I can’t imagine the pain of the mothers of these children.  I can’t even begin to imagine the dread of their mornings when they have to remember not to wake their child for school.  I can’t imagine what it is like to go home from work to prepare one less plate for dinner.  It is inconceivable that a mother’s child is gunned down in streets, at school, at the bus stop or in the park.  This hurting mother will not see her child walk across the stage of a college.  She won’t be able to beam with pride as she watches her child grow into a productive man or woman.  Her thoughts will be haunted by an imaginary image of her child caring for his or her children.  She has to live with the picture embedded deeply into her mind of her child lying in a casket turning into dust of the ground. 

It is inconceivable that another mother’s child could think they had the right to take another life.  What about that mother?  She has pain too!  Her child killed another.  It was her child too whose life is also wasted.  Her child is also a victim of the streets.   It is her child who rots in a jail cell contending with who knows what.  She is looked down on, frowned on, isolated, ostracized, and snarled at.  Who will show her pity?  Who will have compassion on her other children?  How is she to deal with it?  …and who really cares? 
There were over 30 young people killed  due to street violence last school year and as of today, April 10, 2008 the numbers are up to 22.  Some mornings I dread going to work because the young people I service need so much, some want so little, and many live in utter lack.  Many lack love, guidance, financial means, and spirituality.  My collegues and I around this country who work with inner city youth have limited  resources and usually limited time.  …and who really cares?

It’s been two more since I looked into the eyes of number 20 the day before he was shot down in that school parking lot.  Now he is a number, 20.  Now he is an empty chair.  Now he is a deleted record.  Now he is blended into the imagination of all who knew him.  It is more difficult knowing who he was and what his goals were.  He made me hopeful that our young people could turn their lives around; that they could infact transform their lives and improve its quality.   We smiled at each other as I analyzed his transcript and he could see clearly that his graduation could be near.  I had the opportunity to show his mother kindness.  I felt the gleam in her heart as she too saw hope for her son.  I watched him turn over a new leaf and get to school on time.  I watched his teacher’s delighted smile as she hung his completed work on her board.   I listened to his teacher encourage him.  I smiled with her as she said good things about his work.  I fear the demise of yet another one.  …and who really cares?
However, I remain optimistic that I and my colleagues will be able to touch some with patience and kindness.  I am optimistic that our time with some will be beneficial to them at some point in their lives. This video, though a click of a fictitional movie, is an accurate depiction of the life many young people actually lead every single day.  Some are afraid.  Others are unusually fearless.  I cry for our children.  Help me pray for them.   Touch one while you can … and who really cares?"

What can parents do about the rising drop out rates?


America’s drops out rates are still rising and African American youth have still have the highest drop rates.  Students reasons for dropping out of high school are they don’t have a sense of belonging, classes are not interesting, they are not motivated and simply don’t have incentive enough to try.  Parents are not involved in helping these young people and keeping them motivated enough to keep trying.  Parent involvement in keep and starts from the time our children are infants.  There are ways parents can keep children in school. 

A child does not decide to drop out of school overnight.  Usually, it’s something he or she has been thinking about for a while.  As a parent, you can take steps to prevent your child from dropping out.  But it’s important to start early.  Your child is never too young to be encouraged, listened to and loved. 

For parents who have infants and toddlers be a good role model.  Your baby learns by watching you.  It is important to hold and hug your child often, as it is good for both of you.  A healthy baby has a head start on learning.  It is important that your child learns to eat a healthy diet even in infancy.  You are helping your child develop life long habits.  Most importantly, you need to be a model for reading.  Make books available in the house.  You can purchase plastic and hard cardboard books so your child can touch and manipulate.  Lastly, read to our child everyday and let him see you reading, and he will mimic you.

If you have preschoolers, you can teach your child about the world around you go to the grocery store, part, museums, and library together.  Don’t be in a hurry.  Give your child time to learn and grow.  Turn the television off and give your child a picture book, coloring book, and drawing paper. Let your child help with simple tasks like putting toys and clothes away.  Talk to your preschooler, congratulate and applaud any small accomplishment.  You are providing them with opportunities to feel successful. 

Parent with children in kindergarten through third grade can be active in the child’s school.  Make sure your child goes every day.  Make going to school habitual.  Get to know the teachers and talk to them about your child regularly.  Continue reading to your child and ask her to read to you.  Make sure your child has plenty of playtime with other children and learns to share.  Always make time to listen, its one of the most important things you can do.  And again applaud your child for the small things he does.  You are still providing them with opportunities to know what success feels like. 

When your child is in fourth to eighth grade you need to remain actively involved.  Ask about your child’s day at school and ask about homework.  Be ready with praise for a job well done.  We build our children’s self esteem by applauding them for their accomplishments, no matter how small or large.  Make sure that homework is done and correct.  Meet your child’s friends and supervise them carefully as they interact with your child.  Visit the school often and if you think there’s a problem at school, talk to the teachers and principal immediately. 

If your child is in high school, you are not finished yet.  High school students need as much monitoring and motivation as younger children.  Make sure that school comes first with your child.  Don’t allow him to miss school.  Check his attendance and homework.  Ask about classwork.  Praise his for even the small successes.  Listen when your high schooler talks about the school day.  Help your teenager balance school, work, and social life.  Ask about her dreams and her goals.  Show your teenager the connection between school and reaching those goals.  Teenagers need space, but make sure they know that you’re always there for them. 

Remember, a child who loves learning will learn to love school.  Help your child.  Read, explain, and take every teachable moment.  Take every moment as an opportunity to teach your child that a good education is a sure way to a better life.  As a parent, it is our responsibility to make sure that our children do not become one of the million students who drop out of school every year in America.  We have a responsibility and we cannot drop the ball until our children are successful. 

