Alabama Fans Cancel Justice in Alabama

 

You would have to be living in a different world not to be aware of the murder of Jamae Jonae Harris.  An innocent victim minding her own business, shot and killed because she refused to entertain advances of a thug.

Jamae was with her boyfriend when apparently a young thug made advances towards her.  She declined and the end result was death.

She is the mother of a five-year-old son. 

What did the University of Alabama due for her, her son and her family on Saturday when the Razorbacks played Alabama in basketball?

NOTHING !!!

The student section and adult fans cheered and displayed antics of a police pat down when Brandon Miller entered the court.  SAY WHAT ?????

While Brandon Miller did not pull the trigger, he supplied the weapon.  Now ask yourself this........If I gave a gun to you knowing full well you were drunk and not making good decisions, would I be in anyway responsible for your actions?

What about the bartender or liquor store that sold you all that booze, do they share in the crimes also?

Brandon Miller continues to live a life of freedom and basketball.  Jamae's son lives a live without his mother.  Jamae's mothers buried her daughter and will now raise her grandson.

Below is a brief narrative from the paper on the actions that occurred.  For me, I believe that justice has not been served and that the University of Alabama should have to remove Brandon Miller from their team.

I didn't believe the entire program should be shut down, because I for one hated receiving group discipline for something I did not do.  Now, after witnessing the display of the student body and fans, I now believe it should all be shut down.

It would have meant so much more if the University of Alabama acknowledged this horrific murder and ask for prayers and/or donations for Jamae's family.  

Somewhere along the line coaches, students and fans have lost the ability to lead, care and demonstrate true compassion for others damaged by sports members.

Shame on Alabama, Alabama sports and their fans.

___________________________________________________________

Miles admitted he contacted Miller and asked him to bring him his gun.

Around 1:30 a.m. the day of the shooting, the freshman allegedly brought his teammate the loaded handgun that was used to kill Harris. Dan Wetzel mused on Miller’s decision (via Yahoo):

“This was Miller getting a request to bring a weapon to someone he had to reasonably believe had been drinking, perhaps heavily, in a crowded college bar district and doing so rather than a) not doing it, b) telling his teammate to leave rather than escalate the situation, c) driving over unarmed and picking his teammate up or d) any number of other better options — namely, anything else. Even doing nothing would have been better.”

Culpepper said Miles told him where Davis could find the gun in Miller’s car. Meanwhile, police testified that the windshield on Miller’s Dodge Charger was later struck twice by gunfire in the shooting.

Remember Whose Child You Are !

 

Parents constantly tell their children, "Behave, don't cause a scene, remember whose child you are."

More importantly than being the daughter or son of your earthly parents, is the most important thing. Being a child of GOD.  You are wanted, you are loved, you were created for HIS glory.

You are a child of God, no matter who you are, what circumstances you live in or how your feel about GOD, you are His child.

No one creates life but GOD, He created the Heavens and the earth.  He and He alone created life.

Today, remember that as a child of GOD, you matter, you were created to glorify Him.  You are uniquely and wonderfully made.   

Don't despair, don't give in and don't let those who criticize you for living a life for GOD bother you.  Rather, combat the negative and the criticizing, by making them crawl all over your love and good works you direct towards them and others.

Rom 12:20 Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

Being kind to our enemies is like “heaping coals of fire on their head” in that it will produce an emotion of burning shame, pictured by the burning coals. 

This place is not our home, we as pilgrims are passing through on our journey to Heaven.  Make the most of each day, glorify God in every thought, word, action and deed.

Happy Tuesday! 

Trust Your Gut

 

Have you ever met someone and instantly had a "creeped" out feeling?

Have you known someone for years and never felt comfortable around them?

Just as we know there are good and bad people in the world, there are those that fool us every time we meet them.

I have friends and acquaintances from my childhood, some remain true, loyal and kind to me no matter what.  Others that were mean to me in my youth, still are today but it's in a different way.  

Seems the older we have gotten the more layered the deceit becomes. Just as I maintain a protective wall around my heart and emotions when I am in their presence, they maintain an air of superiority and false smiles.  

Those people were never my true friends to begin with, so I am truly not bothered by their absence of authenticity, but rather saddened that the years have gone by without evidence of real personal growth.  I am still working on mine.

The rub that comes is not with the people I have known forever, but with the new people that come into my life.  There is no history so, one can be easily fooled and tricked by them.

It's called discernment, the ability to judge well.  I am struggling with the failed "gut" discernment regarding two individuals I have come in contact with over the past few years.

One, is so obviously and blatantly false.  A false businessperson, one who always puts themselves first above the people they represent and the duty at hand.  One who lies, cheats and manipulates those around to try to make themselves look so important and respectable.

Honestly, I have met no one who truly trusts or respects this person, so I feel that my "gut" warning was spot on.  I remain guarded and alert in their presence.  

The second person is another businessperson who came to me in "Christian" friendship, requesting my help with their goals and dreams for their professional future.  

SHOCK and AWE, once the dreams were achieved the professed "Christian" begins to act much like the other person.  How could I be so wrong?  Why didn't my "gut" warn me?  What should I have done differently?

While I do not know the answers to these questions, I do know that where there was once like and respect, there is now the absence of trust and respect.

