My Prayer for ...

Thought I'd lift up today this audio podcast entitled "Poetic Blessing" for a friend who is always there for others and a blessing to them in so many ways. In case he has forgotten in the face of the challenges and tear downs that seem to have reached epidemic proportion in today's society whether in fever pitched political campaigns or in the barb wired gossip industry, there are some people who do really care. Many don't always express it as consistently and vigorously as they ought. Love and praise can most times,if not ultimately, neutralize or counteract "tear downs",misrepresentations and "snark attacks". Let this poem serve as a gentle reminder that you are the best and that you remain in my prayers.

Entitled "My Prayer for John",it is included in the closing segment of a podcast recorded on February 20,2008 entitled "Poetic Blessing".

Here is the link.

Spread some hope and encouragement today.It couldn't hurt.



Peace,

Cynthia

The Art of Asking

Image Source


The Heavier Octaves Profile Song of the week is "Say" . It is a beautiful song.It sounds like a lot of time and effort went into composition and production.The song was especially commissioned for the movie "The Bucket List" starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.There are two music videos of the soundtrack song,one official and the other an alternate version.

Have there been times when you've either been all choked up(some call it full) or otherwise at a loss for words?

Lately,I have found myself more and more at a loss for just the right words. At times, just what symbols of expression to use has been a challenge as well. I have come to discover that this happens usually when I have not exercised my gift of speech or articulation at that crucial moment. Believe it or not even as a minister this happens.I have found myself in such a predicament either when the person I want to say something to is surrounded by people who should not really be privy to the information or when careful wording and diplomacy has to be used. It has also happened when I am afraid of being misunderstood,i.e., when I feel my intentions likely to be misinterpreted by a hostile or biased audience.Sometimes I don't say anything out of fear of being rejected,especially when it is a big dream involved. The stakes are usually pretty high then. And,please don't confuse this kind of trial with a crisis in faith. I wrote a blog a few years back which provides a different spin on the issue, entitled "The Art of Asking".


Getting clogged up, one way to reference it,is what begins to happen when you've let the opportunity to express yourself pass on numerous significant occasions.You simply become rusty and underutilized over time. And,as a consequence, when the opportune moment arrives in which you absolutely need to use your voice ,having been out of practice somehow you lose it. Awkwardly, you finding yourself not really knowing just what to say.


Honestly,there are times that you really need to remain silent. But nine times out of ten,you need to speak up. Don't get frozen in time pondering and weighing the consequences...on temporary inexpressive meltdown. Let it rip. And,like Esther... , who thought "If I perish,I perish...take the risk,be bold and courageous. One thing is for sure, you will have spoken your mind and gotten something out of your heart and into the wider world.The world will likely be a better place as a result. You may save some one, some people or even yourself. And,if nothing else comes of your bold verbal catharsis,you can at least sleep easier at night knowing you've done your part.

Trust and have faith that someone will hear you.It may be the one you've longed to receive the true meaning of words coming from the depths of your soul. "Say what you need to say". No more playing with the "shadows in your head"...

On that note,I think it appropriate to once again lift up a blog I posted on Myspace entitled "The Art of Asking" . Here is the link(coming soon...).

While you go through the blog ask yourself and create a kind of "bucket list." "What do you want to do?" What haven't you done or said to make things right with yourself or another? Remember,you don't have forever.

Enjoy...


Peace,


Cynthia

Watching:

The Bucket List

Listening To:

Say

Reading:

Esther's Story

Media And Image Bias Continues to Rear Its Head in This Year's Presidential Race

Photo Source

A good friend  emailed the following article to me this morning as part of an email broadcast to her friends,originally posted by Cenk Uygur in the Huffington Post on March 19,2008.The above photo is my own addition to this subject matter as a means of provoking thought and was not at all a part of the blog featured below.

While I should have weighed in on this subject much sooner,I think now is as good a time as any to express  disdain for the manner in which the Rev. Wright controversy has been handled over the last few months by not only the media, but the pundits, the candidates and political strategists as well.