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Raw Kale Salad Recipe


Kale belongs to the Brassica family, a group that also includes cabbage, collard greens and Brussels sprouts. Choose kale with small leaves as they will be tenderer and offer a sweeter taste. Make kale leaves a regular addition to your salads. A sautéed side dish of kale, onions, and garlic drizzled in olive oil is second to none.   Though we can find Kale in stores most of the year, they are in more abundance between mid winter and early spring.  The rich green leaves are rich calcium, lutein, iron and Vitamins A, C & K.  It has far more beta-carotene than broccoli and lutein.  It is also rich in fiber and antioxidants and helps to boost detoxification enzymes.   This information is taken from:  http://www.antioxidants-guide.com/health_benefit_of_kale.html



Vegetables & Herbs
  • 2 or 3 bunches of finely chopped dark green Kale leaves (remove stems & tough leaves)
  • ½ cups chopped fennel bulb
  • 2 carrots (shredded)
  • 1 red bell pepper (finely chopped)
  • 1 yellow bell pepper (finely chopped)
  • ½ cup chopped green olives
  • 1/.2  cup finely chopped onions and garlic to taste

Dressing:   
Soak your greens in this mixture or use a balsamic dressing
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • *1/4 tsp Braggs liquid Aminos
  • 1/8 tsp raw sugar or sugar substitute
  • 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional, adds a cheesy taste) 
  • 1t dulse or spirilina flakes (seaweed to add more nutrition)
  • 1 to 2 tsp chili powder to taste (optional, if you have spicy taste buds, if you decide to use chili powder you may not want to use fennel.)  

Process:
Marinate the chopped Kale in the dressing you prepared or in balsamic dressing for a few hours at room temperature, so the acids in the dressing break it down, and soften it making it fully digestible.  The kale really transforms after marinating. 

Note: 
*Bragg Liquid Amino is a Certified NON-GMO liquid protein concentrate that comes from healthy soybeans, and contains essential and non-essential amino acids.  If you use Braggs Liquid Amino in recipes, chances are you won’t need to add salt.  Keep this mind so you don’t ruin a recipe with to much salt flavor.   As an occasional alternative, try Coconut Amino. 

There are many nutritional benefits of Coconut Amino.  It is described as the “building blocks of protein,” amino acids are vitally important to human health. They contribute to the repair and rebuilding of muscle tissue, help to enhance overall brain and nervous system function.  They also assist in boosting the immune system and physical energy levels.

Power Walk

Because I have trained my mind to hate exercise, when I think of it my thoughts are always those of dread. I constantly forget that there is hope for people like me who are not fond of exercise but understand the need for it. My memory was refreshed today. I have been forgeting to do my POWER WALK.

Don't have time to exercise today? Got at least 10 minutes? Try this quick and easy daily power walk to get your metabolism moving.

First, warm up your body and wake up your metabolism. Begin with a couple of diaphragmatic breaths: Inhale deeply to the count of 1; hold the breath to the cound of 4; then exhale to the count of 2. Breath in this manner for 3-5 minutes.

Next, inhale through your nose to the count of 4 and exhale to the count of 4 through your mouth. Repeat this breathwalk for 5 minutes continuously.


For more information on the power walk go to: www.breathwalk.com or ask your exercise instructor.

Losing After 50 T'aint Easy

This year  I'll be 54. Honestly, I never thought being in my 50's would come so quickly. It always seemed like a reality that was so far away and so far out of reach; it was a thought I didn't have to dwell upon. Like most young folk, I too took life and health for granted. I regret having known what to do to ensure my health after 50 and not actually taking those steps. I have been as large as a size 26 in my adult life. Of course I wasn't satisfied with myself during those days, what woman is?

Fortunately, I was able to lose much of that weight, and it is a good think too. I have health issues that could have been avoided, maybe. I am a size 16 after having gotten down even more. On my 50th birthday, I could happily squeeze into a size 12. It was exciting, it felt good, I was proud, and I bound to get myself set in 12 without having to feel 'squeezed in'. I was ready to tell everybody how to do it.

Unfortunately, I got too comfortable and too relaxed. After having everything necessary to get it right, on my 51st birthday I am regretfully on the road back up. The good thing is that upon deciding to write this 'confession of a 51 year old brawny woman' I have made up my mind again, to get back on track.

I don't like feeling out of breath when I walk up the stairs to my bedroom. I don't like feeling heavy as I lift myself out of bed in the morning. I don't like feeling stiff in the night, having to stretch my arms and legs because my elbow and knee joints are aching. I don't like going to purchase a new outfit and having to go to the size 16-18 section again. I don't like not being able to fit into a few favorite dresses now moved to the back of my closet. I don't like my shoes being tight and my stocking rubbing so much at the thighs.

After having made this promise to myself many times, I am not making it again. My hope is that this is the last time! I want to be size 12! I want to be a comfortable 12, not a tight one. I want to be able to move swiftly up the steps leading to my bedroom, the comfortable suit I have made for myself in my home. I want to be able to ride a bike again, to skate again, to dance through 3 songs again. The information I blogged on this site helped me to get where I wanted to be before.

Tonight, January 1, 2012, I am making what I hope to be the last promise to myself to be healthy wise for my own sake. I am making myself what I hope to be the last promise I make to myself to get to that 'comfortable and loose fitting size 12 once and for all, one step at a time, AGAIN.   I purchased a cruise for $69, the boat leaves for the Western Caribbean in mid April.  I want to get on it in my size 12 body.  My birthday is in late June, I'd like to still be that 12 and go dancing!   Pray for me as I re-embark on my journey.

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