Who are you to others?  Are you honest, truthful and kind?  Do you harbor a secret desire to make others fail so that you feel better?  

I continue to pray for discernment and guidance in regard to the people I meet, and the encounters presented to me when working with others.    

Bringing new people into your circle can be dangerous and/or rewarding but following your "gut" instincts can sometimes lead you astray.   

Be the real you with everyone you meet and always be in prayer for GOD to protect and guide you in the presence of your enemies.

The Lord shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways. Leviticus 26:7 

M&M's and Being a Child of God - Say What? 01/27/2023

 

 c in my world.  In my world, I love these guys/gals.  

Next thing you know, we won't even be able to enjoy anything fun because we might offend someone. 

The next time you call someone a "snowflake", the snowmen of the world will rebel.  All the alarm clocks in the world will stop working because the word "woke" is offensive.

It seems ridiculous to be offended by the shoes on a cartoon character, the color of the candy or their actions.  For me these characters bring a little brightness to the world of candy.  

I love Yellow!!! He is my favorite.  Their faces, their antics, their silliness are from a world of marketing and make believe.  

In a world of great climate change, hunger, illness, crime and evil, it would be nice if the those so easily offended were truly bothered by things that matter.  

Yes, I know this is an unbelievably stupid thing to be upset about, but I am !!!!

For me, M&M's will no longer be my Super Bowl Heros, I will no longer look forward to their Halloween commercials and I shall miss Yellow spinning on the fan.  

M&M's are no longer will be welcome in my home, they have offended me by their ignorance and stupidity.  Not the characters, the people running the show.

In the words of M&M:  The more color in the world, the more fun there is to share.  Imagine a world with less judgment and more connection & consistent laughter.  Purple was introduced as having an optimistic outlook, quirky nature, and authentic charm.  She was created to remind us to embrace our true selves.

WHAT A GREAT CONCEPT !!

But:

If that is true, they would leave well enough alone and let those of us who love our M&M's just the way they are go back to our colorful world of characters.

If it were just about M&M's, it might not bother me so much.  

Beware, first we will no longer have M&M characters, next we might lose the right to call ourselves a Child of God because we offend those who aren't.

Being children of God means we have access to the “throne of grace” through prayer, any time and from any place; we have the promise that “we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). The child of God trusts his Father to supply all his needs “according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). He is confident that the “Father in heaven [will] give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11).

Today, M&M's tomorrow..................

Snow Days - A Picture of God's Amazing Grace 01/25/2023

“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
    they shall be like wool.

Isaiah 1:18 NIV

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

The world is beautiful, white, clean and the presence of the Lord is everywhere.

From the birds feasting on new seeds, to the silence in the absence of others.  

GOD is everywhere.

I love snow, it reminds me so much of Isaiah 1:38.  My sins are scarlet, but one day, I will be white as snow.

One day, I will be covered in the whiteness of His grace and mercy.

For today, I am thankful for a warm home, shelter from the cold and the continued promise of eternity.

My sins melt away in the forgiveness of the Lamb of God.

I am just passing thru for this world is not my home.

Until then, I will rejoice, be thankful and praise God for His amazing promise, 

His amazing grace and the 

beauty of the world around me.

Amen

This Guy ! - My Friend Levi - 01/24/2023

This is my friend Levi.  I met him, his older brother and his parents at the Fayetteville National Cemetery.  We were just getting started in our Youth Ambassador program with Bo's Blessings.  After a brief conversation, they decided to join us.

Levi is like a big ray of sunshine.  No matter what, he smiles, he loves to be involved and he loves to help.  

You will never pull one over on him, because he always seems to be one step ahead of the questions he asks.

Levi loves to live life, he loves to laugh, and he loves costumes.  This pumpkin costume was from one of our pumpkin patch events.  Some of the board members from Bo's Blessings wore this one year at our fund raiser.  I truly believe Levi wore it best.

His parents embrace Levi's uniqueness.  He is one of a kind, a truly amazing young man who doesn't always have it as easy as some, but he always has a positive outlook and a winning smile.

No matter what, his greatest cheerleaders are his parents, his brother Bradley and the people that are lucky enough to know him.

If you are ever blessed to meet this sweet kiddo, your life will be changed in a positive way.  

Keep changing the world Levi - one day it will be yours.

Absence Does Not Make the Heart Grow Fonder-01/23/2023

 

We made it through our first weekend without Lucy and it has been difficult.  Neither one of us is eager to walk out the bedroom door knowing our Lucy is no longer there to meet us.  That tail wagging, excited, happy girl, greeting us as if we were meeting for the first time.

Lucy was a love and each day she enjoyed being with us.  She loved company and attention.  She loved everyone who came to the house and made fast friends with service technicians when they were here.

She loved the kids in the neighborhood and the neighbors.  She wasn't really crazy about the other dogs, but oh how she loved people.

Danny and I have and continue to feel your support, love and prayers for us during this difficult time.  We know that each day we will get a little stronger, but we will never get over this amazing gift from GOD.

Thank you for the cards, calls, texts and personal messages.  You have helped us in ways you will never know.  We gather strength from each of you and your kind messages.

We were truly blessed to be Lucy's people with amazing, supportive family and friends like each of you.