I believe that both Senator Obama and Dr. Jeremiah Wright were done a disservice by being backed into corners and run over by "trains of thought" fixed and headed down the tracks to an unavoidable end.An end in many ways choreographed by petty bigotries,ignorance and racial fears, and subtle,if not blatant psychological manipulation. Yes. I believe some used the incident as a convenient weapon against Obama to withdraw or encourage others to withdraw their support.Put another way,most who were left reeling and alarmed by Rev.Jeremiah Wright's remarks(sound byte) and the fact that Senator Obama could have been a member of such a pastor's flock,were predisposed to reach that opinion anyway,but perhaps for different reasons.The Rev.Wright incident was a stroke of luck,used tactically--potentially strategically-- as a convenient excuse and as a a blueprint for misguided character assassination. On the other hand,I am not so sure denunciation and distancing from a pastor of over twenty(20) years, undoubtedly a source of inspiration and guidance for a phenomenal career, was the most effective route to take on the matter.

Uygur's article echoes some of my thoughts and sentiments on the matter.Stay tuned for more from me on this issue as part of an upcoming blog and related podcast in the near future.

Here's Cenk's take on the matter:

Different Standards for Black and White Preachers

Posted March 19, 2008 | 11:50 AM (EST)

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Read More: 2008 Election, 2008 Election And Religion, Barack Obama, Barack Obama Race Speech, Black Preachers, Catholic Church, Jeremiah Wright, Jerry Falwell, John Hagee, John McCain, Media Coverage Of Religion, Mitt Romney, Obama Race Speech, Obama's Race Speech, Rod Parsley, Rudy Giuliani, White Preachers, Breaking Politics News

Rudy Giuliani's priest has been accused in grand jury proceedings of molesting several children

and covering up the molestation of others. Giuliani would not disavow him on the campaign trail and still works with him.
Mitt Romney was part of a church that did not view black Americans as equals and actively discriminated against them. He stayed with that church all the way into his early thirties, until they were finally forced to change their policies to come into compliance with civil rights legislation. Romney never disavowed his church back then or now. He said he was proud of the faith of his fathers.

Jerry Falwell said America had 9/11 coming because we tolerated gays, feminists and liberals. It was our fault. Our chickens had come home to roost, if you will. John McCain proudly received his support and even spoke at his university's commencement.

Reverend John Hagee has called the Catholic Church the "Great Whore." He has said that the Anti-Christ will rise out of the European Union (of course, the Anti-Christ will also be Jewish). He has said all Muslims are trained to kill and will be part of the devil's army when Armageddon comes (which he hopes is soon). John McCain continues to say he is proud of Reverend Hagee's endorsement.

Reverend Rod Parsley believes America was founded to destroy Islam. Since this is such an outlandish claim, I have to add for the record, that he is not kidding. Reverend Parsley says Islam is an "anti-Christ religion" brought down from a "demon spirit." Of course, we are in a war against all Muslims, including presumably Muslim-Americans. Buts since Parsley believes this is a Christian nation and that it should be run as a theocracy, he is not very concerned what Muslim-Americans think.

John McCain says Reverend Rod Parsley is his "spiritual guide."
What separates all of these outrageous preachers from Barack Obama's? You guessed it. They're white and Reverend Jeremiah Wright is not. If it's not racism that's causing the disparity in media treatment of these preachers, then what is it?
I'm willing to listen to other possible explanations. And I am inclined to believe that the people these preachers go after are more important than the race of the preacher. It's one thing to go after gays, liberals and Muslims -- that seems to be perfectly acceptable in America -- it's another to accuse white folks of not living up to their ideals.

I think there is another factor at play as well. The media is deathly afraid of calling out preachers of any stripe for insane propaganda from the pulpits for fear that they will be labeled as anti-Christian. But criticism of Rev. Wright falls into their comfort zone. It's easy to blame him for being anti-American because he criticizes American foreign and domestic policy.
If Rev. Wright had preached about discriminating against gay Americans or Muslims, there probably would not have been any outcry at all. That falls into the category of "respect their hateful opinions because they cloak themselves in the church."
But one thing is indisputable -- the enormous disparity in how the media has covered these white preachers as opposed to Rev. Wright. Have you ever even heard of Rod Parsley? As you can see from what I listed above, all of these white preachers have said and done the most outlandish and offensive things you can imagine -- and hardly a peep.

If the disparity in coverage isn't racist, then what is it?
_______________________________________________
I wonder if the same problem with disparity and honesty in coverage will continue to be an issue as the media covers Obama's predicted victory as the first African American in the history of this country to win the Democratic presidential nomination.

The Heavier Side...Something Important to Say

I have not gone back and forth feverishly weighing the thoughts or opinions of the pundits or news broadcasters--at least not on any of my blogs during this Presidential primary. I am now making an exception. I think Mr. Olberman has something important to say...I

So much so that it inspired me enough to place it on my blog because he prefaces his remarks with the statement of how much respect he has for the person he is "calling out."

For that reason and the fact that none of us should ever have to deal with the ignorance that racism breeds, its worth a listen. Something to think about for sure.

Take a look:

Love Is the Currency-Let It Flow… | Cynthia D. Wilson Speaks…

Love Is the Currency-Let It Flow… | Cynthia D. Wilson Speaks…


I thought I'd lift this thought today.It is from a podcast I recorded on August 28,2007.

Enjoy,

Cynthia

Related Blogs and Articles:

Global Day of Action Against Poverty

Heath Ledger Passes from Accidental Drug Overdose

Academy Award nominated actor and respected talent Heath Ledger who appeared in the critically acclaimed and popular movie BrokeBack Mountain has passed from a drug overdose. The actor who was admittedly under immense pressures and demands from his latest role in the latest Batman sequel "Dark Knight" had been battling addiction problems.Read more here.






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A Distintively Talented Voice Silenced:Amy Winehouse Joins Ranks of 27 Club

Happy Birthday Dr. King-Global Day of Action Against Poverty Revisited

Image Source-Poor People's March on Washington-1967

The curse of poverty has no justification in our age. It is socially as cruel and blind as the practice of cannibalism at the dawn of civilization, when men ate each other because they had not yet learned to take food from the soil or to consume the abundant animal life around them. The time has come for us to civilize ourselves by the total, direct and immediate abolition of poverty."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today marks the official celebration of the National Dr. Martin Luther King,Jr. holiday. I went through some of my old blogs and found the above quote. It could not be more compelling,especially in light of the "Global Day of Action Against Poverty" celebrated a few months ago and the recent efforts by those in the White House,the Senate and the House of Representatives to come up with an economic stimulus package to ease the financial down swing many Americans are currently experiencing. Families are losing their homes and jobs are being outsource by corporations to foreign countries.Communities and individuals are in deep economic distress,while billions are spent on a mounting war.Some think we are on the brink of a recession.

The US is surprisingly in debt to China and other countries to the tune of millions. I know it's hard to believe. I was completely baffled when I first heard the announcement a few days ago.

There are many US citizens who feel that they have been thrown away and hung out to dry by the Washington Bureaucracy's current lack of concern for the poor and needy and its demonstrated favor towards the rich. It has been brought to light by the current unemployment rates,the status of health care and the failure to provide needed government assistance to those in disaster torn areas such as the residents of New Orleans and the broader Gulf Coast.

The struggle for economic justice rages on in this country.If Dr. King were alive to witness the state of financial affairs today,I believe he would be happy on the one hand,since inroads have been made into the wealthy social strata by a significant,but arguably insubstantial percentage of the historically underprivileged.However,I feel he would be more dismayed that there has been no remarkable narrowing of the divide between the poor and rich. In fact,some believe it has gotten wider with the systematic erosion of the middle class brought about by brutal economic policies of the current administration.


It was reported that the congress,Democrats and Republicans are scurrying around Washington,"hopping like bunnies",if they have to in an effort to push through some kind of workable plan to get the US on its feet.One journalist reported that it appeared almost like a"love fest",with members of each party making sincere efforts to work together.

On that note,I'd like to dedicate a blog containing a poem I wrote entitled "Love is the Currency".There is little doubt in my mind that we need love now more than ever to feed the hungry,house the homeless,care for the sick properly and to end the political partisan stagnation that creates the lack too many in our society currently face.

Yes. I say,continue to work together,Democrats and Republicans. If you're an independent,come with some ideas and answers as well. And,if you aren't missing any meals and live in the lap of luxury everyday,have some love and compassion for those who don't have much. Don't be stingy,fearful,haughty to share your resources,paying lip service only to the whole notion of "the pursuit of happiness" and the financial resources it requires to do the journey justice. Make your vote and influence count. Make poverty history.

Enjoy some music also and dedicate an uplifting song from one of the related playlists below to friend or,maybe even one of your congressional representatives.No. Itks not too "over the top".Go for it.And,remember,love is the currency.Please let it flow...

Happy Birthday,Dr. King.

Peace,

Cynthia

Related Blogs and Articles:

Protest Songs Sing Up!

Global Day of Action Against Poverty




Listening To:

Waiting On the World to Change

Protest Songs A La Social Observation

http://cynthiadwilson.blogspot.com/2007/06/airlift-ii-love-soother-mix.html#main